ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THE PATH TO SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (ESD)

Fien (1993b:47;77;91) observes that EE for sustainability encourages significant shifts in the way people think and value, towards conceptions that integrate human and nature as one inseparable system. He realizes that EE provides knowledge of how nature and society works and how people can become involved in changing structures through individual and collective action. Furthermore ESD is all-inclusive to win more people at the grassroots level.
In the same way Bak (1995:59), asserts that education for sustainability makes people aware of how their actions and decisions impact on resources. So doing, they base their decisions on securing resources by considering both the ecological and economic. Such decision-making and cognitive processes involve thinking in terms of whole systems, awareness of the effects parts can have on each other and avoiding attending solely to selected narrow aspects of the whole (Fien 1993b:39). This approach builds relationships between individuals, groups and their natural environment and ultimately leads to sustainable living (Ibid:14): which means taking good care of and managing the environment leading to proper and better living conditions for humans.

CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATION

Education is often defined in terms of formal, non-formal and informal education. Each category is distinguishable on the basis of its education processes. Sterling (2004:328) contends that content and process are not separate. This means that content and process affect and determine each other and therefore evolve together.
Predetermined content is delivered through predetermined processes while open content is mediated through open processes.
Although the research focus is on the non-formal setting, informal and formal education will be briefly reviewed since communities are heterogeneous and their members are generally exposed to each of these types of education. Most individuals from the younger generations have been educated in the formal setting and the human potential of most adults – especially those who did not attend schools or who had only limited exposure to formal schooling – is developed through non-formal education.
In the community, people educated in the different educational settings interact in ways that may either constrain or enhance community development. UNEP (2003:6), supports non-formal education activities and community-based organizations, and further encourages informal EE at family level by both men and women (Ibid:12). Smith (2001:2) defines informal education as follows:
Informal education is the truly lifelong process whereby every individual acquires attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from daily experience and the educative influences and resources in his or her environment – from family and neighbours, from work and play, from the market place, the library and the mass media.
With informal education there is no curriculum planning, so the education is conversation-based. Non-formal education is organized and curriculum planning occurs through a negotiation process (Smith 2001:7).

CHAPTER ONE: CONTEXTUALISING AND CONCEPTUALISING THE STUDY
1.1 The context of the study
1.2 Formulation of the problem
1.3 Aim and objectives of the study
1.4 Research methods and design
1.5 Data collection strategies, analysis and interpretation
1.5.1 Data collection strategies
1.5.2 Data analysis
1.5.3 Data interpretation
1.6 Motivation for and contribution of the study
1.7 Demarcation of the field of study
1.8 Chapter demarcation
1.9 Research limitations
1.10 Concept clarification
1.10.1 Sustainable development
1.10.3 Environmental education
1.10.4 Non-formal education
1.11 Closing comments
CHAPTER TWO: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THE PATH TO SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The establishment and evolution of the concept of environmental education
2.2.1 Objectives and principles of environmental education
2.2.2 Adapting environmental education to education that will enhanc sustainable development
2.2.2.1 Principles of sustainable development
2.2.2.2 Reflecting on the Tbilisi and the Rio principles
2.2.3 Sustainable development and the United Nations millennium declaration
2.3 Sustainable development endeavours in Southern African Development Community
2.3.1 Poverty: the main threat to sustainable development in Swaziland
2.3.1.1 Unemployment
2.3.1.2 Dependency
2.3.1.3 Low job creation
2.3.1.4 Decreased agricultural output
2.3.1.5 HIV/AIDS
2.3.1.6 Low status of women in customary law
2.3.1.7 Government policy
2.3.2 Breaking the cycle of the poverty threat to sustainable development through education
2.4 Dominant environmental education paradigms used in the study
2.4.1 Behaviourism
2.4.2 Constructivism
2.4.3 Social critical theory
2.5 Education for sustainable development
2.6 Classification of education
2.7 Adult education
2.7.1 Characteristics of adult education
2.7.2 Principles of adult education
2.8 Linking strategies of education that aim at overcoming threats sustainable development
2.9 Closing comments
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCESS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research approach and method
3.2.1 Research approach
3.2.2 Research method
3.2.3 Measures to ensure research accuracy
3.3 Research design and process: methodological strategy
3.3.1 Research design
3.3.2 Data collection tools
3.3.2.1 Observation
3.3.2.2 Interviews with participants
3.3.2.3 Interview with facilitator
3.3.2.4 Photographing
3.3.2.5 Document analysis
3.4 Data analysis
3.4.1 Analysis of textual data
3.4.2 Phenomenological analysis of interview data
3.4.3 Analysis of visual data
3.5 Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR: A PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH RESULTS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Factors that influence the sustainability of environmental education initiatives
4.2.1 Leadership
4.2.2 Support from outsiders
4.2.3 Support from within the community
4.2.3.1 Social support
4.2.3.2 Material and natural support
4.2.4 Constraints
4.2.4.1 Theft
4.2.4.2 Shortage of government extension officers
4.2.4.3 Land disputes
4.2.4.4 Unpaid loans
4.2.4.5 Lack of commitment
4.2.4.6 Lack of capacity and power
4.2.4.7 Lack of support from family members
4.2.5 Education processes
4.2.6 Benefits
4.2.6.1 Study support to facilitator
4.2.6.2 Agricultural social support
4.2.7 Research impact
4.2.7.1 Self-esteem
4.2.7.2 Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats analysis and reflection
4.2.7.3 Shifts in perceptions
4.2.8 Initiatives
4.2.8.1 Community kitchens
4.2.8.2 Community tourism
4.2.8.3 Basket making
4.2.8.4 Making brooms and mats
4.3 Conclusion
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of research findings
5.2.1 Leadershi
5.2.2 Support from outsiders
5.2.3 Support from within the community
5.2.4 Constraints
5.2.4.1 Theft
5.2.4.2 Shortage of government extension officer
5.2.4.3 Land disputes
5.2.4.4 Unpaid loans
5.2.4.5 Lack of commitment
5.2.4.6 Dependency
5.2.4.7 Lack of support from family members
5.2.5 Education processes
5.2.6 Benefits
5.2.7 Research impact
5.2.7.1 SWOT analysis and reflection
5.2.7.2 Shifts in perceptions
5.2.8 Ancillary initiatives
5.2.8.1 Timeleni Bomake
5.2.8.2 Traditional basket making
5.2.8.3 Community tourism
5.3 Inference
5.4 Research conclusions
5.5 Recommendations
5.6 Limitations of the research
5.7 Suggestions for further research
5.8 In closing
REFERENCES