Measures and guidelines for increasing the ecological literacy in students aged 12-18

Abstract

Today we are facing a great amount of sustainability challenges that are related to the global decrease of ecological knowledge, termed ecological literacy. The problems associated with the lack of knowledge can only be overcome by way of involving our future generations. New educational approaches are necessary to create communities that are in sync with the processes of nature for sustainable living. Therefore, the aim of this literature review was to present the stateof-the-art on stimulating ecoliteracy in schools. Relevant articles were systematically selected and analyzed, leaving 18 articles that proved several methods to be successful in increasing ecological literacy. They were summarized and presented in this report, providing current insights in stimulating ecological literacy in schools. This review first presents how natural and designed environments can increase ecological literacy by evoking engagement and motivation in students and teachers. Outdoor activities, like fieldtrips, were mostly represented in the analyzed literature. Limitations to visit real-life natural environments were mainly overcome by new technology strategies, proven effective through their immersive character. Lastly, other out-of-the-box strategies on increasing ecological literacy were described. They offer effective learning experiences that differ from traditional learning experiences. All strategies serve as inspiration for educators to broaden the horizon of environmental pedagogies and to increase ecological literacy in students: an important aspect of creating a sustainable society.