Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education
Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences - Environmental Sciences
Purpose and Rationale
Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education
Purpose:
The purpose of the Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education is to provide education and training to practitioners working in the environmental sector to develop deep and systematic understandings of the current thinking, practice, theory, and methodology in the field of environmental education. It aims to support practitioners like Municipal Environmental Officers, Biodiversity Conservation Field Workers, Agricultural Extension Officers, and Community Liaison Officers from diverse educational and professional backgrounds to enhance their specialist knowledge and skills in environmentally-oriented education, training, and development practices.
Upon completion of the program, learners will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical and historically-informed understanding of the global, national, and local social-ecological context in which they work as Educators.
- Engage critically with ways in which environmental knowledge is produced, used, and shared in various learning settings, focusing on historical, cultural, and ethical concerns.
- Apply and reflect critically on selected concepts and theories of learning and development to environmental learning processes.
- Conduct a systematic, theoretically-guided, reflexive review of an environmental education project or program and make recommendations for further curriculum development.
Rationale:
The South African government, through policies like the National Environmental Management Act, the Climate Change National Action Plan, and the Industrial Policy and Action Plan II, has committed to transitioning towards sustainable development, a low-carbon economy, and a Green Economy. This shift necessitates qualified individuals to support the Green Economy, manage climate change risks, and contribute to the re-orientation of education and training systems. Environmental Educators play a crucial role in providing this education and training.
Programs for environmental education and training practitioners are limited, as highlighted by recent studies on Human Capacity and Skills in the Environmental Sector conducted nationally. These studies found that current environmental education and skills development efforts in South Africa are insufficient and primarily reactive rather than proactive. Moreover, environmental educators are recognized as a scarce skill in the Environmental Sector Skills Plan and the National Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy.
While environmental education and training qualifications are predominantly offered at lower levels on the NQF, particularly at NQF Level 5, by private providers in the environmental Non-Governmental Organization Sector, the Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education aims to provide learners with access to a higher level specialist qualification.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate a critical and historically-informed understanding of the global, national, local and own social-ecological context.
- Engage critically with ways in which environmental knowledge is produced, used and shared in a range of learning settings, with emphasis on the influence of historical, cultural and ethical concerns. 3 Reflect critically on and apply selected concepts and theories of learning and development to environmental learning processes in own context.
- Conduct a systematic, theoretically-guided, reflexive review of an environmental education project or programme and make recommendations for further curriculum development.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Explore the contexts and histories of environmental education and training practice in South Africa.
- Understand and apply the contexts, sustainability challenges, enabling policies, and partnership frameworks related to local social-ecological development.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Apply environmental knowledge in environmental education practice.
- Introduce learners to the practice, theory, and a social realist perspective of environmental knowledge.
- Explore and demonstrate how ethical deliberations influence knowledge use and practice.
- Examine where and how environmental knowledge is produced and used in environmental practice and education.
- Develop skills to access and work with environmental knowledge in practice.
- Understand the knowledge-practice relation and how ethical concerns shape it.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Scrutinize selected learning processes in the context.
- Apply theoretical tools to describe, plan, and reflect on the nature and outcomes of learning.
- Deepen understanding of how learning occurs in social-ecological settings and how knowledge of learning theories shapes education and training development.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Demonstrate an understanding of reflective and reflexive practice and 'becoming critical'.
- Show how change-oriented learning can be supported by curriculum and programme design in diverse environmental education contexts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of curriculum and programme design theory, including learning in communities of practice.
Integrated Assessment:
- Design formative and summative assessments to guide and develop learners' growth as professionals.
- Conduct summative assessment through written examinations at the end of each year, complying with university assessment policies.
- Ensure assessment is open, transparent, and includes multiple forms of assessment.
- Utilize external examining policies to formalize good practice.
- Benchmark learning achievements at the Exit Level Outcomes and subject them to external examination.
- Involve appropriately qualified academics in moderating and finalizing assessment results.
- Address borderline cases or situations where learners were unable to sit for exams due to health issues.
- Forward finalized results to the Registrar's office for processing after consultation with relevant departmental staff.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Diploma
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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