Course Details

Course Information Package

Course Unit TitleENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: CONCEPTS AND ISSUES
Course Unit CodeESD501
Course Unit DetailsMSc Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development (Required Courses) -
Number of ECTS credits allocated9
Learning Outcomes of the course unitBy the end of the course, the students should be able to:
  1. Identify and describe the contemporary global, regional and local environmental and sustainable development issues.
  2. Describe and discuss the interaction between human and the environment.
  3. Critically analyse and examine the factors influencing and causing the environmental crisis.
  4. Recognise sustainable development as a political concept and explain the ideological processes that lead to its evolution.
  5. Propose measures to effectively address issues relating to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Mode of DeliveryFace-to-face
PrerequisitesNONECo-requisitesNONE
Recommended optional program componentsNONE
Course Contents-  Man – society – environment: Interdependence and interaction: Approaches and inquiry. Forming the human environment.
-  Examination of environment’s systemic character and analysis of the causes of the environmental crisis.
-  Environment as a system, systemic approach of the environment and the environmental issues. Systemic and critical thinking.
-  Analysis of key concepts of environmental sciences: ecosystem, (structure, organisation and operation, carrying capacity, complexity, limits), natural resources, ecological footprint.
-  The concept of sustainable development. Development choices and practices.
-  The dimensions of sustainability and sustainable development: political, ideological, economic and cultural frameworks. Values system. Issues analysis on a local and global level. Social participation.
-  Environmental quality and social inequities amongst countries and within a country. Environmental justice, environmental immigrants.
-  Urgent contemporary environmental problems (climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water shortage, exhaustion of natural resources, production and consumption models, energy, emigration -demographics, etc): causes and impact – analysis in the view of environmental and social sustainability. Analysis of the dimensions of the environmental problems (environmental / ecological, social, ideological, political and cultural).
Recommended and/or required reading:
Textbooks
  • Demetriou, A. (2009). Environmental Education: Environment and sustainability. Theoretical and pedagogical approaches. Thessaloniki: Epikentron.
  • Zachariou, A., Kadis, C. and Nikolaou, A. (2011). Sustainable Development Issues in Education. Publications of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation (In Greek).
References
  • Kaila, M., Katsikis, A., Fokiali, P., Zachariou, A. (Eds). (2008) Education for the environment and Sustainable Development: New data and orientations. Athens: Atrapos.
  • Skannavi – Tsamboukou, K. (2004). Environment and society. A developing relation. Athens: Kleidarithmos.
  • Dobson, A. (2004) (ed). Fairness and futurity. Essays on environmental sustainability and social justice. London: Oxford University Press.
  • Huckle, J. 2006. Education for Sustainable Development. A briefing paper for the Training and Development Agency for Schools. Available online: http://john.huckle.org.uk (15/05/12).
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The theoretical part of the module (content of the taught concepts) is delivered by means of lectures, documentaries viewing and discussing as well as workshops engaging students in collaborative learning. Arrangements are also made for outdoors study (field work) for acquiring experiences in the field.
Assessment methods and criteria
Assignments40%
Final Exam60%
Language of instructionGreek
Work placement(s)NO

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