Towards a “language of probability” for environmental education in South Africa

Abstract

In the current phase of our history, crises abound in many spheres of life - political, ecological, economic, personal, and so on. When crises manifest themselves in society we often turn to education as a panacea for addressing these societal ills as if `education' might not be part of the problem. All education is ideological in the sense that an educational activity can not be neutral. Educational ideologies have shaped different approaches to environmental education, and have influenced its implementation in formal education. Through a critical examination of educational ideologies that underpin environmental education, I explore possibilities and constraints (poverty) of education in addressing environmental problems. I argue that in order for environmental education to avoid the status of a peripheral pedagogy, it needs to be liberated from the ideological constraints of how it is often defined. Also, I point out that a language of probability is needed for its systemic implementation. I contend that in South Africa OBE might be a vehicle for the systemic implementation of environmental education.


(South African Journal of Education: 2002 22(2): 83-87)