LOCAL BODIES’ EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIONS TO RAISE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PREFECTURE OF LARISSA IN GREECE

Authors

  • Bechlivani Sofia Geologist MSc, Med,
  • Maria Pavlis-Korres Associate Professor, SEDEd, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v8i12.4015

Keywords:

adult education, climate change, local bodies, environmental awareness, environmental education, adult education program design

Abstract

The present research aimed at documenting the educational actions and programs about climate change that have been implemented in the Prefecture of Larissa, Greece, and at investigating whether their design and implementation aligns with the principles of adult learning. It also sought to examine whether the participants of these programs have developed environmental awareness and whether they have adapted to the new conditions created by climate change. Following a qualitative methodological approach, this research conducted semi-structured interviews with local bodies’ executives and educators who plan and organize educational programs and events within the scope of climate change. According to the findings of this study, the climate change-related programs implemented in the Prefecture of Larissa were mostly organized by public institutions, had a short duration, and did not always include a practical or experiential part. Their primary purpose was to lead to a more comprehensive approach towards environmental issues and to contribute to the citizens’ and professionals’ adaptation to the changes that have occurred due to climate change. Even though the analysis of target population needs and the program evaluation are generally considered as basic steps in the process of designing adult education programs, this study revealed that local institutions departed from following the abovementioned established practices. In the cases examined, the structure of the content and the implementation of the program were determined by the organizing bodies’ knowledge and capacity. Furthermore, the educational events that offered experiential activities contributed to the participants’ better understanding of the climate change phenomenon, motivated them to become more actively engaged with this issue and led them to the occasional undertaking of initiatives that signified their possible development of environmental awareness. The process of informing, raising awareness and helping people adapt to the consequences of climate change requires time, effort, and persistence by the local institutions and by the state, who can achieve these goals by properly designing and implementing programs that meet the educational needs of the target population.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Bechlivani Sofia, Geologist MSc, Med,
    Bechlivani Sofia was born in Larissa in 1982 and graduated from the School of Geology (Faculty of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) in 2005. She, then, worked in the construction industry and in the field of quality control of building materials in the region of Thessaly. At the same time, in the following years, she completed her postgraduate studies on "Mineral Resources and Environment" at the School of Geology (Faculty of Sciences Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) in 2010. She, then, dealt extensively with laboratory testing of quarry materials and issues on compliance with legislative requirements and environmental conditions during the production process. She has, also, dealt with the implementation of quality systems in the manufacturing and production sector as well as the drafting of educational material in quality standards. In recent years, after attending some seminars in adult education, she discerned her interest in this field and thus completed another postgraduate course in "Lifelong Learning and Leadership in Education-Education Sciences" at the School of Early Childhood Education (Faculty of Education Aristotle university of Thessaloniki) in 2021.
  • Maria Pavlis-Korres, Associate Professor, SEDEd, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
    Maria Pavlis-Korres obtained a university degree in Political Science in Athens. From 1983 until 2018 she worked on Adult Education in the Greek Ministry of Education. Since 2005 her research interests are focused on e-learning and she became a PhD student in the University of Alcalá, Spain. In 2008 she obtained her Advance Studies Degree from the Computer Science Department of the University of Alcalá and in 2010 she obtained her PhD with honors. Since 2012 she is a member of the scientific staff of Hellenic Open University and teaches in "Adult Education" and "Education Science" postgraduate programs. In June 2017 she has been elected Associate Professor in the Pedagogical Sector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to teach “Lifelong Learning and non-Formal Education”. She has published several articles, chapters and books on Roma, adult education, and e-learning. Her current interests are focused on design, development, and evaluation of educational projects for adults, face to face and e-learning, as well as the group dynamics in an online environment and the appropriate use of communication tools in order to promote interaction in an online environment.

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Published

2021-11-14

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 12 (2021)

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