THE CONTRIBUTION OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT METHOD IN A SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL / Η ΣΥΜΒΟΛΗ ΤΗΣ ΒΙΩΜΑΤΙΚΗΣ ΜΑΘΗΣΗΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΙΚΗ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗ: ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΠΕΡΙΠΤΩΣΗΣ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΕΘΟΔΟΥ PROJECT ΣΕ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΗΣ ΕΥΚΑΙΡΙΑΣ

Gianna Voukelatou, Konstantinos Katsinikas

Abstract


Environmental Education constitutes an important field of learning for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote sustainable development and environmental responsibility. Within this context, the project method and experiential learning provide opportunities for learners’ active participation and for connecting theory with practice. The aim of the present study is to investigate the pedagogical value of the project method in Environmental Education and to assess its contribution to the development of knowledge, skills, and environmentally responsible attitudes among adult learners. The study was conducted in a Second Chance School in the wider Athens area and adopted a qualitative methodological approach. Twenty adult learners participated in the educational project. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicated that the implementation of the project method enhanced participants’ knowledge of environmental issues, promoted the development of social, communication, and metacognitive skills, and contributed to fostering environmental awareness and responsible citizenship. Furthermore, experiential and collaborative activities strengthened learners’ self-confidence, critical thinking, and active participation in the learning process. In conclusion, the project method emerges as an effective pedagogical approach for Environmental Education in adult education

Η Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση αποτελεί σημαντικό πεδίο μάθησης για την ανάπτυξη γνώσεων, δεξιοτήτων και στάσεων που προάγουν τη βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη και την περιβαλλοντική υπευθυνότητα. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, η μέθοδος project και η βιωματική μάθηση προσφέρουν δυνατότητες ενεργού συμμετοχής των εκπαιδευομένων και σύνδεσης της θεωρίας με την πράξη. Σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης είναι η διερεύνηση της παιδαγωγικής αξίας της μεθόδου project στην Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση και η αποτίμηση της συμβολής της στην ανάπτυξη γνώσεων, δεξιοτήτων και περιβαλλοντικά υπεύθυνων στάσεων σε ενήλικους εκπαιδευομένους. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε σε Σχολείο Δεύτερης Ευκαιρίας της ευρύτερης περιοχής της Αθήνας και ακολούθησε ποιοτική μεθοδολογική προσέγγιση. Στο εκπαιδευτικό project συμμετείχαν είκοσι ενήλικοι εκπαιδευόμενοι. Τα δεδομένα συλλέχθηκαν μέσω ημιδομημένων συνεντεύξεων και αναλύθηκαν με τη μέθοδο της ανάλυσης περιεχομένου. Τα ευρήματα έδειξαν ότι η εφαρμογή της μεθόδου project ενίσχυσε τις γνώσεις των συμμετεχόντων σχετικά με περιβαλλοντικά ζητήματα, προώθησε την ανάπτυξη κοινωνικών, επικοινωνιακών και μεταγνωστικών δεξιοτήτων και συνέβαλε στην καλλιέργεια περιβαλλοντικής συνείδησης και υπεύθυνης πολιτειότητας. Επιπλέον, οι βιωματικές και συνεργατικές δραστηριότητες ενίσχυσαν την αυτοπεποίθηση, την κριτική σκέψη και την ενεργό συμμετοχή στη μαθησιακή διαδικασία. Συμπερασματικά, η μέθοδος project αναδεικνύεται ως αποτελεσματική παιδαγωγική προσέγγιση για την Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση στην εκπαίδευση ενηλίκων.


Keywords


Environmental Education, project method, experiential learning, adult education, sustainability, environmental awareness / Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση, μέθοδος project, βιωματική μάθηση, εκπαίδευση ενηλίκων, αειφορία, περιβαλλοντική συνείδηση

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i8.6955

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