Environmental and Place-Based Education

Besides the need to educate the adults, children should also be exposed to environmental education. The goal of environmental education is to ensure that children are aware of the environment and its problems. It was found that moralistic and ecologistic attitudes correlated with environmental education (Eagles & Demare, 1999). The development of the correct attitudes in children will lead to appropriate behavior in the future. They should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be aware of the role that they can partake to help in conservation.

There are 3 components to this goal and they are: cognitive, affective and the behavioural aspects. Through the “OrangUvan” , the 3 components of environmental education can be achieved.

First, the cognitive component is to ensure that there is an awareness of the existing problems and the knowledge of the impact of human actions on the forests and the orang-utans. The “OrangUvan” would be the platform to educate the people on the orang-utan population and what are the threats these animals in their country are currently facing.

Second, would be the affect aspect. This can include a sense of empathy towards nature, the motivation to change and having feelings of self-efficacy. It hopes that after learning the issues faced by the orang-utans, one’s emotions will be directed towards empathising the orang-utans and that there is a realisation that they have to do something to stop the problem from deteriorating.

Third, it will be the behavioural aspect. Assuming that they have come to realise the seriousness of the problem, this is where one executes their actions, such as using their interpersonal skills to spread the word to the rest of the village so that everyone will have a common understanding and awareness of what is happening so that they can work together towards a common goal, which is to protect the animals.

The “OrangUvan” is also a form of place-based education. Place-based education refers to using a certain location as a tool for education and it is focuses on how to feel attached to a place. It uses a local community as one of the resources of learning. Investigations of these programs are perceive to be more engaging, more inspiring, and more valuable than traditional education (Lieberman and Hoody, 1998). The “OrangUvan”, is a “mobile education centre” which visit villages and schools to educate people on the orang-utan issue happening in their country. These schools and villages could very well be located in the vicinity of forests. The location that the people are in, could be used as a “case study” to learn more about orang-utans and the threats they faced as well as understanding the connection between human activities and orang-utans. The “OrangUvan” will provide supporting materials to aid in the understanding of the issues as the van is well-equipped with the necessary teaching materials such as books and even films to showcase the threats and conservation efforts of orang-utans. It promotes education and at the same time in trying to resolve a real world problem. Hopefully learning more about their local community and the area that they are in, they are more aware of the problem and will be able to appreciate and feel attached to their environment and will do their best to save the orang-utans.