shaping our schools shaping our future1 in this document, the term school boards is used in...

Report of the Working Group on Environmental Education

June 2007

Shaping Our Schools Shaping Our FutureEnvironmental Education in Ontario Schools

“After observing the planet for eight days from

space, I have a deeper interest and respect for the

forces that shape our world. Each particle of soil,

each plant and animal is special. I also marvel at

the creativity and ingenuity of our own species,

but at the same time, I wonder why we all cannot

see that we create our future each day, and that

our local actions affect the global community,

today as well as for generations to come.”

Dr. Roberta Bondar

Report of the Working Group on Environmental Education

June 2007

Shaping Our Schools Shaping Our FutureEnvironmental Education in Ontario Schools

June 1, 2007

Dr. Dennis Thiessen, (Chair)Curriculum CouncilMinistry of EducationMowat Block, 900 Bay Street, 22nd FloorToronto, ON M7A 1L2

Dear Dr. Thiessen:

As Chair, I am pleased to present Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future, the report of the Working Group on Environmental Education.

It has been my privilege to serve with the six expert members of the Working Group, who have generously shared their insights and considerable expertise over the past nine weeks. I would acknowledge in particular the hundreds of hours, both during and outside of our formal meetings,that these individuals have chosen to devote to this important task, in order to produce a sound and thoroughly considered document on extremely short timelines.

I believe these committed educators - Dr. Eleanor Dudar, Dr. Allan Foster, Dr. Michael Fox, Catherine Mahler,Pamela Schwartzberg, and Marlène Walsh - can take pride in having made a substantial contribution that will benefit our students, our communities, our province, and our global environment.

In developing its recommendations for environmental education in Ontario, the Working Group has examinedpolicies, programs, and practices in Ontario, across Canada, and around the world. It has also undertaken a review of responses to the ministry’s call for public comment, posted on the ministry website in April 2007, which are reflected throughout the report. Our recommendations call for the development of an environmental education policy for Ontario schools, and include detailed consideration of the key elements of such a policy across three critical domains:

• Leadership and accountability• Curriculum• Teaching and resources

We are confident that these recommendations will support the government’s commitment to improving environmental education in Ontario schools, and help ensure that our students are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and perspectives they need to become engaged and environmentally responsible citizens.

Respectfully,

Working Group on Environmental Education

Dr. Roberta Bondar (Chair)

The Working Group on

Environmental Education

INTRODUCTION 1AND BACKGROUND

Environmental education in Ontario 1Moving forward: curriculum review and renewal 2The Working Group on Environmental Education 3Process and recommendations 3Purpose of this report 3

VISION 4AND INTENDED OUTCOMES

Vision for environmental education in Ontario 4Intended outcomes 4Defining environmental education 6

OVERVIEW 7ONTARIO AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS

Ontario 7Canada and international jurisdictions 7Review of public submissions 9

DISCUSSION 10AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Environmental education policy 102. Leadership and accountability 113. Curriculum 134. Teaching and resources 15

CONCLUSION 17AN AGENDA FOR ACTION

APPENDICES 18Appendix A: Working Group on Environmental Education 18Appendix B: References 20

CONTENTS

Environmental education in Ontario

For many years, promising elements of environmen-tal education have been reflected in Ontario’s curriculum, and supported by innovative programsand partnerships developed by school boards1 andschools across the province. In the absence of a com-prehensive framework for environmental educationhowever, these efforts remain fragmented andinconsistent.

Within the current Ontario curriculum, some oppor-tunities for environmental education are provided in a number of compulsory and optional subjectareas and courses, as illustrated by the followingexamples:

• Science and Technology, Grades 1-8 (1998) relatesknowledge and skills to environmental and sus-tainability issues through specific expectationsfor some of the topics and strands, and in a vari-ety of contexts.

• In Social Studies, Grades 1-6 and History andGeography, Grades 7 and 8 (2004), an understand-ing of the environment as the complex relation-ship between the natural and built elements ofthe Earth is one of the fundamental concepts.

AND BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTIONOver the past decade, changes in the Earth’s environment and its natural systemshave emerged as a matter of increasingly urgent concern around the world. Whilethe issues are complex and diverse, there is a shared and universal recognition thatsolutions will arise only through committed action on a global, national, regional,local, and individual scale. Schools have a vital role to play in preparing our youngpeople to take their place as informed, engaged, and empowered citizens who willbe pivotal in shaping the future of our communities, our province, our country, andour global environment.

VisionMINISTRY OF EDUCATION

“Ontario students will receive the best possibleeducation in the world, measured by high levels of achievement and engagement for all students. Successful learning outcomes will give all students the skills, knowledgeand opportunities to attain their potential,to pursue lifelong learning, and to contributeto a prosperous, cohesive society.”

1 In this document, the term school boards is used in reference to both district school boards and school authorities.

1 Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future

• In Science, Grades 9 and 10 (1999) and Science,Grades 11 and 12 (2000), curriculum expectationsare organized across three broad categories, oneof which is the relationship between science,technology, society, and the environment; inturn, specific topics are examined within thesethree broader contexts.

• In Canadian and World Studies, Grades 9 and 10(2005) and Canadian and World Studies, Grades 11and 12 (2005), the environment continues to be afundamental concept underlying all courses; allgeography courses explicitly address human-environment interactions.

• In Grade 12, two optional courses entitled TheEnvironment and Resource Management may beoffered at the university/college or workplacedestinations within the Canadian and worldstudies curriculum document.

• In Technological Education, Grades 9 and 10 (1999)and Technological Education, Grades 11 and 12(2000), courses include the societal and environ-mental impacts of technology.

School boards and schools have initiated programsand partnerships across Ontario:

• There is a rapidly growing movement toward thedevelopment of schools that embed environ-mental education, not only in the classroom, butalso in school design and operations.

