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• Mutual development – From the perspective of socialisation, non-formal pedagogy aspires for mutual development – the group will develop as long as its
participants develop and the individual will develop as long as the group develops. This provides a positive metaphor for the reciprocal relationship between
the individual and society and can thus enhance the social responsibility required
of environmentally responsible citizens (Goldman et al. 2017).
• Experiential learning – Learning that involves social involvement contributes to
developing a sense of responsibility, evoking feelings and changing attitudes,
environmental awareness, and a sense-of-place (e.g. physical, cultural and community identity), that together promote environmentally sustainable behaviour.
This brief consideration of various characteristics of informal and non-formal
education and their relevance to environmental learning/educating for sustainability
underlines the potential contribution of these frameworks in developing many of the
cognitive and, importantly, affective components of Environmental Citizenship.
From the affective dimension, these settings inspire curiosity and exploration, evoke
feelings and may change attitudes, nurture a sense of personal and community identity, and can influence people’s decision-making concerning ethical and moral
issues relating to daily lives (Ballantyne and Packer 2005). Falk (2006) claims that
“…such experiences invariably result in a more knowledgeable individual possessing an incrementally enhanced motivation and capacity to learn more in the
future…” (p. 266). The non-rigid but guided process that takes place in non-formal
educational situations can facilitate the development of rational and authentic
decision- making. Additionally, non-formal settings offer a more open (loose)
framework that enables people to interpret experiences according to a personal perspective and personal interests, as well as to construct a personal worldview. Falk
(2006) identifies an additional benefit of free-choice learning that is associated with
out-of-school and, specifically, non-formal learning settings. This type of learning
is bottom-up and individually-driven (as opposed to top-down institutionallydriven), and it provides the opportunity for lifelong learning, which, in a world that
is becoming progressively knowledge-driven, is acknowledged as crucial. The
importance of non-formal and informal education frameworks as arenas for engaging citizens in sustainability (Goldman et al. 2017) stems from these attributes.
14.2 Pedagogies, Teaching Tools and Learning Schemes
of Secondary Non-formal Education for Promoting
Environmental Citizenship
Activities in non-formal settings can provide innovative alternatives to class-based
teaching systems. They can stimulate personal interaction in problem solving,
develop the willingness and the competences for critical and active engagement in
individual and collective spheres within democratic contexts, and take into account
inter-generational equality and justice. Therefore non-formal settings for secondary
education level could contribute to Education for Environmental Citizenship by pro14 Educating for Environmental Citizenship in Non-formal Frameworks…
• Mutual development – From the perspective of socialisation, non-formal pedagogy aspires for mutual development – the group will develop as long as its
participants develop and the individual will develop as long as the group develops. This provides a positive metaphor for the reciprocal relationship between
the individual and society and can thus enhance the social responsibility required
of environmentally responsible citizens (Goldman et al. 2017).
• Experiential learning – Learning that involves social involvement contributes to
developing a sense of responsibility, evoking feelings and changing attitudes,
environmental awareness, and a sense-of-place (e.g. physical, cultural and community identity), that together promote environmentally sustainable behaviour.
This brief consideration of various characteristics of informal and non-formal
education and their relevance to environmental learning/educating for sustainability
underlines the potential contribution of these frameworks in developing many of the
cognitive and, importantly, affective components of Environmental Citizenship.
From the affective dimension, these settings inspire curiosity and exploration, evoke
feelings and may change attitudes, nurture a sense of personal and community identity, and can influence people’s decision-making concerning ethical and moral
issues relating to daily lives (Ballantyne and Packer 2005). Falk (2006) claims that
“…such experiences invariably result in a more knowledgeable individual possessing an incrementally enhanced motivation and capacity to learn more in the
future…” (p. 266). The non-rigid but guided process that takes place in non-formal
educational situations can facilitate the development of rational and authentic
decision- making. Additionally, non-formal settings offer a more open (loose)
framework that enables people to interpret experiences according to a personal perspective and personal interests, as well as to construct a personal worldview. Falk
(2006) identifies an additional benefit of free-choice learning that is associated with
out-of-school and, specifically, non-formal learning settings. This type of learning
is bottom-up and individually-driven (as opposed to top-down institutionallydriven), and it provides the opportunity for lifelong learning, which, in a world that
is becoming progressively knowledge-driven, is acknowledged as crucial. The
importance of non-formal and informal education frameworks as arenas for engaging citizens in sustainability (Goldman et al. 2017) stems from these attributes.
14.2 Pedagogies, Teaching Tools and Learning Schemes
of Secondary Non-formal Education for Promoting
Environmental Citizenship
Activities in non-formal settings can provide innovative alternatives to class-based
teaching systems. They can stimulate personal interaction in problem solving,
develop the willingness and the competences for critical and active engagement in
individual and collective spheres within democratic contexts, and take into account
inter-generational equality and justice. Therefore non-formal settings for secondary
education level could contribute to Education for Environmental Citizenship by pro14 Educating for Environmental Citizenship in Non-formal Frameworks…