Incorporating hands-on experiences and collaboration in environmental education at universities in developing regions

Sterbuleac, D. ., & Toma, O. . (2020). Environmental education through a University Eco-Consortium. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 19, 62-73.

Environmental education (EE) aims to bridge the gap between environmental understanding and pro-environmental actions to effect positive ecological change. There are many strategies, methods, and styles of EE. Previous studies have pointed to general pitfalls while teaching the subject and future educators, particularly in developing regions. These pitfalls include not incorporating sufficient hands-on experiences and not approaching environmental education from a collaborative framework. These pitfalls can be seen especially in colleges and universities where there is an apparent lack of interest for EE and retention within the field. Although there have been agreements on updating the curriculum in university settings to include direct experiences outdoors through an interdisciplinary approach, the implementation of these updates is sparse across universities. The authors reported on a university's Eco-Consortium to showcase new ways to address the shortcomings of EE in higher education, such as insufficient hands-on activities and lack of collaboration in developing the curriculum, by focusing on in-person experiences and a collaborative process to deal with environmental challenges.

The University Regional Research Consortium for Environmental Monitoring and Protection (Eco-Consortium) was established in 2004 in the Moldavia region of Romania, which faced numerous sustainability and ecological issues. The Eco-Consortium was primarily housed at “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi and included faculty from three different regional universities, two research institutes, and four research disciplines, as well as specialists from a museum and a botanical garden. The Eco-Consortium also included biology students and members from a student organization called the Romanian Students' Association of Young Ecologists from Iasi. As of the publication of this 2018 paper, the Eco-Consortium had over 300 hands-on activities spread across 20 projects and about 500 university students participated since 2004.

The purpose of the Eco-Consortium was to provide EE that addressed global issues and local issues through hands-on experiences, and included a curriculum developed by a diverse partner group. These global issues included waste management and global warming, while local issues included extreme litter and deforestation. To make up for the lack of direct student interactions with the environment while learning at their university, the Eco-Consortium employed volunteering as a foundation for many of the projects. For example, students would go to local areas with waste disposal problems to pick up the plastic bottles and would thus be exposed to the more significant impacts of clean-up efforts. Students also presented to elementary and high school students as well as various conference attendees about the environmental issues and solutions in their area. A partnership was formed among students, faculty, and experts from a range of disciplines and institutions. This partnership brought together diverse perspectives and work experience to develop the curriculum. In addition, the Eco-Consortium opened opportunities for students to take summer courses at other institutions to gain interdisciplinary skills, meet international students, and earn certificates.

Together, the hands-on activities and collaborative planning for the Eco-Consortium gave students practical projects to replicate and taught valuable ecological lessons at the global, regional, and local levels. The authors suggested that the Eco-Consortium model is the most successful way to deal with environmental challenges globally and locally. Not only did this model allow for students to learn from first-hand experience and with an interdisciplinary approach, but also to network and partner with other professionals and researchers. Volunteering exposed the students to what could not be taught in theory by a faculty member in the classroom. However, many students observed a theory in practice while volunteering and were able to make the connection. These volunteering experiences helped students better communicate environmental concerns to their audience during presentations. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Eco-Consortium, students and professionals developed mutually beneficial connections. Students networked with professionals for career insight and gained presentation experience, while professionals received help from the students on their work and presentations.

The study has its limits. The Eco-Consortium is an ongoing initiative, so whether specific outcomes were met as a result are still yet to be determined. Further, the authors did not mention using a survey or other data collection methods to analyze or measure outcomes. The study took place in the Moldavia region of Romania, which is considered one of the poorest and most environmentally unstable countries by the European Union. Therefore, the Eco-Consortium model and experience are not generalizable to all regions.

The authors of this report recommend that colleges and universities in developing regions institute a similar model to the Eco-Consortium to enhance environmental education. A similar model would yield more pro-environmental behaviors from its students, and improve the environmental conditions in the area. Staff, professors, and professionals from various disciplines and entities should collaborate to develop the curriculum and provide networking opportunities to ensure interdisciplinarity and access.

The Bottom Line

<p>Though environmental education in universities and colleges has evolved, a lack of hands-on experiences and collaborative frameworks are common shortcomings especially in developing regions. The authors reported on a Romanian university's Eco-Consortium to showcase new ways to address these pitfalls by focusing on in-person experiences and a collaborative process to deal with environmental challenges. The Eco-Consortium had over 300 hands-on activities spread across 20 projects. Over 500 university students participated, which included volunteering activities and was outlined by an interdisciplinary group of partners. The hands-on activities and collaborative planning for the Eco-Consortium taught valuable ecological lessons at the global, regional, and local levels and engaged students in real world learning. The authors recommend that universities in developing regions institute a similar model to the Eco-Consortium to enhance their environmental education. This would yield more pro-environmental behaviors from students and improve the area's environmental conditions.</p>

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