• Partnerships have been developed between anumber of school boards, faculties of education,community-based environmental organizations,and outdoor education centres to develop envi-ronmental education opportunities for students.

• Some school boards have developed and imple-mented guidelines and practices to encourage environmental stewardship at the board,school,andcommunity level,often through environmental com-mittees with broad community representation.

These and many other initiatives demonstrate the

commitment, shared by many educators at every levelof the education system, to affirming the importanceof environmental education as a vital component ofeducation in Ontario.

A substantial gap remains, however, between thesecurrent practices and a comprehensive approach toenvironmental education in Ontario schools. Evidenceof this gap exists at every level of the system:

• The reorganization of curriculum in the late1990s significantly reduced the opportunities tostudy the subject of the environment as a resultof eliminating optional courses in environmentalscience. Environmental expectations embeddedin some courses or subjects remained.

• Few faculties of education offer environmentaleducation as a teachable subject, or offer special-ized programs in environmental studies forteacher candidates.

• Subject associations such as the Council forOutdoor Education in Ontario (COEO) and theOntario Society for Environmental Education (OSEE)have seen dramatically declining membership.

• It is only recently, with the introduction of a newProgram Enhancement Grant, that annualizedfunding is being provided that may be used tosupport outdoor education.

• In the absence of specialized teacher trainingand expertise, there is likely a gap between theenvironmental education “intended” in Ontario’scurriculum and that which is taught andreceived in the classroom.

Moving forward: curriculumreview and renewal

Over the past four years, the Province of Ontario hasbeen engaged in a process of large-scale educationreform. A wide range of initiatives has been intro-duced to ensure that all Ontario students receive ahigh-quality education and are prepared for their des-tination of choice.

Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future 2

One key component of education reform has been theintroduction of a cyclical curriculum review process thatensures that Ontario’s curriculum adapts to the chang-ing world around us, reflects advances in our knowledgeof teaching, learning, and child development, and con-tinues to meet the needs of Ontario students. Each year,a number of subject areas enter this process, whichincludes extensive research and consultation, and thedevelopment of revised curricula by writing teamsdrawn from school boards across Ontario.

This process has been complemented by the introduc-tion of the Curriculum Council, chaired by Dr. DennisThiessen, Chair of the Department of Curriculum,Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute forStudies in Education at the University of Toronto. TheCurriculum Council is a group of knowledgeable com-munity leaders and education experts who advise theMinister of Education on elementary and secondaryschool curriculum, through academic research, compar-isons to other provinces, and provincial consultations.

The council reviews a wide range of topics at therequest of the Minister of Education and is supportedby a working group of experts on each selected topic.Environmental education was selected as the firsttopic for review.

The Working Group onEnvironmental Education

In March 2007, the government announced thecreation of the Working Group on EnvironmentalEducation, chaired by Dr. Roberta Bondar, to pro-vide a report to the Minister of Education, throughthe Curriculum Council, on environmental educa-tion in Ontario schools. Members of the WorkingGroup are experts and practitioners in the field of environmental education. The qualifications

and background of Working Group members areincluded in Appendix A of this document.

The mandate of the Working Group was to analyzeneeds and research successful approaches to teach-ing and learning about the environment in elemen-tary and secondary schools. The Working Group metfrom March through May 2007, to produce its reportand recommendations to the Curriculum Council.

Process and recommendations

The Working Group initially defined a vision state-ment, intended outcomes of environmental educa-tion, and a definition of environmental education toinform the balance of its work.

Under the leadership of Dr. Bondar, the WorkingGroup reviewed a broad range of programs and prac-tices in the field of environmental education inOntario, Canada, and international jurisdictions. Inaddition, the Working Group sought public commenton the issue of environmental education, through awebsite provided by the Ministry of Education.

The Working Group identified the need for a compre-hensive environmental education policy for Ontarioschools, and has detailed the key elements of such apolicy in regard to leadership and accountability, cur-riculum, and teaching and resources..

Purpose of this report

The Working Group on Environmental Educationrespectfully submits this report to the CurriculumCouncil. The report identifies key priorities for actionthat will build on current strengths and serve as the critical underpinning of a coherent approach toenvironmental education in Ontario schools that willprepare our young people to take their place as environmentally responsible citizens.


Ontario’s education system will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and practicesthey need to be environmentally responsible citizens. Students will understand our fundamental connec-tions to each other and to the world around us through our relationship to food, water, energy, air, andland, and our interaction with all living things. The education system will provide opportunities within theclassroom and the community for students to engage in actions that deepen this understanding.

AND INTENDED OUTCOMES

VISIONThe following vision, intended outcomes, and definition of environmental educationwere developed and adopted by the Working Group on Environmental Education to focus and inform discussion, and provide a framework for the development of its final recommendations. The vision developed by the Working Group alignswith, and supports, the vision of the Ministry of Education for Ontario students.

STUDENTS

CONTEXT

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and practices they need toparticipate as responsible citizens at the local, national, and global level, caring foreach other and all living things. The education system will fulfil its critical role inboth delivering effective environmental education, and modelling environmentallyresponsible practices.

Environmental education will provide a rich context for learning that engages allstudents in applying their knowledge and skills to real-world situations through anintegrated approach, based on the environmental and sustainability conceptsfound in all relevant subject areas. Such a context will combine classroom learningwith experiential learning, and provide opportunities to interact with, develop car-ing and concern for, and take action in the places where students live, study, andplay. It will provide connections between the curriculum and the world around us,allow students to directly observe impacts and issues, and expose students to themany points of view that must be considered in making choices to preserve thehealth of the natural environment.

