Introduction
Director of Environmental Education Center

Morihiro Aoki (Prof. of MUE)

"The Attached Research Institute for Science Education" was reorganized as the "Environmental Education Center", a major educational institution of Miyagi University of Education. This center aims to present research on the theories and implementation of environmental education, contributing to a teacher's training in the area of environmental education as well as to the spreading and development of environmental education.

The foundation of environmental education is an appreciation for the structures of nature and care of nature. In order to form such consciousness, it is important to experience nature itself directly as an original source and to understand that nature has the power to change our life.
Implementation of environmental education in the school system will contribute to the adoption of new learning activities that liberate students from an indoor textbook-oriented teaching way. Thus, creating learning through an "Outdoor Activity" approach. Promotion of environmental education brings great reformation to school education that has until now placed disproportionate emphasis on academic knowledge. To achieve this, we should insist on a school system that aims at the development of individual talent rather than learning by memorizing.

With respect to the aforementioned philosophy, this new center functions not only as an attached research institute for environmental education but also as the center of environmental education for the local community in cooperation with the Board of Education of the city and prefectural governments. With an educational approach, we prepare to establish new classes of this university on the basis of nature immersion, nature protection, environmental awareness and environmental conservation. In addition, we select an appropriate place for "field museums", an experiential education, utilizing the surrounding environment and developing the supporting activities.
We are looking forward to the participation in our projects and attendance at our laboratories of not only students but also adults who are interested in environmental education.


Copyright(C) 1998 Environmental Education Center.
w3-env@ipc.miyakyo-u.ac.jp