Umweltbildung im Kosovo: derzeitiger Stand und zukünftige Entwicklungen

This thesis is concerned with the current situation and future developments of environmental education in Kosovo. Ecological problems in Kosovo have accumulated over decades as a consequence of the uncontrolled use of natural resources, a growing industrial production with a high level of pollution, and a lack of appropriate policies, laws, and institutions which could treat the problems. Air, water and soil pollution, waste problems and a severe loss of biodiversity are the main environmental threats. The integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) into all levels of education is one of the key priorities in Kosovo’s environmental action plan. However, at present it is not even known how environmental education (EE) is integrated in the country’s educational system. In a first step, all official textbooks and the national curriculum of Kosovo were thus scrutinized to identify how many and which environmental topics were included, in which subjects and grades they were taught, and which teaching approaches were used. In a second step, a written questionnaire was sent to a representative sample of biology, geography, chemistry and civic education teachers (overall 244 persons) to investigate the integration of EE in high schools (optional upper secondary education) in Kosovo. In a third step, in-depth interviews with 18 of these high school teachers were carried out to extend and deepen the discussion of their responses in the questionnaire. In a fourth step, a toolkit on EE / ESD was developed and introduced to nine high school teachers during a one-day inservice workshop. In a fifth step, structured observations were used to investigate the impact of the workshop on high school teachers’ performance in the classroom. Only 15 out of 130 books, most of them for biology teaching, included environmental topics. Environmental topics were most prominent in textbooks for grade 8, 10 and 12, whereas they were almost lacking at the primary-school level. Most environmental teaching units provided pupils with mere environmental / ecological information (91%). The other units aimed to raise pupils’ awareness of environmental values, critically reflected links between the natural, social and cultural environment, and demonstrated the importance of a healthy environment for human health, quality of life and sustainable development. They were most prominent in books for civic education. However, no environmental unit promoted pupils’ action competence. High school teachers were found to focus on various kinds of pollution and hazards of pollutants. Teachers’ choice of topics was highly relevant, place-based and linked to the experiences of pupils, but excluded sustainability issues such as the loss of biodiversity. EE was approached in three ways. The first approach critically reflected links between the natural, social and cultural environment, while the second approach was characterized by knowledge submission of environmental facts. The third approach aimed at capacity-building and, in the sense of ESD, understood learning as process-oriented, participatory and action-oriented. However, this approach was rather uncommon, most likely due to insufficient teacher preparation, classes that were too large (up to 50 pupils), and lack of little time (just one hour per week for EE). These constraints also restricted outdoor activities. Nevertheless, in view of the interviewees ideal EE would mean outdoor education, field work and other place-based, capacity-building practical experiences, and the development of critical thinking skills. Teachers were rather satisfied with the one-day inservice workshop and stated that they had learned something new. Moreover, they liked the new toolkit and thought it practicable for use in school. However, one year later it was obvious that without support from head teachers and colleagues the toolkit was not used in schools. The study found that before the workshop teacher talk accounted for more than 90% of all lesson time and pupil-initiated talk constituted less than 10% within a typical 45-minute lesson. After the workshop, teacher talk significantly decreased and pupil talk significantly increased. Moreover, pupils were found to be engaged in small activities suitable for ESD. In conclusion, there is a strong need for new textbooks on EE / ESD in Kosovo. However, without providing teachers with skills suitable for ESD, they will most likely continue to lecture and pupils will continue to only memorize the material. Moreover, novel teaching and learning approaches need engagement from credible leaders within the institutions. Especially head teachers should thus be incorporated in the implementation of new teaching material and approaches, and training courses on EE and ESD for school principles, administrators, and of course teachers, should be offered.Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem derzeitigen Stand und zukünftiger Entwicklungen der Umweltbildung in der Republik Kosovo. Im Kosovo haben sich über Jahrzehnte ökologische Probleme als Folge eines unkontrollierten Ressourcenverbrauches, einer wachsenden umweltschädigenden Industrie sowie des Fehlens umweltpolitischer Maßnahmen, Gesetze und Institutionen akkumuliert. Luft-, Wasser- und Bodenverschmutzung, Müll und ein gravierender Verlust an biologischer Vielfalt sind derzeit die größten Umweltprobleme. Der Umweltplan der Regierung sieht deshalb den Einbezug einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) in alle Stufen des Bildungssystems als dringliche Aufgabe vor. Es ist allerdings kaum bekannt, was derzeit bereits im Bereich der Umweltbildung in Schulen im Kosovo getan wird. In einem ersten Schritt wurden deshalb alle eingeführten Schulbücher und das nationale Curriculum daraufhin untersucht, welche und wie viele Umweltthemen sie enthalten, in welchen Fächern und Klassenstufen und auf welche Art und Weise sie unterrichtet werden sollen. In einem zweiten Schritt wurde eine repräsentative Stichprobe von Lehrkräften der gymnasialen Oberstufe (insgesamt 244 Personen) schriftlich befragt, um den Einbezug umweltrelevanter Themen in dieser Stufe zu untersuchen. In einem dritten Schritt wurden 18 dieser Lehrpersonen interviewt, um vertiefte und erweiterte Auskünfte zu bestimmten Aspekten des Fragebogens zu erhalten. In einem vierten Schritt wurde eine Unterrichtshilfe, die Umweltthemen von lokaler Bedeutung sowie Methoden der BNE beinhaltete, konzipiert, in einer eintägigen Fortbildungsveranstaltung mit neun ausgewählten Lehrkräften der gymnasialen Oberstufe durchgesprochen und im Anschluss daran evaluiert. In einem fünften Schritt wurde mit Hilfe strukturierter Beobachtungen der Einfluss der Fortbildungsveranstaltung auf das Verhalten der neun Lehrkräfte im Unterricht untersucht. Umweltthemen wurden nur in 15 der insgesamt 130 untersuchten Schulbücher behandelt. Am häufigsten waren sie in Biologiebüchern für die 8., 10. und 12. Klassenstufe vertreten. In Grundschulbüchern kamen sie eher selten vor. Rund 91% der umweltrelevanten Unterrichtseinheiten lieferten reine Sachinformationen. Die anderen hatten zum Ziel, das Bewußtsein der Schülerinnen und Schüler für den Wert der Umwelt zu schärfen, Beziehungen zwischen der natürlichen, sozialen und kulturellen Umwelt kritisch zu hinterfragen und die Bedeutung einer gesunden Umwelt für die menschliche Gesundheit, Lebensqualität und eine nachhaltige Entwicklung zu verdeutlichen. Sie waren vor allem in Büchern für das Fach Bürgerkunde vertreten. In keinem der Schulbücher ging es um die Förderung von Handlungsfähigkeiten und -fertigkeiten. Lehrkräfte der gymnasialen Oberstufe behandelten im Unterricht vor allem die Umweltverschmutzung und ihre Folgen. Ihre Themenwahl war relevant und an den Erfahrungen der Schülerinnen und Schüler ausgerichtet. BNE-Themen wie der Verlust an biologischer Vielfalt wurden dagegen kaum angesprochen. Drei verschiedene Ansätze lagen der Vermittlung von Umweltthemen zugrunde. Der erste Ansatz reflektierte kritisch die Beziehungen zwischen der natürlichen, sozialen und kulturellen Umwelt, der zweite vermittelte reines Umweltwissen und der dritte Kompetenzen, d.h. verstand Lernen ganz im Sinne der BNE als partizipativ sowie prozess- und handlungsorientiert. Dieser Ansatz war selten, was an einer unzureichenden Aus- und Weiterbildung, zu großen Klassen (bis zu 50 Schülerinnen und Schüler) und zu wenig Zeit (nur eine Stunde pro Woche für Umweltbildung) liegen könnte. Zu große Klassen und Zeitmangel schränkten auch den außerschulischen Umweltunterricht ein, obwohl aus Sicht der interviewten Lehrpersonen gerade dieser Unterricht sowie Feldarbeit und andere ortsbezogene, praktische Erfahrungen gepaart mit der Entwicklung kritischen Denkvermögens Bestandteil einer idealen Umweltbildung sein sollten. Die Lehrkräfte waren mit der eintägigen Weiterbildungsveranstaltung zufrieden und gaben an, etwas Neues gelernt zu haben. Zudem hielten sie die Unterrichtshilfe für gut und praktikabel. Dennoch wurde sie nach einem Jahr nur noch von Lehrkräften verwendet, die sich durch Rektorate und im Kollegium unterstützt fühlten. Die Beobachtungen zeigten, dass Lehrkräfte vor dem Workshop etwa 90% der Unterrichtszeit selbst redeten. Nach dem Workshop sank ihr Redeanteil deutlich ab und derjenige der Schülerinnen und Schüler stieg an. Zudem waren diese in kleinere, BNE geeignete Unterrichtsaktivitäten involviert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen neben einem Bedarf an neuen Unterrichtsmaterialien für Umweltbildung und BNE, dass eine gezielte Weiterbildung Lehrkräfte dazu befähigen kann, von einem lehrer- zu einem schülerorientierten Unterricht im Sinne einer BNE zu wechseln

Effect of a Toolkit and a One-Day Teacher Education Workshop on ESD Teaching Content and Methods—A Study from Kosovo

Environmental education in Kosovo is currently under reform. The new strategy for sustainable development demands a strong focus on education for sustainability in schools. However, a lack of teacher education might impede new approaches in the classroom. This study investigated how teachers in Kosovo approach locally-relevant environmental issues in the classroom before and after a one-day in-service workshop on teaching approaches related to education for sustainable development (ESD). Data were gathered in nine classes with a systematic observation scheme and processed using Flanders’ interaction analysis categories system. During the workshop, a specially designed toolkit was introduced to the participants (nine biology teachers from the upper secondary level). The toolkit included teaching approaches suitable for ESD and focused on air and water pollution, waste management, energy saving, and the conservation of biodiversity. Before the workshop, teacher-talk occupied more than 90% of a typical 45-min lesson, and instructions were frontal and directive. After the workshop, pupil-talk strongly increased (up to 88%), and pupils were actively engaged in activities suitable for ESD. Supportive training can thus help teachers to improve their instructional practices. However, only those teachers who had reported support from head teachers and colleagues were still frequently using the toolkit after one year

Analysis of the Impact of Industrial Waste on River Water Quality Towards Using the Dynamics of Land Quality

Natural resources are the basis of all material goods which are of special importance for the life and development of mankind. Therefore, sustainable management of natural resources is of great importance for modern society. The concentrations of heavy metals in the soil such as: (Cu, Fe, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Zn), have a negative impact on the contamination of crops. Human activity should be developed on the basis of the principles of environmental sustainability to achieve economic and social prosperity and environmental protection as well as, improve the environment polluted by human activity. Natural resources must be preserved and regenerated. Moreover, well-being, environmental management and maintaining the purity of the environment in the future enable the production of safe food. Preservation of good quality water resources creates security and maintains soil quality. Recently, there has been a marked increase in awareness of natural resources, especially the preservation of water quality, soil, and their importance to our lives. The study included various methodologies, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and statistics

Heavy Metal Concentrations along the Banks of the Sitnica River and in Four Types of Herbaceous Plants

This paper presents the results of the heavy metals accumulation (Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe) in soils and plants (Typha angustifolia L., Urtica dioica L., Ranunculus sardous Crantz and Rumex Crispus L.) collected along the banks of the Sitnica River, which flows through various cities of Kosovo and is quite stressed due to the discharges of urban, industrial, and agricultural pollutants. The aim of this research was to verify the accumulation of heavy metals in water, soil and plants, since vegetables that used as food are cultivated in the vicinity of sample collection. The analyses were conducted with applied methodology in the analytic laboratory of Kosovo Agriculture Institute by using MP-AES 4200 for Cd and Cr, ASS-Scientific for Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb in plant samples, whereas 4100 MP-AES was used for determination of metals in soil. The results show variations in different metal values found in the samples of the analyzed soils and plants. The lowest values accumulation of the metals analyzed were recorded at A1 (Devetak Station) near the river source and did not contain anthropogenic influences, whereas the highest values were recorded at A3 (Kuzmin Station), which belongs to the middle flow of the Sitnica River that is polluted by wastewater (urban) discharges

Determination of Land Pollution with Heavy Metals along Sitnica River, Kosovo

The main river of the Kosovo valley is the Sitnica River, which collects a large number of streams, recipients of wastewaterfrom various urban and industrial centers. The blockage of Sitnica river with waste and non-regulation of the bedding of this river makes this river flood tens of acres of worked ground surface through its course, causing great damage every spring and autumn. Uncontrolled discharge of heavy metals into the contaminated terrestrial environments ensures their transfer to plants, animals and humans and results in an impact on the environment and public health. Determination of the heavy metals concentration level for the assessment of soil pollution along the Sitnica River course was also the main purpose of this study, which was carried out in 2016. For analysis, 8 soil samples were taken at depths of 30–50 cm. From the analysis of the data it was noticed that the content of heavy metals such as Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr in some analyzed samples exceeds the maximum allowed values. The findings indicate high values of metal pollution in the samples taken in meadows as well as the agricultural lands stretching around the river

Analysis of the Impact of Ferronicel Industrial Activity on Drenica River Quality

Today, environmental water degradation all over the world comes about due to the growth of urban, industrial and agricultural activities. As a result of these discharges without any prior treatment, the quality of river waters in Kosovo has deteriorated greatly. On the basis of the research that has been done so far in the rivers of Kosovo, it was shown that Drenica is one of the rivers that are constantly exposed to the discharge of industrial waters. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyze the impact of water discharged from Feronikeli on the water quality of the Drenica River and the possibility of its protection. The realization of this study is focused on the evaluation of physico-chemical parameters of the water of the Drenica River, the content of heavy metals in the water, the analysis and comparison of the results obtained using the standard for the assessment of the ecological status of surface waters of Romania (GD 161). Laboratory assays were developed according to standard analysis methods (APHA). The results obtained, analyzed and compared with the values of the parameters according to the standard referred to in this research, confirm that the water of the Drenica River belongs to the class of water with “good quality” only in the source area, while in other flow stations river, especially in the third station S3 (Ferronikel industrial zone), water has “poor quality”, passing into the category of “very poor quality”. Therefore, in order to improve the current situation, it is recommended to apply the best environmental practices and proper management of industrial waste

The Macrophyte Indices for Rivers to Assess the Ecological Conditions in the Klina River in the Republic of Kosovo

Macrophytes are important elements of aquatic ecosystems that grow in or near water. Their taxonomic composition, species diversity, depth, and density are indicators of environmental health; as such, Macrophytes are used to assess the ecological status of water bodies. Under the aim of assessing the ecological status of the Klina River in Kosovo, a survey was conducted at eight sampling sites along the river course to analyze macrophyte composition, diversity, density, and cover. Three samples were collected at each sampling site from early June to late September. The following macrophyte indices were used to assess the ecological status of the river: Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR), River Macrophyte Nutrient Index (RMNI), and River Macrophyte Hydraulic Index (RMHI). Our sampling area included the upper reaches of the river where no organic pollution was detected (oligotrophic), the middle reaches where polluted water from farms is discharged into the river, and the lower reaches characterized by heavy organic pollution from settlements and various industrial activities. There is a positive correlation (p 43−), ammonia (NH4+), nitrites (NO2−), calcium (Ca2+), and potassium (K+) with plant density, RMNI, RMHI, EQR-RMNI, EQR-RMHI, and MIR. Sodium (Na+) has stronger positive correlation (p < 0.01) with RMNI and RMHI indices and negative correlation with EQR-RMNI and EQR-RMHI. Our results show that ecological status along the river varies from high and good upstream to poor, bad, and moderate running downstream

Cerebellar infarction risk in a mild COVID-19 case

Thrombotic events in SARS-COV-2 disease patients are frequent, especially in patients with comorbidities such as heart failure, hypertension, cancer, diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, vascular disease, and other pulmonary illnesses. In severe cases, in particular those of hospitalized patients with other comorbidities, the development of thrombotic events in spite of anticoagulation therapy has been observed. The main thrombotic events are pulmonary thromboembolism, cerebral ischemic stroke, and peripheral artery thrombosis. Despite the severity of SARS-COV-2 disease, some patients with the aforementioned comorbidities develop thrombotic events regardless of the severity of their SARS-COV-2 infection. In this setting, the cerebellum makes no exception as an uncommon, but still possible target for thrombotic events