Intended outcomes

VISION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN ONTARIO



CURRICULUM

TEACHING

LEARNING

SCHOOLS

LEADERSHIP

ACCOUNTABILITY

Curriculum policy will clearly state what students should know and be able to do,as well as the perspectives they need to consider as responsible citizens in a chang-ing world.While environmental education rests on a foundation of knowledge fromboth science and social studies/geography, this knowledge will be applied acrossthe curriculum. Environmental education will be reflected in an age-appropriateway throughout the K-12 curriculum through strands, topics, and expectations, andwill be recognized as a provincial priority.

All teachers will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively model andteach environmental education, individually and in collaborative practice. Teacherswill have access to the professional development required to build their compe-tence and confidence in delivering environmental education.

Environmental education will draw on effective learning strategies - includinginquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, and assessing alternatives - that engagestudents personally in their own learning, connect them to the world they live in,and give them the systems thinking and futures thinking they will need to becomediscerning, active citizens.

In order to facilitate the effective design and delivery of environmental educa-tion, schools will adopt innovative policies for school culture, curriculum, facili-ties, and operations. Environmental education will involve collaboration amongstudents, teachers, parents, administrators, and the community, and foster ahabit of mind that sees, and seeks out, the interconnections in life and acrosssubject areas and disciplines.

The Ministry of Education will drive and support the development of environmen-tal leadership at all levels of the education system. School boards and schools willdemonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility through theirpractices and operations, and engage students to actively apply their learning asenvironmentally responsible members of the school and broader community.

The effectiveness of environmental education in Ontario schools will be measuredboth on a system level and against clearly defined student achievement outcomes.The goals and content of and approaches taken to environmental education inOntario will likewise be subject to cyclical review, to ensure that they remaindynamic and relevant in a changing world.


Defining environmental education

Environmental education seeks to promote an appre-ciation and understanding of, and concern for, theenvironment, and to foster informed, engaged, andresponsible environmental citizenship. Effective envi-ronmental education incorporates problem solving,hands-on learning, action projects, scientific inquiry,higher order thinking, and cooperative learning, andemploys relevant subject matter and topics thatactively engage students in the educational process.

Environmental literacy is an important outcome ofenvironmental education. An environmentally literatestudent will have the knowledge and perspectivesrequired to understand public issues and place them

in a meaningful environmental context. Thus, envi-ronmental literacy requires a mix of knowledge,vocabulary, key concepts, history, and philosophy.

Environmental education also embraces education forsustainability. Here, there is an explicit focus on ensur-ing that the ways in which humans use or affectecosystems do not compromise the natural ability ofecosystems for renewal or regeneration. Effective edu-cation for sustainability stresses the need for highlydeveloped systems thinking and futures thinking.

Outdoor education is likewise seen as a distinct andcritical component of environmental education, con-cerned with providing experiential learning in theenvironment to foster a connection to local places,develop a greater understanding of ecosystems, andprovide a unique context for learning.

Accordingly, the Working Group on Environmental Education has developed the following comprehensivedefinition of environmental education, and recommends that it be adopted as the definition used inOntario schools:Environmental education is education about the environment, for the environment, and in the environment that promotes an understanding of, rich and active experience in, and an appreciation forthe dynamic interactions of:• The Earth’s physical and biological systems• The dependency of our social and economic systems on these natural systems• The scientific and human dimensions of environmental issues• The positive and negative consequences, both intended and unintended, of the

interactions between human-created and natural systems.

OntarioLEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY

In the absence of a system-wide framework orstrategy, environmental education in Ontario isbeing implemented unevenly across the province.While a variety of excellent environmental educa-tion programs and initiatives have been implement-ed by school boards and schools, there is no com-prehensive policy that would signal the importanceof environmental education, guide the investmentsnecessary for further development, and provideconcrete accountability measures.

CURRICULUM

While environmental education is reflected in ele-ments of Ontario’s elementary and secondaryschool curriculum, there are few topics directlyfocused on environmental education, and contenttends to be fragmented and inconsistent in theabsence of systems thinking. The curriculum doesnot currently articulate a sequence of environmen-tal expectations, nor does it adequately address theneed for environmental education to be reflectedacross the curriculum.

TEACHING AND RESOURCES

Many teachers currently lack the knowledge, skills,and background in perspectives taking required toteach environmental education effectively. Partlydue to the fact that environmental education hasrelatively low visibility within the curriculum, thereis little incentive, or opportunity, for developing therequired skills, and there are few resources availableto support teachers.

Canada and internationaljurisdictions

A wide variety of environmental policies and pro-grams has been implemented in recent years, inCanada and around the world. In reviewing thework of these jurisdictions, members of theWorking Group noted a number of successful prac-tices and approaches that may be adapted to posi-tively influence the development of environmentaleducation in Ontario.

Alberta: Alberta has developed a unique science cur-riculum that successfully integrates environmentaleducation in a broad, multidisciplinary way. The cur-riculum incorporates outdoor ecological investigation

ONTARIO AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS

OVERVIEWAs a preliminary step toward developing its interim report and recommendations,the Working Group examined the current state of environmental education inOntario, and the successful practices of other jurisdictions in Canada and aroundthe world. The Working Group also reviewed a summary of responses to the min-istry’s call for public comment on environmental education. The following is a briefoverview of the analysis undertaken by the Working Group.


as early as Grade 2, and uses interdisciplinary systemsapproaches to environmental topics throughout theelementary and secondary curriculum.

British Columbia: British Columbia has produced aninterdisciplinary guide for teachers on environmen-tal learning and experience. The guide provides aconceptual framework for introducing cross-curric-ular environmental learning into all classrooms,general principles of teaching and learning for theenvironment, and perspectives around which les-sons can be created.

Quebec: In its provincial curriculum, Quebec hastargeted environmental awareness and consumerrights and responsibilities in one of five broad areasof learning. This area of focus aims at encouragingstudents to develop an active relationship withtheir environment while maintaining a critical atti-tude toward exploitation of the environment, tech-nological development, and consumer goods.

