Environmental education in higher education: Modern tracks

Abstract

This article is devoted to the peculiarities of environmental education in the modern period, supporting the idea that the focus has shifted to improving its quality, focusing on the priority of filling the domestic labor market. The introductory part of the paper shows the main tracks of ecologists' education at the present stage and highlights the most important aspects of the educational program. In the course of the description of materials and research methods, the conclusions are formulated that normative approaches to the regulation of this educational content are gradually moving from the formal-declarative level to the sphere of real implementation. Modern forms of training in the form of master classes, business games, quizzes, environmental dictations significantly revitalize the perception of information by students in this segment. At the same time, the importance of not only legal, but also moral aspects of knowledge transfer is emphasized. The spiritual component of education in this area is very clearly expressed, since the persons receiving such knowledge are actually called upon to save humanity from a possible ecological catastrophe. The results of the work are presented in the form of concrete proposals for improving the foundations of domestic environmental education. The education of ecologists requires not only the simple transfer of information, but also the formation of certain analytical, experimental and technological skills in students, thanks to which they will be ready for independent work after graduation. The methodological block reveals and substantiates the most effective means and methods of environmental education, among which the priority is given to design and modeling. At the same time, the importance of the regional component is shown, especially when it comes to specially protected areas (reserves, sanctuaries). In the course of the discussion the reasons that hinder the effectiveness of environmental education were formulated, and concrete proposals for the optimization of this process were made.