the role of environment in life and earth sciences curricula. A comparative study

The countries covered by this study, Morocco and France, have undergone educational reforms. School textbooks have been analysed to assess how they respond to these curricular changes. This study has revealed differences in both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of environmental integration within lower secondary school life and earth sciences curricula. The predominance of an informative style in Moroccan textbooks implies limited learner involvement in the construction of knowledge. Thus, the competence-based approach, which forms the basis for the design of the textbooks, is not reflected in the way knowledge is presented in these texts. Consequently, teaching on environmental issues appears to lack the kind of problem-based learning aimed at educating future stakeholders to act thoughtfully towards the environment. French textbooks, on the other hand, reflect to a certain extent a problematisation of knowledge that enables learners to be more productive. The inclusion of participatory texts helps to convey a vision of a more autonomous education, which is essential in textbooks dealing with topics relating to environmental education.

Pagina's: 52, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing