Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education

Purpose

The purpose of the Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education is to provide education and training to practitioners working in the environmental sector to be able to develop deep and systematic understandings of the current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in the field of environmental education. It aims to support these practitioners (such as Municipal Environmental Officers, Biodiversity Conservation Field Workers, Agricultural Extension Officers and Community Liaison Officers) who come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds (such as Environmental Management, Human Resources Management, Nature Conservation, and Community Development), to develop their specialist knowledge and skills in environmentally-oriented education, training and development practices.

Upon qualifying learners will be able to

• Demonstrate a critical and historically-informed understanding of the global, national and local social-ecological context in which s/he works as an Educator.
• Engage critically with ways in which environmental knowledge is produced, used and shared in a range of learning settings, with emphasis on the influence of historical, cultural and ethical concerns.
• Apply and reflect critically on selected concepts and theories of learning and development to environmental learning processes in his/her context.
• Conduct a systematic, theoretically-guided, reflexive review of an environmental education project or programme and make recommendations for further curriculum development.

Rationale

The South African government has, via the National Planning Commission and via policies such as the National Environmental Management Act, and the Climate Change National Action Plan, confirmed that South Africa will move towards a sustainable development, low carbon and Green Economy. Substantial investments are being made in a green growth path at present, as reflected in the Industrial Policy and Action Plan II. This requires qualified people to service the Green Economy, to manage climate change risks and vulnerability and to contribute to the re-orientation of education and training systems nationally and internationally. Environmental Educators have a vital role to play in providing this education and training.

There are few programmes available that provide for the education and training of environmental education and training practitioners. Recent studies on Human Capacity and Skills in the Environmental Sector have been undertaken nationally by the Department of Environmental Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Water Affairs and the South African National Biodiversity Institute all of which found that environmental education, training and skills development in South Africa is currently inadequate for the sector demands and that the skills development is re-active rather than pro-active. Environmental educators (or human capacity development skills) have been identified as a scarce skill in the Environmental Sector Skills Plan and in the National Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy.

Nationally, environmental education and training qualifications are, offered mainly at lower levels on the NQF (in particular NQF Level 5) by private providers in the environmental Non-Governmental Organisation Sector. The Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education will provide learners with access to a higher level specialist qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) refers to the practice of awarding credit or granting educational access to students on the basis of prior learning acquired through a variety of formal, non-formal and informal means, including life and work experience:

• The University commits itself to the careful and responsible use of RPL to improve access to higher education in accordance with quality assurance objectives.
• RPL is used, wherever appropriate, as an alternative means of admission to qualifications, for credit towards qualifications and for admission on an advanced standing.
• RPL is implemented as an integral part of mainstream assessment and evaluative policies and procedures.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor's Degree in Education, Level 7.

Or

• A Diploma, Level 6.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 7, totalling 120 Credits.

Modules

• Contexts of Environmental Education Practice, 15 Credits.
• Environmental Knowledge and Practice, 15 Credits.
• Environmental Education, Training and Social Learning, 30 Credits.
• Reflexive Curriculum and Programme Design, 60 Credits.

1. Demonstrate a critical and historically-informed understanding of the global, national, local and own social-ecological context.
2. Engage critically with ways in which environmental knowledge is produced, used and shared in a range of learning settings, with emphasis on the influence of historical, cultural and ethical concerns.

3 Reflect critically on and apply selected concepts and theories of learning and development to environmental learning processes in own context.

1. Conduct a systematic, theoretically-guided, reflexive review of an environmental education project or programme and make recommendations for further curriculum development.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome1

• The contexts and histories of environmental education and training practice in South Africa are explored.
• The contexts, sustainability challenges, enabling policies and partnership frameworks relating to local social-ecological development are understood and applied.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Environmental knowledge is applied in environmental education practice.
• Practice, theory and a social realist perspective of environmental knowledge are introduced to learners.
• An understanding of the way in which ethical deliberations influence knowledge use and practice is explored and demonstrated.
• Where and how environmental knowledge is produced, and how it is used in environmental practice and environmental education and training are examined.
• The skills to access and work with environmental knowledge in relation to practice are developed.
• An understanding of the knowledge-practice relation and particularly how ethical concerns influence and shape the knowledge-practice relation are developed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Selected learning processes in the context are scrutinised.
• Theoretical tools to describe, plan and reflect on the nature and outcomes of learning are applied.
• An understanding of how learning occurs in social-ecological settings and how knowledge of learning theories shapes the development of education and training is deepened.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• An understanding of reflective and reflexive practice and 'becoming critical' (i.e. critical theory and practice analysis) is demonstrated.
• Change-oriented learning and how it can be supported by curriculum and programme design (including assessment practices) in diverse environmental education and training contexts are demonstrated.
• Curriculum and programme design theory; including learning in communities of practice is shown.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment of learning on the Advanced Diploma in Environmental Education is guided by the University's Policy on Assessment which recognises that, "although assessment functions to measure learning, it can also be used to guide and develop that learning". Both formative and summative assessment is designed to create an opportunity for learners to demonstrate through a variety of procedures how they have grown as professionals. Summative assessment consists of written examinations at the end of each year that comply with the university's policy of assessment, the procedures and practices. The policy stipulates that assessment should be open and transparent to learners and encourages the use of multiple forms of assessment.

The university has an external examining policy which formalises what is accepted as good practice. The assessment results are first examined internally. Once the results have been consolidated, scripts are sent to the external examiners. The assessment of learning achievements is benchmarked at the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification and is subjected to external examination by appropriately qualified academics. Once the external examiners have completed the moderation of the results, it is sent to the Head of Department of the Education Department who consults with lecturers if there are borderline cases or situations where learners could not sit for the examination due to ill health. The Head of Department after finalisation of the results then forwards the mark sheets to the Registrar's office for processing.