Environmental Education at the Special School: Opinions of Special Education Teachers

Abstract

Core Ideas Environmental education in special education is feasible. Environmental education requires further training of educators. Environmental education is beneficial to children with disabilities. This investigation, conducted in Greece, inquired 80 special education teachers—via a structured questionnaire—their opinions on whether they feel ready to teach environmental education (EE) to pupils with disabilities, whether instruction of EE is possible in special or in regular education classes, and whether EE is beneficial to people with disabilities. The questionnaire had a unit with closed‐type questions on demographic data (sex, age, educational background, further training in special education, years of service, location of school) and the three units corresponding to the above thematic with a total of 15 questions, on EE and pupils with disabilities. The results showed that educators in general do not feel particularly prepared and ready to teach EE to pupils with disabilities, since they do not have the appropriate training nor sufficient knowledge on how to teach EE to children with disabilities, and in order for them to acquire this knowledge, it is necessary to receive further training on activities that provide ideas for planning such a course and on the various disabilities. The majority of them rejected the premise that EE is unfeasible in special education, but they were divided on the feasibility of teaching EE to all pupils in the disabilities spectrum and on the need of individualized instruction for successful participation in EE activities. Finally, there was a high positive agreement on the benefits of EE instruction on knowledge, socialization, and improvement of self‐esteem, but there was uncertainty on its possible positive influence on future vocational rehabilitation of students.

Assessment of the prototype of an educational game on climate change and its effects on marine and coastal ecosystems

“…transportation, excessive consumption, land change processes) with the increase of greenhouse gases emission (Ghilardi-Lopes et al, 2013). In addition, many studies have shown that environmental education is not a priority in schools and in continuing education programs for teachers (Lappa, Kyparissos, & Paraskevopoulos, 2017). Finally, if we consider "marine environmental education" in Brazil the initiatives are rare (Berchez et al, 2007), despite their vast importance in the development of a conscience focused on the conservation of marine ecosystems.…”

Η Συμβολή Της Περιβαλλοντικής Εκπαίδευσης Στην Εκπαίδευση Των Παιδιών Με Αναπηρίες Ή/Και Ειδικές Εκπαιδευτικές Ανάγκες: Οι Απόψεις Των Εκπαιδευτικών

“…Οι ερευνητές επέλεξαν τη 5/βάθμη κλίμακα Likert, για να δημιουργήσουν το δικό τους ερευνητικό εργαλείο. Επίσης, βασίστηκαν στη φιλοσοφία των δηλώσεων που υπάρχουν σε προηγούμενη έρευνα των Lappa et al (2017). Οι συγκεκριμένες δηλώσεις χρησιμοποιήθηκαν, για να εξεταστούν σε ποσοτικό επίπεδο οι απόψεις των εκπαιδευτικών διαφόρων ειδικοτήτων για τη συμβολή της Π.Ε.…”

“…σε παιδιά με αναπηρία. Η συγκεκριμένη διαπίστωση συμφωνεί εν μέρει με την έρευνα των Lappa et al (2017), στην οποία οι εκπαιδευτικοί δεν νιώθουν προετοιμασμένοι και έτοιμοι να διδάξουν την Π.Ε. σε μαθητές με αναπηρίες, καθώς πιστεύουν πως δεν διαθέτουν την κατάλληλη κατάρτιση ούτε επαρκείς γνώσεις σχετικά με τον τρόπο διδασκαλίας της Π.Ε.…”

“…Δεν υπάρχουν πολλές έρευνες που να αποδεικνύουν αυτές τις συσχετίσεις. Η έρευνα, επίσης, των Lappa et al (2017) επιβεβαιώνει μόνο τη συσχέτιση του φύλου των εκπαιδευτικών με τις απαντήσεις τους.…”

Factors That Motivate or Obstacle the Implementation of Environmental Education in the Context of Special Education: Opinions of General and Special Education Teachers

“…Moreover, the fact that there is no of icial policy for E.E. in special schools in the curriculums, makes its application even more dif icult Lappa et al (2017).…”