California: Through its Education and theEnvironment Initiative (EEI), California has legislat-ed that environmental education be a part of thestate curriculum, and is currently writing a systems-based curriculum within the framework of a modelcurriculum plan in consultation with over 100 scien-tific and technical experts.

Minnesota: In collaborating with 11 other states,Minnesota has articulated a strategy for teachingenvironmental education that includes a scope andsequence of learning expectations across thegrades with a set of benchmarks for student learn-ing. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authorityhas based its own “system thinking curriculum” onthe Minnesota model.

Other U.S. States: The 12-state Education andEnvironment Roundtable has defined a frameworkin which the environment serves as an integratingcontext for learning across all subject areas. Thisapproach includes the integration of subject matteracross disciplines and collaborative instruction,with an emphasis on problem solving and learningthrough real-world projects.

Australia: Australia introduced a national actionplan in 2000 that established a nationalEnvironmental Education Council, and anEnvironmental Education Working Group to createpolicy and improve educational resources. A coher-ent national standard for environmental educationwas introduced in 2005.

Finland: Finland has developed sustainability guide-lines that explicitly address national, regional, local,and individual opportunities for engagement andpartnership. Within this framework, sustainabledevelopment will be a key focal point of the FinnishMinistry of Education’s research and educationstrategy by 2014.

Ireland: Ireland has developed a framework ofsocial, environmental, and science education that isintegrated across the history, geography, and sci-ence curriculum, and encourages the activeengagement of students as an integral componentof learning.

Israel: Israel has developed formal environmentaleducation curricula through collaboration betweenthe ministries of education and environment.Interdisciplinary environmental education is offeredin elementary school, followed by a secondary “eco-tope” program combining classroom study andfield-based research conducted by specially trainedteachers. In addition, all educational institutionsmust develop formal and measurable sustainabledevelopment plans.

New Zealand: New Zealand has developed key prin-ciples and guidelines for environmental education,which include six essential skills and attitudes thatspan the entire curriculum: creative and innovativethinking, participation and contribution to commu-nities, relating to others, reflecting on learning,developing self-knowledge, and making meaningfrom information.

Sweden: Sweden has supported a holistic approachto environmental education by stressing the impor-tance of environmental, international, ethical, andhistorical perspectives. Environmental education,


and education for sustainable development, areidentified in 9 subjects out of 18 for compulsoryschool, with emphasis on action and education out-side the classroom.

United Kingdom: The United Kingdom has devel-oped a national sustainable schools framework thatincorporates eight interconnected “doorways” foraction. Involving the community and using immedi-ate environments as contexts for real-world learn-ing and action are central to this approach.

Executive summaries were prepared for each of theabove jurisdictions during the analysis process.These documents may provide valuable insights toguide further development of environmental edu-cation policies, curriculum, and resources.

Review of public submissions

With the assistance of the Ministry of Education,the Working Group on Environmental Educationinvited public submissions on environmental edu-cation in Ontario schools through a posting on theministry website.

Ontarians’ strong interest in environmental educa-tion is evidenced by the 150 responses received fromorganizations and individuals across the province.

With the assistance of an analysis team provided bythe ministry, a review of public submissions wasundertaken to identify innovative concepts andstrategies for further discussion. The WorkingGroup acknowledges with thanks the quality of thesubmissions received, and has reflected a substan-tial number of these recommendations and obser-vations in its report.

A summary of public submissions has been pre-pared by ministry staff and will be made availableto the Curriculum Council to support its work. TheWorking Group strongly advises that the valuableinsights and rich examples contained in the sub-missions themselves be used to support futuredevelopment of environmental education policyand initiatives.



1. Environmental education policy

The call for recognition of environmental education asa key mandate of educators and education systems isbeing heard around the world. The Working Group onEnvironmental Education believes that, in Ontario,this call represents both an urgent need and amoment of unique opportunity.

Whereas student achievement - and core compe-tencies such as literacy and numeracy - remain fun-damental measures of any education system, litera-cy in today’s world also requires the skills, knowl-edge, and perspectives to engage as an active, com-mitted, and environmentally responsible citizen.

Accordingly, the Working Group recommends that acomprehensive environmental policy be developed forOntario schools, taking into account the environmen-tally relevant mandates of all Ontario governmentministries, and reflecting the belief that studentsshould:

• Examine the environment, not only in science,social studies, and geography, but also throughthe study of environmental topics or strandsintegrated and/or applied in courses across othercurriculum areas

AND RECOMMENDATIONS

DISCUSSIONEnvironmental education is the responsibility of the entire education community.It is a content area and can be taught. It is an approach to critical thinking, citi-zenship, and personal responsibility, and can be modelled. It is a context that canenrich and enliven education in all subject areas, and offer students the opportu-nity to develop a deeper connection with themselves, their role in society, and theirinterdependence on one another and the Earth’s natural systems. The recommen-dations contained in this report are seen as critical - and interdependent - compo-nents of an integrated approach to environmental education in Ontario that willafford students the opportunity to take their place as informed and engaged citizens.

• Explore multiple environments including builtand natural environments, living and inanimateenvironments, and local, national, and globalenvironments

• Engage in learning activities that are situated inthe outdoor environment and involve actions toimprove the environment

• Learn in schools that support environmentallysound practices.

In the interest of guiding the development of such apolicy, the Working Group has identified three corecomponents that are seen as essential to the success-ful implementation of environmental education inOntario schools:

• Leadership and accountability

• Curriculum

• Teaching and resources

The discussion and recommendations that followdescribe the key features of an effective and compre-hensive environmental education policy for Ontario.

2. Leadership and accountability

Environmental education is a whole-system responsi-bility, and therefore system leaders will play a criticalrole in signalling the importance of environmentaleducation and providing a framework in which it issupported, valued, and considered as part of a goodeducational outcome for every student.

