UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY

Biglang Awa St., Corner Catleya St., EDSA, Caloocan City

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

BUILDING AND ENHANCING NEW LITERACIES

ACROSS CURRICULUM
Course Module

SUBJECT CODE: MS 116

TOPIC OR LESSON: 8: Ecological Literacy
WEEK: 14
SUB-TOPIC/S: Environmental Literacy, Ecological Literacy, and Ecoliteracy
Greening Initiatives in Colleges and Universities

OVERVIEW OF THE TOPIC

The development of ecological understanding is not simply another subject to be learnt
but a fundamental change in the way we see the world.
John Lyle, 1994

We are now at a critical point with many environmental issues such as climate change
and rampant environmental destruction. Alienation from nature greatly contributes to
the aggravation of these environmental problems. Ecoliteracy is founded on a new
integration of emotional, social, and ecological intelligence—forms of intelligence
popularized by Daniel Goleman. While social and emotional intelligence extend students’
abilities to see from another’s perspective, empathize, and show concern, ecological
intelligence applies these capacities to an understanding of natural systems and melds
cognitive skills with empathy for all of life. By weaving these forms of intelligence together,
ecoliteracy builds on the successes—from reduced behavioral problems to increased
academic achievement—of the movement in education to foster social and emotional
learning. And it cultivates the knowledge, empathy, and action required for practicing
sustainable living. Ecological literacy is important to business and political leaders, and to
all levels of education.

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 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the week, the students are expected to:

1. discuss the benefits of waste management projects; and
2. recognize individual and collective roles in protecting and rehabilitating the
environment and ecosystem

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. enumerate terms related to eco-literacy
2. differentiate Environmental Literacy, Ecological Literacy, and Ecoliteracy
3. craft a green initiative

ENGAGE

Share your thoughts:

EXPLORE

Classroom Discussion:
What environmental issues and concerns move you and provoke you to action?
What efforts and practical steps do you do to influence others to take action?

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 EXPLAIN

ECOLOGICAL LITERACY
Ecological literacy refers to an individual's understanding not only of ecological
concepts, but also of his or her place in the ecosystem (Meena & Allson, 2009). The term
ecological literacy was first introduced by David Orr in 1989 in his essay "Ecological
Literacy." He indicated that knowing, caring, and practical competence form the
foundation for ecological literacy. He pointed out that the root of environmental crisis
is the individual's inability to think about "ecological patterns, systems of causation, and
long-term effects of human actions" (Orr, 1994).

Thus, he emphasized the importance of experience in one's natural environment that

can enable humans to shift perspective from one of an economic emphasis to one of
balance amongst economics, ecology, and cultures.

Orr (1992) also argued that the ecologically literate person understands the dynamics
of the environmental crisis, which includes an understanding of how people have
become so destructive. Therefore, identifying school students' ecological literacy levels
is a necessary step to investigate their behavior, attitudes, sensitivity, and behavioral
intention. order to create awareness among students, it is important to foster correct
knowledge to ensure positive approach to the environment (Hares, Eskonheimo,
Myllytaus & Luukkanen, 2006). Kahyaoglu (2009) also stated that positive attitudes and
values toward the environment are occurred with a good knowledge. Developing
environmentally responsible behavior requires correct knowledge about climate
change, the cause of global warming, carbon emissions, and carbon footprint (Kuo &
Chen, 2009).

There has been an increasing concern with enhancing "ecological literacy" in society.
The current literature on ecological literacy emphasizes the role of scientific knowledge
and ecological thinking in identifying cause-effect relationships in socio-environmental
systems, in order to allow more enlightened decision-making; therefore, its primary
pedagogical goals are cognitive and experimental. In this, it differs from the broader
concept of environmental literacy, which incorporates civic literacy that pertains to
changes in values and behaviors, and thus also contains affective and moral
pedagogical goals (McBride et al. 2013).

Ecological literacy is meant to enable conscious and participant citizens to make

informed decisions or take action on environmental issues (Jordan et al. 2009). Efforts in
this direction include books by experienced ecologists for the general public, of which
two outstanding examples are Levin (2000) and Slobodkin (2003).

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Characterizing an Ecoliterate Person

Dr. Tom Puk (2002) of Lakehead University characterized an ecologically literate

person of the 21st century as "the responsible, lifelong learner who strives to improve
the human condition and the environment within the context of self, human groups,
the biosphere, and the ecosphere."

The ecologically literate person in order to achieve the aforementioned ultimate goal
should become:

• an inquirer, who actively secures the basic skills and knowledge in order to
carry out ecological responsibilities. This also enables her to reach her own
potential and place in the physical and natural environment;
• a reflective learner, who understands the value and limitations of human
knowledge, the power and limitations of the natural world, the role of intuition
in real-life pursuits, and the role of self as it is manifested in one's personal
narrative;
• intelligently self-directed, who engages in self-appraisal. sets new learning
objectives, develops plan to achieve those objectives, carries out those plans
in a flexible inquiry-directed manner, and reflects on the whole process;
• morally responsible, who governs actions with precepts (responsibility, seeking
justice and equality for all) that maintain harmonious relationships;
• ecologically responsible, who embodies ecological ideals in daily life; and
• seek self-transcendence, who moves beyond the limitations of personal ego by
identifying with human groups (past and future), flora and fauna, ecosphere,
that transcend the individual life in scope and time.

The ecologically literate person of the 21st century has a positive view of life,
grounded in the faith of interconnectedness, and has the capacity to competently
perform significant life work and related tasks. Such a view enables her to look upon
the human experience positively and all living things compassionately.

