Ecological literacy: An Australian perspective
Document Type
Journal Article
Keywords
ecological literacy, environmental education, ecological consciousness, sustainability education, nature-based learning, active citizenship, experiential learning, environmental stewardship, ecological systems, Australian curriculum, science education, critical literacy
Publisher
Social Education Association of Australia
Faculty
Faculty of Regional Professional Studies
School
Regional Professional Studies Deans Office / Centre for Sustainable Regional Futures
RAS ID
4890
Abstract
Sadly, increasing numbers of Australians are ecologically illiterate; they do not heard the sounds or notice the beauty in nature, even though these are easily accessible. Instead of being in the outdoors, many Australians spend huge amounts of their recreation time engaged in activities that do not require real, sensory experience. Many children spend as much time in front of various forms of media as they do in school. Unfortunately, television and computers require only passive engagement and not full sensory participation. In addition to this, the Australian education system tends to favour the development of learners' minds rather than their senses and capacity for aesthetic appreciation. The end result is ecological crises that seem to be without solutions. This situation has resulted because humans are simply unaware of the connection between their actions and the environment. A key to solving the ecological crises is the learning of ecological literacy, by school children and by adult members of society. In this article the author outlines the role of ecological literacy in the Australian curriculum, before highlighting the link between ecological crises and the historical over-emphasis on humans' minds. She then discusses ecological literacy and the implications of this for Australian teachers and environmental educators. Ecological literacy comprises the actual practices involved in reading and responding to landscape in a manner consistent with biophilia, or affinity with nature. It involves ecological consciousness, systems thinking and an understanding of ecological systems and connected socio-political systems. Therefore, ecological literacy is vital to achieving advanced curriculum outcomes in the society and environment (S and E), science and critical literacy learning areas. In a circular way, these learning areas provide the concepts necessary for the development of ecological literacy. Active citizenship, the main purpose of S and E, is an outcome of ecological literacy through actions for improvement. Becoming ecologically literate requires engagement in and reflection upon sensory experiences as real-life contexts for concept learning and higher-order knowing. For the teacher, this involves changes to his or her teaching-learning approaches and to the way s/he organises course material. These changes need to be made so that learners directly engage with their environments and learn to perceive with their eyes, hands, bodies, senses and feelings as a way to inform their minds. Simply speaking, this is so that in the end, learners know what they are doing.
FoR Code
930102, 960899, 950403
Comments
Wooltorton, S. (2006). Ecological literacy: An Australian perspective. The Social Educator, 24(2), 26-28. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/aeipt.155375