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MOI UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND POLICY STUDIES
2019/2020 ACADEMIC YEAR, SEMESTER 1
EMP 410: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
COURSE OUTLINE
A. PURPOSE
The primary goal of Environmental Education (EE) is to equip the student with environmental
knowledge and skills to enable him or her participate individually and collectively towards
achieving and/or maintaining a dynamic equilibrium between development and the quality of life
and of the environment.

B. COURSE OBJECTIVES (INDICATIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES)

Environmental Education is meant to:
1. Provide the student with the knowledge, which can enable him/her, make ecologically, and
environmentally sound decisions for sustainable development.
2. Create awareness of the inter-relationship between human population, environment, and
development.
3. Provide students with basic skills and techniques of imparting environmental knowledge to
Kenyan children and communities where the graduate teacher will be working.
4. Encourage students to develop positive attitudes, behaviour and appreciation of the Kenyan
environment and to participate in its protection and management for future generations.

C. COURSE CONTENT
1. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE
 Definition of concepts: Environment and Environmental Education
 Goals, objectives and guiding principles of environmental education
 Historical development of Environmental Education

2. TEACHING OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

 Rationale for environmental education
 Approaches/models of teaching
 Methods of teaching for classroom and outside classroom

3. ESSENTIAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

 Definitions of concepts
 Structure and function of ecosystems
 Restoration ecology and ecosystems management (principles)
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4. ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 Definition of the concept
 Dimensions of sustainable development
 Green economy concept

5. HUMAN POPULATION, SETTLEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

 Population characteristics and change
 Environmental issues of human settlements and solutions.
 Management of human population and settlements

6. ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH

 Pollutants and their effects to the environment
 Assessment of chemical release to the environment
 Waste management
 Emerging concepts in waste management

7. EMERGING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

 Climate change/global warming; Kyoto protocol
 Stratospheric Ozone Layer Depletion
 Biodiversity loss (Degradation of Biodiversity)

8. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP

 Environmental management process
 National legal and policy framework approach (EMCA, 1999; NEMA).
 Environmental management tools

D. COURSE ASSESSMENT
1. Continuous Assessment Tests – 30%
(a) C.A.T. I - Group project - 20%
(b) C.A.T. II – 10%
2. Final Examination – 70%
SECTION A – Compulsory structured questions – 40%
SECTION B - Two (elective) essays – 30%
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RECOMMENDED REFERENCES
Cunningham, William P., Cunningham, Mary A. and Saigo, Barbara W. (2003) Environmental
Science: A Global Concern. 7th ed. McGraw-Hill, USA.
IPCC. (2007). Climate change 2007: Synthesis report, summary for policymakers. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Kormondy Edward J (1996) Concepts of ecology. 4th Ed. Prentice Hall, India.
Kupchella C. E and Hyland M.C (1992). Environmental Science; living with the system of
nature. 2nd Ed. Allyn and Bacon, USA
Miller, G.T. (2001). Environmental Science (8th Ed). California: Brooks/Cole Thomson
Learning.
Muthoka M., Rego A, & Rimbui Z. (1998). Environmental Education: Essential Knowledge for
Sustainable Development. Longhorn Publishers Ltd: Nairobi.
Otiende, J. E., Ezasa W. P. & Boisvert R. (eds) (2007). An Introduction to Environmental
Education. University of Nairobi Press: Nairobi.
UNDP. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sdgoverview/post-2015-development-
agenda.html
UNEP. (2011). Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty
Eradication. Nairobi: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEP. (2014). Green Economy Assessment Report: Kenya. Nairobi: United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP).

OTHER ADDITIONAL READING MATERIALS

 Environmental Education in the Light of Tbilisi Conference, UNESCO (1980)
 Congress on Environmental Education Training, UNESCO – UNEP. (1987)
 Our Common Future, OUP, WCED (1987)
 Sessional paper No. 6 of 1999 on Environment and Development
 Any other book or journal on Environmental Studies/issues

DATE: 03/05/2019

OKORE LUTHER M.K.

(COURSE LECTURER)