Ecopedagogy is a movement that grew out of the theory and practice of critical pedagogy, the body of educational thought shaped by the philosopher and educator Paulo Freire. Its mission is to build a strong appreciation for the collective potential of humanity and to advance social justice worldwide, pursued as part of a future-oriented, ecological and political vision that opposes the globalization of ideologies such as neoliberalism and imperialism while cultivating a critical ecoliteracy. One of its central goals is to develop culturally relevant forms of knowledge grounded in ideas such as sustainability, planetarity, meaning an identification with the whole earth and its inhabitants rather than with any one nation or culture, and biophilia, a love of all living things. In education, ecopedagogy extends critical pedagogy's concern with power and justice in the classroom to the ecological crisis, treating environmental questions as inseparable from the social and political questions critical pedagogy was already asking.
Facts
Core ClaimEcopedagogy's mission is to develop a robust appreciation for the collective potentials of humanity and to foster social justice throughout the world, pursued through a future-oriented ecological and political vision and the cultivation of critical ecoliteracy. 1 FAQs
What does ecopedagogy criticize about ordinary environmental education?
It questions environmental education that is reduced to outdoor and experiential learning without challenging the idea of nature as pristine wilderness.
Members of the ecopedagogy movement recognize that environmental education can accomplish some positive change, but they question how it is often reduced to forms of experiential pedagogy and outdoor education, especially in the global north. Their concern is that it does so without questioning the mainstream experience of nature as pristine wilderness.
Connections
In Approach
Source Wikipedia: Ecopedagogy
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Ecopedagogy
WikipediaEarly history section, first sentence
The ecopedagogy movement began in a Latin American educational context, growing out of discussions at the second Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
Lead section, first paragraph
Ecopedagogy's mission is to develop a robust appreciation for the collective potentials of humanity and to foster social justice throughout the world.
In Approach: Liberationism, Lead paragraph
The ecopedagogy movement is an outgrowth of the theory and practice of critical pedagogy, a body of educational praxis influenced by the philosopher and educator Paulo Freire.
In Group: Critical Pedagogy and Liberatory Education, Lead
The ecopedagogy movement is an outgrowth of the theory and practice of critical pedagogy, a body of educational praxis influenced by the philosopher and educator Paulo Freire.
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