Environmental Literacy, Ecological Literacy, and Ecoliteracy

Frameworks for ecoliteracy exhibit a high degree of similarity with frameworks for
environmental literacy, in that both sets include similar affective, knowledge,
cognitive skills, and behavioral components. However, what most differentiates
ecoliteracy from environmental literacy is the clear emphasis on sustainability, and the
introduction of spiritual. holistic components, expressed in terms of "celebration of
Creation" (Orr, 1992), "spirit" and "reverence for the Earth" (Capra, 1996, 2007), and
"expansion of the soul" (Wooltorton, 2006). An ecoliterate person is prepared to be an
effective member of sustainable society, with well-rounded abilities of head, heart,
hands, and spirit, comprising an organic understanding of the world and participatory
action within and with the environment.

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 Environmental Literacy, Ecological Literacy, and Ecoliteracy

General Dominant Primary

Examples of
Conceptions of Educational Pedagogical
Strategies
Environment Objectives Approaches
Problem Field of Develop Cognitive Case study,
values problem-solving Pragmatic issue analysis,
skills, from Affective/Moral problem-solving
diagnosis to project
action Analysis and
Environmental
Develop a clarification of
Literacy
system of ethics values, criticism
Adopt of social values
environmentally
responsible
behaviors
Object of study Acquire Cognitive Observation,
System knowledge of Experiential demonstration,
ecological experimentation
concepts and Case study,
principles environmental
Develop skills system analysis,
related to the construction of
scientific ecosystem
method: models
Ecological
observation and
Literacy
experimentation
Develop systems
thinking: analysis
and synthesis
Understand
environmental
realities in view
of informed
decision-making
Shared resource Promote and Cognitive Case study,
for sustainable contribute to Pragmatic social
living economic Holistic marketing,
Gaia development Intuitive/Creative sustainable
that addresses consumption
social equity activities,
and ecological sustainable
Ecoliteracy sustainability living
Develop the management
many project
dimensions of Immersion,
one's being in visualization,
interaction with creative
all aspects of workshops
the environment

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 Develop an
organic
understanding
of the world and
participatory
action in and
with the
environment

Greening Initiatives in Colleges and Universities

Increased awareness of environmental degradation and concern for its rehabilitation

have prompted colleges and universities to green their campuses. A green campus is "a
place where environmentally responsible practice and education go hand-in-hand
and where environmentally responsible tenets are borne out by example" (NEIWPCC
n.d.). The green campus institution is a model environmental community where
operational functions, business practices, academic programs, and people are
interlinked, providing educational and practical value to the institution, the region, and
the world.

Greening initiatives, although challenging and demanding, yield significant benefits in

the long run:

• Environmental and economic sustainability. A system-wide culture of

sustainability helps preserve and enhance what the institution values today as
well as for the future.
• Reputation as a leader through example. As colleges and universities offer
courses in environmental management, engineering, laws and regulations, and
assessment, greening initiatives provide them opportunities to practice what they
preach and make their mark as environmental leaders. Colleges and universities
need to examine their own organizations and implement on their own campuses
what they and the public expect their industry to do.
• Economic benefits. A routine, curriculum-based, environmental audit program
that reveals waste and inefficiency associated with campus activities, coupled
with e identification of environment-friendly alternatives, can yield significant
cost savings for the institution.
• "Real-life" work experience for your students. Environmental audits and pollution
prevention evaluations can be integrated into the curriculum, providing students
with hands-on investigative and problem-solving experience that they can take
with them when they enter the workforce. This experience not only makes your
students more marketable, it also provides them with the kinds of broad thinking
skills that allow them to succeed and thrive once they are employed.
• Improved quality of life in the campus. A Green Campus is a cleaner, safer, and
healthier place to live and work.

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Ecological literacy is a form of transformative education that requires shirts in three
related areas: (1) perception (seeing). (2) conception (knowing), and (3) action
(doing).

In schools, teachers are also required to shift emphasis through the following:

• From parts to whole - Subjects are to be taught as integrated, not as isolated

units in the curriculum.
• From objects to relationships - An ecosystem is a community. Communities are
characterized by sets, networks, or relationships. Schools put premium on
relationship-based processes such as cooperation, collaboration, and decision-
making by consensus.
• From objective knowledge to contextual knowledge - This shift requires one to
explain properties of the parts within the context of the whole or in terms of
environments and systems.
• From quantity to quality - Assessments have traditionally emphasized
standardized testing in terms of quantities, numeric scores, and measurements.
Schools are challenged to design assessment more adequate than the
standardized tests if they are to practice this principle.
• From structure to process - Systems are dynamic and evolving. Thus. the
understanding of living structures is linked to understanding renewal, change.
and transformation. This shift is embodied in project-based learning, which
highlights the application of knowledge within evolving real-life contexts.
• From contents to patterns - When we draw maps of relationships, we discover
certain configurations of relationships that appear again and again. We call
these configurations patterns. Instead of focusing on what a living system is
made of, we study its patterns. Pedagogically, the shift reminds us of the
importance of integrating art into programs of study. This enables children even
at a young age to recognize and express patterns whether we talk about
poetry, literature, visual arts. performing arts, and music.

ELABORATE

Project Plan:
Work as a group. As an organization in the university, craft a one-day green project of
your initiative of choice.

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 EVALUATE

20-Item Quiz

REFERENCES

Alata, E. (2019) Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across Curriculum. Rex
Bookstore. Manila, Philippines.

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

• “Ecological Literacy” Accessed from: https://www.slideshare.net/enriccalvet/ecological-

literacy

Prepared by:

MARGARET A. BAELLO

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