Experiential Humanistic Environmental Education: A Description and Rationale.

Overview & Synopsis

This study argues that environmental problems occur because people decide to act in their world in ways harmful to it and to themselves. Such decisions occur because people are in some cases ignorant of the consequences of their choices for themselves and their environment. They are not aware of the alternatives open to them because they have learned to choose, to value, in specified ways which they do not question. The study also argues that humanism, a deep caring for other people, is essential for environmental education. An Experiential Humanistic Environmental Education (EHEE) model and rationale for it are presented with illustrations of how the approach can assist educators in achieving environmental education goals. Topics addressed in the study include: a world macroproblem; suggestions for coping with the macroproblem; how education might respond to the macroproblem; review and assessment of education's response; humanistic education and its contribution to environmental education; experiential learning in environmental education; the EHEE connection; examples of EHEE; suggestions for making the EHEE connection; and summary/conclusions. (Author/JN)