EU TEMPUS ECOBRU project meeting, Kiev; Evaluation of study course concepts Juris Benders University of Latvia

Structure of presentation Criteria of evaluation: according ECOBRU tasks, environmental science annd education principles Evaluation: structured according main issues in course concepts (main part of presentation) General conclusions

Criteria of evaluation Course concepts should be elaborated: - for qualification development – professional competence of teachers/ tutors (schools, colleges, universities); -for learning AND application of knowledge, skills, competences in practice; - for further implementation in educational institutions;

Criteria of evaluation Course concepts should include all course description issues: - aims, tasks; -target groups – specified; -content; -results/ learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, competences); - methodology issues – according tasks and content (!) - control forms;

Criteria of evaluation: content issues Environmental science based: - sustainable development perspective; - interdisciplinarity (not mono) approach (nature, economic and social issues); - environmental protection, environmental policy/ legislation, environmental technologies and production, nature resources management, environmental awareness and behaviour oriented issues according environmental science development;

Criteria of evaluation: content issues Environmental education/ environmental pedagogy based – comprehensive frame of methodology according tasks, content, target group; Environmental problems and solutions oriented - link with current issues; Professional competences in various sectors;

Criteria of evaluation: formal quality issues Logics and mutual conformity (between tasks, content, methodology) Language and translation issues Completeness, readiness

. Evaluation of study courses: structured according the course concept issues

Evaluation of study courses: content Interdisciplinarity approach: Large part of courses have not enough wide and complex view (interdisciplinarity) on current problems and solutions – economic and social aspects are not taken into account. There are a row of advanced courses, where interdisciplinarity approach is used, problems are looked through different perspectives.

Evaluation of study courses: content There are courses, where content is uncovered formally (not reflecting the essence) – here are risks that: -content does not correspond to aims and will be difficulties to apply competences in practice; -content does not fits with professional orientation, environmental competence.

Evaluation of study courses: content Important is balance between Environmental science/ ecology theory and applied, profesional aspects. Inadequate (in ECOBRU project) are courses with both extremes. Good study course includes both: -Environmental science/ ecology based principles, frame, as well as -applied oriented measures, management instruments, technologies. There is important to remember, that these principles and applied instruments are developing in time: economic development, environmental policy/ legislation, technology and ecoinovations development – the role of current literature resources!!

Evaluation of study courses: content Sometimes courses: - are focused to much on professional aspects according legislation requirements – its a kind of one extreme. - are not fully reflecting the sustainable development basic principles regarding attitudes, consumption isues and values (especially for environmental awareness oriented courses).

Evaluation of study courses: content There are a lot of study courses, where content is overload/ too large. We can understand the wish of course authors to include all relevant topics – but finally we get a course, where successful course realization is not possible. Large part of courses should be analysed according their content volume. Priority for certain course topics should be specified or the course duration in time should be changed.

Evaluation of study courses: content Not enough comprehensive content from point of environmental science development, interdisciplinarity, etc., where we must consider about integration of certain principal topics (giving more wider and realistic look, instead of previous), see further examples. For example: may be not to concentrate only to bioindications, but to environmental monitoring with much broad perspective and practical application.

Evaluation of study courses: content For example: it is important to introduce and explain the role of life cycles and ecodesign, ecoinnovations, industrial ecology issues and ideology «from cradle to cradle» for economic/ industry development oriented courses. For example: it is important to introduce and explain the role of Environmental technologies (principles and their hierarhy) and cleaner production for environmental sound production / industry development oriented courses.

Evaluation of study courses: content For example: it is important to introduce and explain the role of ecosystems services, ecosystems stability and impacts to different ecosystems – for nature resource protection oriented courses. For example: it is important to show trafic as a part of sustainable infrastructure (links with nature, economy, social issues) and to indicate various trafic alternatives and trends (future perspective).

Evaluation of study courses: content For example: it is important to show EIA principles, main steps of EIA, EIA benefits and good EIA examples in EIA related courses. Sometimes course content is targeted to students, but not to teachers/ tutors, who should learn how to realize and implement study course (according the course aims). For example, for some LSTU and PSTU courses the course development/ adaptation to teachers should be considered.

Evaluation of study courses: content Course content does not correspond to course title and tasks: themes are not related to course ideology. That takes place, when course authors are trying «to add» new necessary aims to the old/ previous study course.

Evaluation of study courses: content Formal, narrow, not environmental science based content as a result of bad, poor Literature resources; from point of necessary topics, as well as, relative old resources (older than 2005, even 1995). Some courses are putting too large attention to legal acts.

Evaluation of study courses: content There is a strong relationship: the most advanced/ comprehensive courses are courses with rich, wide and current (new) Literature resources!! Here is a rather large difference between project partners. Most advanced Literature resources have courses from NTU, CHNU, VSPNU (UA), MSTU, RSUCE, NCTC (RU), That could be good development potential for another universities, because likely, these books (in Russian) are available for all universities.

Evaluation of study courses: content Course title Sometimes titles are as «draft titles»: -too long or -not coresponding to the content or -with bad translation. For example, instead of «Assessing the impact to the environment: roads, structures, enterprises for construction and maintenance works» better could be «Environmental aspects in road construction sector».

Evaluation of study courses: methodology Some universites are not enough focusing on necessary teaching methods and course control forms in order to achieve course aims and participants would be able to learn and implement certain competences. That relates to interactive discussions, role games, brain storms, case studies, as well as to elaboration of course works, possible recomendations.

Evaluation of study courses: methodology Large part of universities have designed course with well-considered methodology, demonstrating very advanced competence in environmental pedagogy. That relates to: NTU, CHNU, VSPNU (UA), MSTU, RSUCE (RU), ISEU (BY)

. Evaluation of study courses: methodology It is very important to design comprehensive and appropriate package of course control forms, which are professionally based and good specified. There are course with very traditional « copy paste» control forms. But we should consider on appropriate forms: some universities are using course works (although small format);.

. Evaluation of study courses: methodology Good course results / learning outcomes make sure, that course goals will be achieved and acquired competences will be used/ implement. Some universities are very advanced creating appropriate learning outcomes, as an example: Learn…………..; Reproduce methods of ………; Identify processes ………; Classify elements of……..; Compare cases…; Apply instruments…; Make clear the system…….; Explain……; Demonstrate……..;

. Evaluation of study courses: methodology There is a lack of group work discussions – related to «good examples» and «real cases»; discussions about real cases; That relates mainly to courses on economic development, road construction, trafic, environmental problems in regions,etc.

. Evaluation of study courses: methodology We should consider how the designed methodology fits with certain target group in school, university, enterprise conditions and how it works. Besides, there are some courses, where the methodology part is not elaborated at all or not complete.

General conclusions There are ECOBRU project partners, who elaborated advanced and excellent study course concepts: -according project aims, -according environmental science principles and -applied professional requirements and -using appropriate well-considered methodology, which leads for learning AND application of environmental knowledge, skills, competences in practice.

General conclusions There are study course concepts, where authors should consider on further improvements regarding to content, learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, competences), methodology issues and control forms finally ensuring the practical introduction of study course. The use of current Literature resources, well- considered measures regarding content development, elaboration of appropriate methodology and mutual conformity between all elements of study course concepts are key issues – for further development.

General conclusions ECOBRU project partners/universities have already advanced achievements/ results and could create platform for successful experience/ information exchange. Therefore the expected and well planned mobility visits should solve a major part of course development problems.

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