ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE ANALYSIS AS A TEACHING STRATEGY

Increasing numbers and kinds of environmental problems are thought to be a result of human interactions with Earth Systems. The extraction of mineral resources, consumption of energy, disposal of wastes, and various uses of the land and waterways are among the activities of people associated with environmental problems. Since environmental problems negatively impact the quality of life, individuals, governments, and other organizations of people often endeavor to solve such problems. Environmental issues occur when people disagree about how to resolve environmental problems. When environmental issues are unresolved the environmental problems persist.

In order to gain the knowledge and skills needed to engage in effective environmental problem resolution, students must both be able to recognize environmental problems and analyze the roles of people in creating problems and issues and either resolving or perpetuating them.

This presentation will describe and discuss a teaching strategy known as environmental issue analysis. The strategy has been used successfully with students in grades four through twelve and with pre-service teacher education students. The strategy enables students to gain content knowledge about environmental issues as well as becoming skilled at analyzing any environmental issue for its players and their positions, beliefs and values.