Nurturing Scientific and Technological Literacy through Environmental Education

Achieving scientific and technological literacy (STL) for all remains to be a universal goal for science education and an important challenge to many countries. The suggested innovation is to “green the curriculum" that is, integrate environmental education (EE) objectives, concepts and skills into science and other subject areas. Studies indicate that attitude towards the environment and attitude toward science do influence each other. Pupils in schools with active environmental programs have been found to possess skills needed to form judgments of their own environmental issues, especially in the face of contradictory media messages about the environment. EE helps students “learn how to learn" as they engage in real-life problem solving and decision-making. The motivation for EE is not just to make teaching and learning relevant and interesting but also to help students to recognize their role in addressing environmental degradation, the most serious problem facing humanity today. EE integration in the curriculum is going on in many countries but good practice is not widespread. Training programs and instructional materials must highlight the valueladen environmental core messages and the need for more cooperation at the local, national and international levels.