Functional wildlife parks: The views of Kenyan children who live with them

Abstract

This study reports on Kenyan school children's ideas about wildlife parks in their country. A comparison is made between the responses of school children in primary school, before they receive any science education, and those of secondary school pupils at the end of the secondary cycle. The findings show little difference between the two groups of students in terms of their ideas about wildlife parks. This has serious implications for science and environmental education in Kenya. Parks are understood by these pupils in terms of real life issues, as derived from social consequences. The children's ideas are all based on the role that parks play in society, but the function of parks to support biodiversity conservation does not seem to be important to the students. While it is satisfying to note that the school children have a good understanding of parks in their social context, it is essential to address fully the scientific and ecological role of parks in order that biodiversity becomes more valued in our society.

Predicting Participation in Environmental Education by Teachers in Coastal Regions of Tanzania

“…In many locations in Tanzania, extracurricular programs are the only environmental education (EE) opportunity for youth, as EE has not been incorporated into the formal educational system (McDuff, 2000). This need for more EE in Tanzania is supported by previous research, which suggests that students lack the following: basic ecological knowledge; an understanding of how environmental issues impact both the natural and human community; and the necessary skills for environmental issue resolution (Ali & Maskill, 2004;Johnson-Pynn & Johnson, 2005;McDuff, 2000;McDuff & Jacobson, 2000).…”