thesis
Evaluation of environmental education programmes as a means for policy making and implementation support: the case of Cyprus primary education
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Abstract
This investigation emerges from the awareness of the marginalisation environmental education faces and the need for the development of an effective policy for the implementation of environmental education in Cyprus. The purpose of the research study is to present. as an end product, information that would be useful in the formation of a National Programme for the implementation of environmental education in Primary Education in Cyprus. The thesis describes the current situation of environmental education and examines current practices.
Out of a limited variety of environmental education programmes that currently run in Cyprus Primary Education, the Eco-School project is taken as an example. This research study, firstly, aims to measure the success of the Eco-School project, by testing children's environmental cognition, awareness and action and comparing them to the environmental cognition and action of children in other schools outside the programme. It also attempts to reveal the factors that contribute to successful implementation of the project as well as practices that could be improved or avoided. The teachers' opinions are analysed both at organisational and personal levels. Since they are closely involved in any school innovative project, they should be given the opportunity to express their opinion and experience about the organisation of the policy, their expectations and the problems they foresee.
Briefly, the general research aims are to:
1. describe the current situation of environmental education in Cyprus;
2. obtain interested parties' opinions about the development of a National Programme for the implementation of environmental education in Cyprus Primary Education;
3. verify and evaluate the impact of the Eco-School project
4. distinguish the factors that contribute to the successful implementation of an environmental education programme.
Finally the information obtained is the basis of a proposal model, which might facilitate environmental education implementation