An integrative framework of environmental education for environmental crisis transformation

Abstract

© Universiti Putra Malaysia Press. Though there are currently many perspectives on environmental education, they generally fail to address large gaps in linking education between natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities. As a result, recently developed environmental education management practices are inconsistent in sociocultural contexts, especially in Thailand where there are many environmental agencies and indigenous groups with their own unique worldviews. To address this issue, this mixed methodology study developed an integrative framework of environmental education based on the integral theory and worldviews of various stakeholders in Thailand. Results showed that the proposed integrative framework thoroughly addressed three holistic measures as well as five components of environmental literacy. The holistic measures consisted of behavioral change, social change, and personal change, whereas, the five components of environmental literacy included competencies (knowledge and skills in scientific and sociocultural aspects), spiritual growth (knowledge and skills in humanities), participation (norms of action), attitudes (proper character traits), and awareness (value awareness). This study not only fills gaps between various perspectives of environmental education, but also provides a shift from the reductionistic approach to a more holistic one when addressing the world’s complex environmental crises, especially on personalized and localized contexts.