Exploring environmental literacy components in promoting sustainable behavior : a case study of rural primary schools in Moutse, Sekhukhune district, Limpopo

Abstract

Environmental Education (EE) in formal education was introduced because of environmental degradation globally, with the aim of developing an environmentally literate citizenry. However, the ultimate goal of EE, that of developing an environmentally literate citizenry, remains a dream while the planet continues to deteriorate. This study explored the environmental literacy level of both teachers and leaners, with a focus on rural primary schools. The study examined the effectiveness of the components of knowledge, attitude and skills in developing environmental literacy in schools. The study further explored how these components promote practices and lifestyle changes towards sustainable behaviour. A qualitative multiple case study design, guided by the interpretivist paradigm, was employed to conveniently sample three cases consisting of 3 teachers and 18 learners. Data was generated through observations, document analysis, as well as face to face and focus group interviews from purposefully sampled Grade 7 educators and learners. The findings revealed both nominal and functional environmental literacy levels amongst teachers and learners. These findings are attributed to a lack of teacher’s expertise in teaching EE content for the development of environmental literacy, the content integration approach of EE in the Department of Basic Education’s Continuous Assessment Policy System (CAPS) curriculum, the focus of the CAPS curriculum on mostly, the knowledge component of EE and a lack of a framework on how EE content should be taught. Lastly, the findings can also be attributed to the rural context in which the study took place, which poses challenges to sustainability lifestyles and practices. The study recommends reorientation of the curriculum to include environmental science as a subject in an integrated curriculum. The findings also recommend the inclusion of environmental policy in schools to guide lifestyle and practices towards sustainable behaviour.

Thutotikologo lefapheng la thuto e hlamilwe ka lebaka la go tlhagala ga tikologo lefaseng ka bophara ka maikemišetšo a go aga setšhaba seo se rutegilego mabapi le tša tikologo. Efeela maikemišetšo a magolo a thutotikologo e sa ntše e le toro mola seemo sa tikologo lefaseng ka bophara se tšwela pele le go hlagala. Maikemišetšo a sengwalwa se ke go nyakišiša maemo a thutotikologo ya barutiši le barutwana, go lebeletšwe kudu dikolo tša fasana tša dinaga magaeng. Sengwalwa se nyakišiša dikarolo tše tharo tša maemo a thutotikologo, e lego tsebo, maikutlo le bokgoni, le gore di hlohleletša bjang thutotikologo, ga mmogo le netefatšo ya maitshwaro le bophelo bjoo bo hlohleletšago tlhokomelo ya tikologo. Qualitative multiple case study design yeo e hlahlilwego ke intepretive paradigm e somišitswe go kgetha dikheisi tše tharo, moo barutiši ba bararo le barutwana ba lesome seswai ba tšerego dinyakišišong tše. Dintlha tša dinyakišišo di kgobokeditšwe ka go tšea temogo ya tikologo le diphaphoši tša dikolo, tshekatsheko ya melaotheo le dipoledišano magareng ga barutiši le barutwana ba mphato wa bo šupa. Dinyakišišo di humana seemo sa fase le sa magareng dithutong tša maemo a tikologo dikolong. Seemo se sa thuto ya tikologo se fegwa godimo ga tlhokego ya bokgoni le tsebo ya barutiši go ruta dithuto tša tikologo, molaotheo wa dithuto sekolong o lebeletše feela lefapha la tsebo, mola o sa bontšhe gore tsebo yeo e swanetše e rutwe bjang. Gape go humanega gore maemo a bophelo dinaga magaeng a fa mathata netefatšatšong ya bophelo le maitshwaro ao a hloleletšago tlhokomelo ya tikologo. Thuto ye e šišinya mpshafatšo ya lenaneothuto le kelo ka go tsenya thuto ya mahlale a tikologo go lenaneothuto le kelo yeo e kopanego. Dinyakišišo di šišinya gape go akaretša leano la tikologo dikolong go hlahla mokgwa wa bophelo le setlwaedi go mekgwa ya tsheketšo.

Pfundo ya zwa mupo kha pfunzo dzi funzwaho zwikoloni yo vha hone nga murahu ha u vhona uri mupo u khou tshinyala nga zwivhuhulu u mona na Ḭifhasi Ḭothe, tshipikwa hu u bveledza vhadzulapo vho funzeaho kha zwa mupo. Fhedzi ha, zwi kha ḓi tou vha muḬoro musi Ḭifhasi Ḭi tshi khou bvelaphanda na u tshinyala. Ngudo/pfunzo iyi yo kona u bveledza vhadzulapo vho funzeaho siani Ḭa zwa mupo kha vhoṱhe, vhadededzi na vhagudiswa. Ngudo iyi yosedzesa kha zwikolo zwa murole wa fhasi kha vhupoha mahayani. Ngudo iyi yo ṱolisisa zwiitisi zwihulwane zwo ṱu ṱuwedzaho vhuvha iyi tevhelaho savhuvha na vhukoni ha u bveledzisa pfuzo ya mupo zwikoloni. Maitele mandzhi a ṱhoḓisiso o rangelwaphanḓa nga vhasedzulusi vhane vha ṱoḓou ḓivhesa shango samusi Ḭo ḓisendeka kana u ṱuṱuwendzwa nga vhupfiwa ha muthu ene muṋe, vho vha hone u itela u sumbhedza milandu miraru ine ya khou kwana vhadededzi vhararu na vhagudiswa vha fumalo. Ngudo iyi yo bvelaphanda na u ṱoḓisisa uri zwiitisi izwi zwi ṱuṱuwendza hani zwithu zwine zwa tshinyadza mupo na u shandukisa matshilele na u tikedza vhudifari. Ngudo i sengulusahao mafhungo o fhambanaho nga vhunzhi, yo rangwa phanḓa nga vhaṱo ḓisisi vhane vha na divhithela Ḭa u pfesesa zwine zwa khou itea dzangoni nga vhuphara, vho vha vho runwa u leludza kha u tia ṱhoḓisiso ya tsedzuluso tharu. Mafhungo o kuvhanganywaho o wanuluswa nga u tou sedza fhedzi, nga u sengulusa manwalwa, u vhudzisa vhathu vho tou livhana navho zwifhaṱuwo, na nga u fara nyambedzano thwi na vhadededzi vha murole wa gireidi ya sumbe na vhagudiswa vhahone. Tsedzuluso dzo wana zwauri ngudo/pfunzo ya zwa mupo a i khou tou dzhieleswa nṱha na u vhonala zwavhu ḓikha vhadededzi na vhagudiswa. Mawanwa a tsedzuluso a khou tou ombedzela uri vhagudisi a vha na vhukoni ha u funza vhana divhamupo kha silabasi ya CAPS. Zwi tou vha khagala u ri zwikolo zwa mahayani zwi na thaidzo nnzhi dza u londota mupo na vhudifari. Ngudo I khou themendela u shandukiswa ha kufunzele na u katelwa ha ngudo ya mufhe sat hero ine ya vha na u ṱumekanya vhupo hoṱhe ha ngudo ya bwa mufhe. Mawanwa a khou ita na u themendela uri hu une na u fatelwa ha ndayotelwa ya mufhe zwikoloni u itela u eletshedza kutshilele na maitele uri hu vhe na vhuḓifani bavhuḓi kha mufhe.