Adult environmental education: a perspective on the ideal for lifelong environmental education

Abstract

Children's environmental education is a subject which receives a lot of attention (at least in the literature), adult environmental education far less so. When it is discussed, it is quite often in terms of the ideal of lifelong environmental education. It is a bit short on practicality.

In this project I attempt to bring a more practical side to lifelong environmental education by discussing environmental education as a field of adult education. It is subject to the same constraints of voluntariness, organisations which may provide it, and reasons for participation. I find that adult environmental education should be supportive of democratic environmental decision making and social action, and questioning of political and social ideologies. As a result, it can really only be conducted in universities. However, it faces challenges even there, if it is to be conducted in a student centred manner, and if it is to be critical and interdisciplinary. Nonetheless, university adult education offers the best option for adult environmental education aimed at individual and social change. Placing adult environmental education in universities means few will actually have access to it, and the ideal of lifelong environmental education for all is just that - an ideal. It also means any change which comes from education will be very slow in propagating through society.