| Abstract [eng] |
The significance and problematic issues of research. Ecological education in an informal environment is a crucial part of the system which aims to increase children’ awareness about saving nature as well as to strengthen their sense of duty and responsibility and implant new environmental behaviour habits. Scientists emphasize that today informal education(al) environment is not enough to implement ecological education(al) tasks, therefore educators have to find such educational environment which would allow children to be active and fulfil their cognitive and self-actualization needs as well as let them feel the joy of the experience. All this could be satisfied by the activities in the informal educational environment. Today in Lithuania there is a serious lack of systematic research on the prominence of children ecological education in the informal educational environment, especially in children’ day-care centres. The objective of research: The significance of informal educational environment in children’ ecological education. The aim of research: To examine the importance of informal educational environment in 13− 15-year-old children’ ecological education provided by child day-care centres. The goals of research: 1. Theoretically proof the importance of informal educational environment in 13 − 15-year-old children’ ecological education; 2. To highlight the features of the significance of informal educational environment in 13 − 15-year-old children’ ecological education; 3. Following the example of child day-care centres, empirically investigate the prominent features of the informal educational environment in 13 − 15-year-old children’ ecological education. The research methodology: Research is based on the concept of holistic education. To achieve the set goal, a case study strategy was used. The research methods: Theoretical method –the analysis of scientific literature and documents; empirical methods – an essay and an interview. The findings from the research show that child day-care centre in Vėriškės provides a great variety of ecological education activities: collective assistance, competitions, quizzes, projects, etc. Pupils point out the importance of physical, emotional and didactic environment in the ecological education process. Children emphasise that physical environment of the day-care centre should be safe and cosy. For educators, it is important for ecological activities to have the physical basis. As well as pupils, the educators stress the significance of the role of educator in order to achieve the success in children’ ecological education. The main issues faced by educators are a lack of funding while organising ecological activities, children’s lack of motivation, the wrong approach to the importance of educational activities taken by families and society. |
