Innovative Pedagogical Considerations as a Main Motivator for ...
Abstract
This study aims to investigate and demonstrate the pedagogical role of Environmental Education (EE) within the framework of contemporary school. Since its founding, EE has developed a powerful innovative pedagogical nature and played a leading role in the promotion of educational innovations. This leading role is supported by the findings of this case study which focuses on the investigation of the basic reasons that motivate educators in Secondary Education to participate voluntarily in EE projects. In this case study, 93 teachers from typical public schools - in Athens, Greece - participated. The data analysis shows that: (i) The innovative pedagogical nature of Environmental Education is the main motivation for educators to participate voluntarily in EE projects; (ii) The main pedagogical motives are associated with: a) the innovative didactic context of EE, b) the objectives of EE and c) the new issues of EE; (iii) In their overwhelming majority, even those educators who permanently or temporarily suspended their participation in EE projects state that they were nourished with new pedagogical ideas which they then transferred to their everyday educational practice.