Every protected area has a different habitat and a flagship species of its own. Environment Educators could make use of this opportunity for the broader cause of Education. They provide a real world context and issues from which concepts and skills can be taught. Even a nearby sanctuary can become an ideal place for a field visit. A theme based camp could be planned in every sanctuary; of course the success of the camp lies in the availability of logistics. The rule is not to have all the time upon travel. More time should be dedicated to activities in the sanctuary. Also, all sanctuaries will not have similar facility. Yet, most of them can accommodate around 30 students.
By designing a series of educational experiences a particular set of outcomes could be created. Non-formal education has a great advantage over formal education because of its flexible programme involving a wide range of activities. Choosing activities that are hands-on, minds-on investigation type and learner-centered the participants are provided with ample opportunities to construct their own understanding. When engaged in direct experiences, learners are known to be challenged to use higher order thinking skills.
While at the Daroji Sloth Bear sanctuary, children can work to decipher why sloth bears have a dark shaggy coat in spite of being a mammal of the tropics. Last summer children of grade 7 of the TVS school, Hosur spent four days in the field to find the right answer. They collected fruits and berries that the sloth bears thrive on and analysed the calendar of fruiting.
At the tropical rain forests at Someshwara, the shape and size of the leaves could be used as the central theme to realize the ecosystem. Children of Mysore collected many plant specimens to understand the multi-layered structure of the forests and the creatures that inhabit them.
In an arid zone, typically grasses are in abundance. The diversity in them could be made the key issue. Based on the age group the theme and the activities could be designed. In most cases the local officers and the community could be involved in discussions about the conservation issues and human- animal conflict.
By designing a series of educational experiences a particular set of outcomes could be created. Non-formal education has a great advantage over formal education because of its flexible programme involving a wide range of activities. Choosing activities that are hands-on, minds-on investigation type and learner-centered the participants are provided with ample opportunities to construct their own understanding. When engaged in direct experiences, learners are known to be challenged to use higher order thinking skills.
While at the Daroji Sloth Bear sanctuary, children can work to decipher why sloth bears have a dark shaggy coat in spite of being a mammal of the tropics. Last summer children of grade 7 of the TVS school, Hosur spent four days in the field to find the right answer. They collected fruits and berries that the sloth bears thrive on and analysed the calendar of fruiting.
At the tropical rain forests at Someshwara, the shape and size of the leaves could be used as the central theme to realize the ecosystem. Children of Mysore collected many plant specimens to understand the multi-layered structure of the forests and the creatures that inhabit them.
In an arid zone, typically grasses are in abundance. The diversity in them could be made the key issue. Based on the age group the theme and the activities could be designed. In most cases the local officers and the community could be involved in discussions about the conservation issues and human- animal conflict.
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