A comparison of selected elementary curricula in regard to an action based environmental curriculum for elementary schools in Turkey
Author
Dinçer, Zeynep
Advisor
McDonald, Gabriele Erika
Date
2012Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
88
views
views
22
downloads
downloads
Abstract
An action based curriculum aims to enhance the formation and development of the
human personality by teaching ecological values, knowledge, attitudes, and skills
with respect to environmental issues, their understanding, and commitment to be
involved in environmental action. In this thesis, five curricula from selected various
countries were analyzed, explored, and compared in order to investigate whether they
contained certain objectives, environmental terminology and activities that lead
students to take environmental action. Four curricula, Ontario, Canada; England,
Britain; Turkey; and International Baccalaureate Primary Years programme
(IBPYP), were analyzed and compared to the Environmental Education Curriculum
for Middle School from the United Nations Environmental Programme in order to be
able to determine best practices that encourage and teach environmental action.
Educators from elementary education and officers from non-governmental
environmental organizations were interviewed to determine their opinions on
environmental education within Turkey and the basic elements of an action-based
curriculum. Curriculum analysis results and the transcription of interviews were used
to prepare recommendations for an action-based environmental curriculum that
enables students to acquire environmental knowledge, skills and activities that would
lead them to action in finding and implementing solutions to environmental
problems.