THE PROVINCE

Leadership from the provincial government, includ-ing the Ministry of Education and the Ministries ofthe Environment, Energy, Natural Resources, andTraining, Colleges and Universities, is critical in set-ting an environmental agenda for the province.

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

The success of environmental education in Ontarioschools will hinge on ministry policy which identi-fies environmental education as a priority in educa-tion, supported through curriculum, professionaldevelopment and resources, and its inclusion as ameasure of student outcomes and system perform-ance. Effective leadership for environmental educa-tion should include:

• A clear policy on environmental education forOntario schools

• A requirement that schools address environmen-tal education in their school improvement plans

• A strategic sequence for investing in environ-mental education across the system including:

– Building a vision for environmental

education among system leaders

– Funding the resources and release time required to build teachers’ capacity

– Writing and adapting curriculum and teaching resources

• Dedicated staff within the Ministry of Educationto guide environmental education

The Working Group on EnvironmentalEducation makes the following recommendation:

1. Develop a provincial policy on environmentaleducation as defined in this report, in collabora-tion with Ontario government ministries whosemandates are related to environmental issues, tosignal the importance of environmental educa-tion and guide its implementation in Ontarioschools through leadership and accountabilitymeasures, curriculum development, teachertraining, and resources.


• The development of environmentally responsibleprocurement, operations, and facilities guide-lines for school boards

• Development of guidelines for effective parentengagement and the role of school councils

• A focus on dialogue, consultation, and consensusbuilding

• Development of accountability measures andfeedback mechanisms to assess achievementfor schools and school boards.

SCHOOL BOARDS AND SCHOOLS

Leadership at the school board and school levelsshould focus not only on supporting the develop-ment of environmental education programs, butequally on modelling environmental awarenessthrough management of resources, operations,and facilities. School boards should be supportedin their ability to:

• Develop a board-wide framework for environ-mental education reflecting the board’s cultureand that of its community and partners

• Develop board-wide environmentally responsi-ble school programs that combine sound prac-tices with the flexibility to tailor programs tomeet local needs

• Designate staff within the board to coordinateenvironmental education and help the board andits schools to embed the values of environmentaleducation in their everyday lives.

In turn, schools should be supported in their ability to:

• Provide experiential learning opportunities tostudents

• Involve all members of the school and broadercommunity in environmental education

• Model environmentally sound practices in theirfacilities and operations

• Incorporate environmental awareness into theschool culture

• Provide educational programming within environments local to the school, and to otherenvironments outside the local area whereappropriate

• Partner with community organizations to extendengagement in, and responsibility for, environ-mental education to the broader community.

The Working Group on EnvironmentalEducation makes the following recommendations:

2. Establish a collaborative process involving ministry staff and external environmental education experts (formal education sector,postsecondary stakeholders, and communitystakeholders) to develop standards of environ-mental education, based on the recommenda-tions of this report and further research, thataddress the environmental knowledge, skills,perspectives, and practices to inform curricu-lum. This group will apply a draft of these stan-dards to the revised Science and Technology,Grades 1-8, Science, Grades 9 and 10, Science,Grades 11 and 12, Technological Education,Grades 9 and 10, and Technological Education,Grades 11 and 12 curriculum documents and,through an iterative process of reflection andrevisions, create a model for incorporating envi-ronmental education across the curriculum.

3. Undertake research, consultation, and dialogueas part of the policy development process.

4. Devise a strategic sequence for investmentsrequired at the level of system leadership,teaching and supports, and curriculum development and writing.



3. CurriculumCROSS-CURRICULAR INTEGRATION

An integrated approach to environmental educationin Ontario requires that environmental education behighly visible within, and reflected across, the Ontariocurriculum. An increased cross-curricular focus willrequire that, through the ongoing cycle of curriculumreview, expectations for, and examples of, environ-mental education are embedded within the curricu-lum for all subjects and disciplines.

In order to maintain the integrity of such an approach,it is recommended that the scope and sequence oftopics directly related to environmental education bemapped across the curriculum, and reviewed andupdated as curriculum revisions occur. Such a mapwould help teachers to make key connections andbuild effective environmental education programs.The mapping activity would also help the ministryidentify gaps to be addressed through the curriculumrevision cycle.

The review of Science and Technology, Grades 1-8,Science, Grades 9 and 10, Science, Grades 11 and 12,Technological Education, Grades 9 and 10, andTechnological Education, Grades 11 and 12 currentlyunder way provides an ideal starting point for thisprocess. It is important to ensure that this reviewmakes environmental education more visible thanever before, at each grade, through the inclusion oftopics specific to the environment.

To support enhanced visibility, and to help teachersmake connections between the curriculum and envi-ronmental education, it is recommended that thefront matter of all curriculum policy documentsinclude a section on the importance of environmentaleducation in Ontario, along with strategies pertinentto that subject area. In addition, existing interdiscipli-nary links for environmental education at the second-ary level should be identified and expanded whereverpossible so that schools can offer packages of courseswith an environmental theme.

5. Reflect environmental education in accounta-bility measures for school boards and schools,including the requirement that environmentaleducation be included in school improvementplans.

6. Develop and implement transparent assess-ment mechanisms for monitoring studentachievement in environmental education,including report cards and other assessmenttools.

7. Assign responsibility for the implementation of environmental education programs and supports to dedicated Ministry of Educationstaff with environmental education expertise.

8. Develop and strategically implement guidelinesfor environmentally sound practices at the ministry, school board, and school levels.

9. Develop guidelines to foster positive parentengagement, and clarify the role that schoolcouncils can play in furthering environmentaleducation.

10. Support school boards in their capacity to bothdevelop board-wide environmental educationprograms and assign staff with expertise ineducation and the environment to monitortheir development and implementation.


CURRICULUM CONTENT

Elementary students should have the opportunity toextensively study a topic related to environmentaleducation in each grade, whether the topic at a par-ticular grade level resides in social studies, geogra-phy, or science and technology.

