Exploring Students’ Views on Orientations of Environmental Education at the University of Namibia

Abstract

This study explored the neo-classical or behaviourist, liberal-progressive and socially-critical educational orientations, from the perspective of the students at the University of Namibia. It is argued that educational orientations are important in environmental education, because they propound teaching methods, used to teach environmental education topics. Students urged educators to apply each of the educational orientations depending on the students’ ability, previous experience and existing knowledge on the topic. The results show that the teaching methods propounded by these educational orientations contributed to behaviour development, because students were solicited to apply eco-management actions and persuaded others to address the environmental challenges in own settings. It is recommended that the institutions of higher education operationalises a multi-dimensional social ecology in which the solicited environmental actions are shared with the university community and the wider public using the institution’s communication channels. In this way, change-oriented learning, which contributes to behaviour development necessary to address the environmental challenges, will be fostered.