Source: MOFET ITEC Webinars
In this free webinar, to be held on Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012 at 19:00 – 20:30 - Israel time, Associate Professor Tali Tal, head of the environment and informal science education group and the associate dean of undergraduate studies at the Technion, will discuss the development of environmental education and social activism in Israel over the last decades. She will show how environmental education in Israel is affected both by historical aspects and current global trends.
Environmental education in Israel is affected by historical aspects and current global trends. Historically, nature education was part of the Zionist values of reinforcing the bond between Jews and their historical homeland. Early Zionist educators, influenced by European national movements advocated learning and activity in the outdoors as a method of promoting “national health” and patriotism. Hiking in and exploring unknown places were highly valued activities, and learning the natural history of the Land of Israel was viewed as positive action for the youth. In the 1960s, the nature conservation movement emerged as part of the first environmental struggle to preserve the Hula Valley swamp and lake. The common method – exploring the outdoors became the ideal of the nature conservation movement, but the idea was to “deliver the message”. Only in the late 1980s were more environmental voices heard acknowledging the greater diversity of the Israeli public. Participation of the public in discussions and decision-making activities affected the establishment of various environmental organizations, as did the appearance of different and even competing educational endeavors concerning conservation education, environmental education and education for sustainability.
About the Lecturer:
Associate Prof. Tali Tal is the head of the environment and informal science education group and the associate dean of undergraduate studies at the Technion. She conducts research in science for all, out-of-school science education and environmental education. Prof. Tal completed her D.Sc studies at the Technion in 1998 and went to complete her post-doctoral research at the University of Michigan. Since 2000, she has served as a faculty member at the Dept. of Education in the Technology and Science department at the Technion.
Register for the webinar here.