Browsing by Author "Ndeskoi, Thaudensia Thomas"

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    An investigation of the implementation of environmental education in Tanzanian primary schools, 1980-2010
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2016) Ndeskoi, Thaudensia Thomas
    The thesis investigates the historical trend of implementation of environmental education in Tanzanian primary schools from 1980 to 2010. The study objectives were: firstly, to determine the extent of integration of school curricula in terms of adequacy of environmental education content coverage, organization, methods and relevance; secondly, to examine the kind and level of knowledge and skills teachers had gained in relation to mastery of environmental education in schools; thirdly, to assess the level of environmental literacy acquired by pupils; fourthly, to establish the level of interaction between the school and the surrounding community in terms of creation of environmental knowledge, skills and participation; and finally to examine factors that had affected the implementation processes of EE in primary schools. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm as a philosophical stance as well as a concurrent mixed-methods approach that formed the framework within which the study was conducted. It involved a total sample of 343 constituting head teachers (6); academic masters/mistresses (6); subject teachers (66); pupils (235) and school committee members (30). The data were collected through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions, documentary review and non-participant observation. The main findings point to the fact that EE has been integrated in the primary school curriculum through a multidisciplinary approach. However, over different periods of curriculum change since the 1980s, environmental issues have not been incorporated into school subjects at an equal pace or with equal levels of emphasis. Most of the content was integrated into social studies and science but much less into others such as Mathematics. It was further revealed that, for the most part, the content was inadequate and irrelevant in addressing local environmental problems. Secondly, teachers’ knowledge and skills on EE were just average, having had inadequate pre-service and in-service training on EE, thus making the implementation process at schools very superficial. Thirdly, pupils had acquired inadequate knowledge and skills on EE from the schools for mastering environmental issues. Fourthly, the findings revealed that there was limited interaction between the schools and the surrounding communities in the creation of environmental knowledge, skills as well as for opportunities for collaborative action towards addressing environmental issues. Finally, the implementation of EE at schools was hindered by several factors including, among others, inadequate training among teachers, inadequate teaching methods, an overloaded curriculum and limited EE content in the school curriculum. Generally, there was more rhetoric regarding EE implemented in schools than actual practice. In comparative terms, on the whole, the situation was worse in Kondoa district in Dodoma region than it was in Moshi-rural district in Kilimanjaro region. One of the critical findings of the study was the point that there has been a big gap between schools and their surrounding communities in terms of environmental knowledge sharing and practice. On the basis of the findings, the study recommends a review of the curriculum for balanced inclusion of content relevant to selected key local environmental issues. Finally, it recommends future research on EE in areas that were not covered in this inquiry such as opportunities for integrating IEK into school curriculum; approaches for strengthening school-community collaboration on EE, the status of EE into other school subjects not covered in the study, as well as teacher preparations on EE.
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    Relevance of environmental education content in geography towards solving environmental problems in Tanzania: the case of ordinary level secondary schools in Hai District
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2007) Ndeskoi, Thaudensia Thomas
    The study explored the relevance of Environmental Education (EE) Content in geography towards solving Environmental problems in Tanzania. The study specifically aimed at evaluating the geography curricula package with a focus to EE themes, teachers and student`s knowledge and skills on EE themes towards environmental management. Reviewed literature indicated that EE introduced into secondary education through multidisciplinary approach. Extensive literature has analyzed the state of our environment through assessment of man-environment relationship hence the former caused adverse effects on the later, thus environmental problems. Conceptual framework was adopted from stufflebeam 1971 CIPP model. The sample population included secondary schools in Hai District, of whom students were 234, heads of school were 6, heads of geography departments were 6, and geography teachers were 11. Data was collected through observation schedules, questionnaires, interview and documentary review. Data collected from the field which were quantitatively based were coded for analysis in terms of frequencies, and percentages using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS); and qualitatively based were subjected to content was largely found in geography syllabus using multidisciplinary approach. However, it was found that EE in secondary education was not relevant in solving the current environmental problems in Tanzania due to, among several reasons, lack of trained teachers on themes of EE. To make EE relevant to the contemporary environmental problems, the study recommended the need to train teachers on EE content through pre-service and in-service programmes, including seminars and workshops. Also, there should be a need to supplement EE with non-formal education so as to raise a holistic awareness on environmental management and sustainability for the present and future generations.