For elementary students, revisions to other disci-plines in the future should include opportunities tofocus on an environmental theme, whether in thecontext of the arts, health and physical education,French/Anglais/Native languages, language, ormathematics.

Since virtually all secondary students, to meet diplo-ma requirements, take courses in Grade 9 Geo-graphy, Grade 9 and 10 Science, and Grade 10 Civics,it is important that expectations related to environ-mental education be prominent in these courses.Currently, courses in Grade 9 geography and Grade 10science offer a number of opportunities for environ-mental education. This focus should be reinforced tocomplement and extend student knowledge, skills,and perspectives.

As the Civics course was recently revised and is notscheduled for another review for a number of years,it is recommended that expectations within thecurrent course with a potential link to environmen-tal education should be identified so that appropri-ate connections can be made and appropriate sup-ports can be created.

It is important that in addition to the environmentalcontent in these compulsory courses, students havethe opportunity to take at least one additional sec-ondary school course with an environmental focus intheir senior high school program. The Working Grouprecommends that this occur in Grade 11 to build oncurrent opportunities in the curriculum, and ensurethe continuity of environmental education in second-ary school. In addition, it is suggested that studentsbe encouraged to fulfil, in an environmental endeav-our, some of the 40 hours of community involvementrequired for graduation.

The Working Group on EnvironmentalEducation makes the following recommendations:

11. Increase the cross-curricular focus of environ-mental education by embedding environmen-tal expectations and topics across all subjects,disciplines, and grades.

12. Map the scope and sequence of environmentalexpectations and topics across the curriculum,and incorporate review and revision of thismap within the larger curriculum reviewprocess.

13. Incorporate in the front matter, and otherappropriate sections of curriculum documents,information stressing the urgency of environ-mental education, defining strategies forimplementation in each subject area, and pro-viding examples of excellent environmentalactivities.

14. Through the curriculum review process, ensurethat the elementary and secondary curriculumis written to include an environmental perspec-tive, and that it meets the established stan-dards as described in recommendation 2.

15. Ensure that the curriculum provides an opportunity for elementary students to studyexplicitly an environmental topic in each grade,and that curriculum expectations, particularlyin the elementary grades, specify that studentsexplore and investigate their local environ-ment, and contrasting environments outsidetheir local area, wherever reasonable for thesubject matter.


4. Teaching and resources

Teachers must have the skills and knowledge requiredto effectively teach environmental education andmodel its perspectives and critical thinking skills.Building teachers’ confidence and competence inenvironmental education will require ongoing profes-sional development and appropriate supports.

If environmental education is to succeed in Ontario, itmust without question be introduced as a requisitepart of teacher training. Equally important, opportu-nities must be provided for working teachers to intro-duce their students to outdoor education experiencesthat help them make connections with local places.Finally, to further teachers’ knowledge and skills, anAdditional Qualification course is recommended toprovide teachers with an opportunity for more in-depth learning.

The Working Group acknowledges the ProgramEnhancement Grant introduced by the ministry forthe 2007-08 school year, which can be used to provideoutdoor education programs. Such support is impor-tant to ensuring that boards have the resources avail-able to provide effective learning opportunities.

The following are seen as critical components of envi-ronmental education in Ontario.

PRE-SERVICE

Faculties of education will make environmental edu-cation a teachable subject, providing all studentteachers with training in environmental education,including the science behind environmental issues.

IN-SERVICE

Professional learning experiences in environmentaleducation will be provided for teachers and othersworking in education. These learning opportunitieswill be coherent, focused, sustainable, informed byevidence, and attentive to adult learning styles.Education partners will be engaged to develop theseopportunities collaboratively.

In addition, opportunities will be created for experi-enced teachers to share exemplary practices through

16. In recognition that secondary students havereached a critical capacity to engage moredeeply in environmental education, ensure that all secondary students are exposed toenvironmental education though the substan-tial presence of environmental educationexpectations in Grade 9 Geography, Grade 9and 10 Science, and Grade 10 Civics.

17. Identify and support opportunities to engagestudents in environmental action projectswithin the current Civics course.

18. In addition to providing an environmental education focus across compulsory courses,ensure that secondary students have theopportunity to take at least one additionalcourse with an environmental focus duringtheir senior high school program. It is recom-mended that such a course option be availableto students in Grade 11 to maintain continuity.

19. Identify interdisciplinary links for environmen-tal education at the secondary level so thatschools can offer integrated programs of courses with an environmental theme.

20. Develop a Specialist High Skills Major programoffering in the environment, energy, or naturalresources sectors, in accordance with ministry-approved frameworks, and share effective prac-tices associated with these and other integratedenvironmentally themed learning opportunities.

21. Encourage and support cooperative educationteachers and leaders to develop and share awide variety of environmental placementopportunities that meet ministry policy andguidelines, through partnerships with localbusiness education councils, training boards,and employers.


mentoring, coaching, action research, and othermeans. Team approaches will also be encouraged tocreate professional learning opportunities for teach-ers, administrators, classroom assistants, and othereducation and school workers.

RESOURCES

The Program Enhancement Grant will continue tosupport district school boards’ ability to provide out-door education opportunities for students.

Resources for teachers will be developed to include avariety of media such as:

• Sample units of study

• Course profiles

• Teaching guides modelled on current resourcessuch as Think Literacy and Me Read? No Way!

• Electronic resources such as e-learning modulesand webcasts.

In particular, the web will be used as a primary tool toprovide broad and cost-effective access to a widerange of resources. As an adjunct to these supports,consultations on environmental education resourceswill also be held with educational publishers.

The Working Group on Environmental Educationmakes the following recommendations:

22. Collaborate with Ontario teachers’ federations and affiliates, school boards, the Ontario College of Teachers, faculties of education, subjectassociations, and other stakeholders to developand implement a strategy for ongoing professionaldevelopment for teachers.

23. Provide ongoing professional development forteachers with a focus on content/knowledge,teaching in the environment, and using environmental themes to contextualize learning.

24. Use the natural and human-built environments as sites of discovery and active learning, involvingprojects that invite problem solving, as well as first-hand experiences that put students in touchwith nature.

25. Provide provincial/regional training sessions foreducators to build capacity and share effectivepractices, in collaboration with school boards,teachers’ federations, faculties of education,subject associations, and other stakeholders.

26. Develop and support workshops and summer insti-tutes on cross-curricular environmental education.

27. Consult with the Ontario College of Teachers aboutthe need for an Additional Qualification course incross-curricular environmental education.

28. Develop resources for teachers, using a varietyof media including sample units of study,course profiles, teaching guides, and electronicresources such as e-learning modules andwebcasts.

29. In collaboration with environmental experts,develop and distribute a teaching guide forenvironmental education modelled on MeRead? No Way! and similar ministry resources.

30. Facilitate access to environmental educationresources developed by school boards andother stakeholders such as communitygroups, non-governmental organizations,governments, and teachers.

31. Establish a working group in collaborationwith the Ministry of Training, Colleges andUniversities, Ontario teachers’ federations and affiliates, the Ontario College of Teachers,faculties of education, and other stakeholdersto develop and implement a strategy foreffective pre-service training in environmentaleducation for all teacher candidates,including environmental education as ateachable subject.

32. Consult with relevant ministries and education partners to ensure the adequatefunding of outdoor education in Ontario.


The Working Group on Environmental Education ispleased to present its report and recommendationsfor consideration. This report is intended to accu-rately reflect the expertise and advice of WorkingGroup members, as well as the perspectives andpoints of view gathered through public input, andthe lessons learned from jurisdictions around theworld.

Over the past four years, the education system inOntario has undergone substantial and positivechange. Elementary literacy and numeracy achieve-ment is on the rise. Secondary school graduationrates have increased. Today’s students are being pre-pared for success in a wide variety of meaningfulpostsecondary, training, and workplace destinationsthrough the introduction of innovative programsand initiatives.

The Working Group believes that environmental edu-cation should be adopted as an addition to Ontario’sother educational reforms, as a new “basic” of educa-tion for the twenty-first century. The findings of amajor U.S. study reveal that both students’ engage-ment with school and academic results improve whenlearning occurs within an environment-based con-text.2 The study confirms what environmental educa-tors have always claimed, that good environmentaleducation is first and foremost good education.

We appreciate the opportunity to contribute to theMinistry of Education’s renewed commitment to pro-viding Ontario’s students with an education for thefuture - one that that will offer them the knowledge,skills, and attitudes they will need to cope with anincreasingly complex world and enable them to findnew solutions in building a healthy society.

AN AGENDA FOR ACTION

CONCLUSIONThe Working Group on Environmental Education respectfully submits its finalreport for consideration. In doing so, we reflect our collective belief that throughvisionary leadership, effective curriculum and resources, and system-wide commit-ment, Ontario’s education system will provide students with a standard of environ-mental education that is among the highest in the world.

2 Gerald A. Lieberman and Linda L. Hoody, Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environmentas an Integrating Context for Learning (San Diego: State Education and Roundtable, 1998).


DR. ROBERTA BONDAR (CHAIR)

Dr. Roberta Bondar graduated with a Bachelor ofScience degree in zoology and agriculture from theUniversity of Guelph. Her Master of Science degreefrom the University of Western Ontario and Doctorof Philosophy degree from the University of Torontowere based on environmental influences on bloodpressure regulation and neuro-adaptation.Graduating as a medical doctor from McMasterUniversity, she is a board certified neurologist,completing subspecialty training in neuro-ophthal-mology at Tuft’s New England Medical School inBoston. Dr. Bondar formalized her passion for howwe see and view the world around us through studyin professional nature photography at the BrooksInstitute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California.

As the world’s first neurologist in space during theFirst International Microgravity Laboratory on thespace shuttle Discovery, Dr. Bondar is globally recognized for her pioneering contribution to space medicine and for her landscape photographyof Earth. She has been recognized with the Order ofCanada, the Order of Ontario, and the NASA SpaceMedal, and has been inducted into the CanadianMedical Hall of Fame and into the InternationalWomen’s Forum Hall of Fame for her pioneeringresearch in space medicine. In addition, she hasreceived 24 honorary doctorates from Canadian andU.S. universities. In 2003, TIME Magazine named heramong North America’s best explorers. Currently, Dr.Bondar is in her second term as chancellor of TrentUniversity in Peterborough, Ontario.

DR. ELEANOR DUDAR

Dr. Eleanor Dudar works for the Toronto DistrictSchool Board as an EcoSchools specialist, overseeingnew curriculum resource development and manag-ing internal communications. She has worked as anenvironmental educator since 1993, when she joinedthe former Toronto Board of Education to conceiveand develop the Greening Schools Program. She wasthe first project manager of the Ontario EcoSchoolsproject, liaising with York University and representa-tives from the eight founding boards, and overseeingthe development of a suite of 17 curriculum andoperational resources. In 2004-05 Dr. Dudar was amember of an Educators’ Expert Forum charged with advising Natural Resources Canada about thecreation and dissemination of new climate changeteaching materials. She holds a Master’s degree inEnvironmental Studies from York University, and aDoctor of Philosophy degree in English Literaturefrom the University of Toronto.

DR. ALLAN FOSTER

Dr. Allan Foster was director of the environmentaleducation program at the Kortright Centre forConservation for 30 years. He is currently the president of the Ontario Society for EnvironmentalEducation (OSEE) and the moderator of the Ask theNaturalist section of the website of Ontario Nature (formerly the Federation of OntarioNaturalists). Dr. Foster is a nature columnist forEcolife, the electronic newsletter of the Torontoand Region Conservation Authority. He is a frequent presenter at professional developmentteacher workshops on environmental education.

