Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE EER5204

 
TITLE Education for Sustainable Development for Adults, Youth and Community

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Centre for Environmental Education and Research

 
DESCRIPTION This unit focuses on the processes that have an impact on environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes and environmental behaviour of youth, adults and the community. It will discuss non-formal education as a "wide" definition of adult education, youth education and community education. Case studies of initiatives that promote active participation and involvement of adults, youth and community in decision making will be critically analysed and evaluated. Particular attention will be given to effective methodologies that empower excluded groups.

Study-unit Aims

The study-unit aims to:

• acquaint students with the main issues on adult, youth and community with respect to ESD;

• highlight the importance of active participation and involvement of youth, adults and community in decision making fora;

• critically analyse specific methodologies on adults, youth and community; and

• identify methodologies that address the needs of identifiable cultural groups or the poor and the powerless.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• critically analyse the importance of youth, adult and community in achieving sustainability;
• critically analyse and discuss issues that hinder or aid community development and active participation in decision making fora;
• critically evaluate different initiatives that target youth, adult and community; and
• differentiate between different learner-centred participatory education.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

• appraise various perspectives in youth, adult and community and their importance in achieving sustainability;
• critically analyse various methodologies and their effect on different target groups;
• assess the effectiveness of partnerships and community initiatives in tackling sustainability issues; and
• effectively use action/reflection/action methodologies in community-based ESD programmes.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings

Clover,D.E.; Follen, S. and Hall, B. (2000) The Nature of Transformation: Environmental Adult Education. Toronto: Transformative Learning Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto; LEAP, ICAE, 2000.

Fien, J.; Yencken, D. & Sykes, H. (2000). Young people and the environment. An Asia Pacific Perspective. Kluwer Academic Publishers, London.

Kaplowitz, M.D. and Levine, R. (2005). How Environmental Knowledge measures up at a Big Ten University. Environmental Education Research (11), 2 pp 143 - 160.

Mifsud M., (2011). ‘Maltese Youth and the Environment: A Qualitative Study’.
Journal of Teacher education for sustainability), ISBN: 978-960-466-060-5, ISSN: 1790-3859. 12,2, 110-128 [available online: http://www.ise-lv.eu/ufiles/1301316466Zurnals_last-1.pdf]

Negev, M., Sagy, G., Garb, Y., Salzberg, A., Tal, A. (2008). Evaluating the
Environmental Literacy of Israeli Elementary and High School Students. The Journal of Environmental Education , Vol. 39, No. 2.

O’Sullivan, E. V.; Morrell, A. & O’Connor, M. A. (Eds.) (2002). Expanding the boundaries of transformative learning: Essays on theory and praxis. New York: Palgrave.

Said, A.M., Yahaya, N. and Ahmadun, F. (2007). Environmental comprehension and participation of Malaysian secondary school students. Environmental Education Research, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 17–31.

Volk, T.L. and Cheak, M.J. (2003). The Effects of an Environmental Education Program on Students, Parents, and Community. Journal of Environmental Education (34), 4, pp12 -25.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Vincent Caruana
Mark C. Mifsud

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit