A Design of Environmental-Based Learning to Instill Land Ethics in the Learners

Abstract

Though environment is universal, there are different perspectives under which it can be described. For instance, in learning, an environment is viewed as one of the learning components and aspects which help to actualise learning. An environment in its empirical form has potential characteristics which facilitate transformational learning efforts. This paper is based on the arguement that, if a learning environment can help to actualise learning, it can as well promote land ethics. The author also argues that since everybody lives in an environment and on land, environmental ethics should be made one of the teacher competencies, since it is teachers who instill the necessary values, shape attitudes and mold behavior of students. In this regard, the objective of this study is to identify environmental potentials and to recommend an environmental-based learning design for educationists in both schools and in an out of school setting. The study makes use of documented records focusing on ethics, land ethics, the environment and learning design. The authors acted as the main instrument during the data collection and data analysis processes. This has revealed that the environment has two potentials, namely the driving force and the restraining force. The driving force acts as a source for teaching and learning in forms of media for learning and learning tools, while the restraining force acts as an element for promoting tolerance behaviors among learners or students. This proves that an environmental-based learning design is a foundation for actualizing and promoting good values and behavior in the learners.