APPENDIX AWORKING GROUP ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

DR. MICHAEL FOX

Dr. Michael Fox is a professor in the Environmentaland Resource Studies Program and the Departmentof Biology at Trent University. He is an ecologist whostudies invasive fishes in North America and Europe,teaches courses in fisheries and natural resourcemanagement, and has over 55 publications in academic and professional journals. His interest inpublic education began when he was a junior sec-ondary school teacher in science and mathematics inBritish Columbia. Five years ago, he initiated a newcourse for prospective elementary school teachers atTrent University, entitled Environmental Science forTeacher Education. The course focuses on teachingchildren about environmental issues in ways thatsupport the Ontario elementary school science andtechnology curriculum. Dr. Fox has a Master’s degreein Environmental Design from the University ofCalgary and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biologyfrom Queen’s University.

CATHERINE MAHLER

Catherine Mahler graduated with an HonoursBachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor ofEducation degree, both from the University ofToronto. She is the coordinator of the OntarioEcoSchools program, hosted by York University’sFaculty of Environmental Studies. She has writtencurriculum support documents and other resourcesto engage school boards in environmental educa-tion. In addition, Ms. Mahler develops and deliversprofessional development workshops for teachers,principals, and other board staff.

PAMELA SCHWARTZBERG

Pamela Schwartzberg has over 25 years of experiencein strategic planning, policy development, projectmanagement, research, and writing in the area of education and sustainable development. She served as Ontario program director for Learning for aSustainable Future (LSF) from 1995 to 2002, coordinat-ing sustainability education research, policy develop-ment, teacher training, and curriculum materialsdevelopment. Since December 2002, Ms. Schwartzberghas served as national executive director of LSF, coordi-nating the establishment of the National Educationfor Sustainable Development (ESD) Expert Council andprovincial/territorial ESD working groups in eightCanadian jurisdictions. She has a Master’s degree inEnvironmental Studies from York University.

MARLÈNE WALSH

Marlène Walsh is the French programming coordina-tor of the Canadian Ecology Centre and an OntarioCollege of Teachers-certified teacher. In the summer,she teaches ministry-approved high school courseswith an environmental focus (Grade 10 Science,Grade 11 Leadership). She has been involved with theOntario Forestry Association Envirothon program forthe past three years, organizing its French provincialcompetition and the Mattawa-North Bay regionalcompetition. In the past, she has worked at well-known facilities, such as the Leslie M. Frost NaturalResources Centre. She graduated with a Bachelor ofKinesiology degree and a Bachelor of Educationdegree from the University of New Brunswick.



ALBERTA

Alberta Council for Environmental Educationwww.abcee.org/

Alberta Educationwww.education.gov.ab.ca/

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Ministry of Educationwww.gov.bc.ca/bvprd/bc/channel.do?action=min-istry&channelID=-8382&navId=NAV_ID_province

QUEBEC

Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sportswww.mels.gouv.qc.ca/GR-PUB/m_englis.htm

CALIFORNIA

Education and the Environment Initiativewww.environment.gov.au/education/neen/

California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN)www.calepa.ca.gov/education/CEEIN/

School Waste Management Education and Assistancewww.ciwmb.ca.gov/schools/

California Regional Environmental Education Communitywww.creec.org/

MINNESOTA

Office of Environmental Assistancewww.pca.state.mn.us/oea/about/index.cfm

Capacity Building for EE in Minnesota: An Overviewwww.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_f.cfm

SEEK: Minnesota’s interactive directory of EE resourceswww.seek.state.mn.us/

A GreenPrint for Minnesotawww.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_d.cfm

Environmental Literacy Scope and Sequencewww.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_c.cfm

The Second Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacywww.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_b.cfm

Environmental Education Advisory Boardwww.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_i.cfm

OTHER U.S. STATES

State Education and Environment RoundtableThe EIC Model - Using the environment as anIntegrating Context for improved student learningwww.seer.org/pages/eic.html

AUSTRALIA

Sustainability Educationwww.environment.gov.au/education/

Educating for a Sustainable Futurewww.environment.gov.au/education/publications/sustainable-future.html

National Environmental Education Networkwww.environment.gov.au/education/neen/

APPENDIX BREFERENCES

FINLAND

Finland’s Ministry of Education: A national strategyand guidelines 2006-2014 for education for sustainable developmentwww.bup.fi/Finnish_Min_of_Educ_strategy_for_sust_dev.pdf

IRELAND

Department of Education and Sciencewww.education.ie/home/home.jsp?pcategory=27173&ecateg-ry=27173&language=EN

ISRAEL

Ministry of Educationhttp://cms.education.gov.il/educationcms/units/owl/english/about/ministry+structure.htm

NEW ZEALAND

Parliamentary Commission on the Environmentwww.pce.govt.nz/

See Change: Learning and education for sustainabilitywww.pce.govt.nz/reports/allreports/1_877274_56_9.shtml

Environmental Educationwww.tki.org.nz/r/environ_ed/

Science in the New Zealand Curriculumwww.minedu.govt.nz/web/downloadable/dl3525_v1/sci-nzc.pdf

Environmental Education in New Zealand Schoolswww.minedu.govt.nz/web/downloadable/dl3525_v1/sci-nzc.pdf

SWEDEN

Ministry of Education and Researchwww.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2063

UNITED KINGDOM

Sustainable Schools National Frameworkwww.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools/framework/framework_detail.cfm

Sustainable Schoolswww.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools/

Growing Schoolswww.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/

Learning Outside the Classroom Manifestowww.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/resourcematerials/outsideclassroom/

Every Child Matterswww.everychildmatters.gov.uk/


Cover photo: Moonset over earth. Image courtesy of Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (Image ISSOO6-E-39381)

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