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Director of Environmental Education Center
Kazuyuki MIKAMI (Prof. of MUE) Many attempts have been made in every aspect of our society to solve the issues pertaining to our endangered surrounding environment. It is said that the environmental problem has become an inevitable concern to everybody in which we may be both the victims, and at the same time, the wrongdoers. Under such circumstances, the environmental education/learning is revealing its great importance and need. Fundamental principles of environmental education, we believe, are to educate people to become able to actually appreciate our nature, to gain knowledge of the relations between the natural environment and the mankind, and to ultimately care for our surroundings. In this sense, we believe that education at school for young kids plays an extremely important role in implementing environmental learning. It also acts as an incubator to transform the existing text-oriented, in-class based teaching method to one that lets student explore nature outside on their own, liberating the students out of their walled classroom. It means a reformation from the traditional "knowledge-based" class to the "authentic experience-based" structure as well. Environmental Education Center is a research institute that is based upon such aforementioned philosophies. Not only does it function as an affiliated organ of our undergraduate program, but it also plays a role as an educational center for the local community in corporation with the Boards of Education of the Miyagi Prefectural Government as well as the Sendai Municipal Office. EEC is currently carrying out more than ten research projects, among which are a new curriculum and teaching material development with regards to nature education, environmental awareness and environmental conservation. We also host open symposiums, colloquiums, fieldwork seminars, and open lectures on environmental education. We are now seeking ways in which to contribute to both our local and global community. Why don't you join us in making efforts with a dream to open up frontiers where our future generation can peacefully coexist with our surroundings? Let us seek solutions to eradicate environmental contaminations. We very much look forward to your visits to our center and participation in our events and projects. We welcome contributions from not just our students but also all the members of our local community. Sincerely, Kazuyuki MIKAMI Director & Professor, Environmental Education Center, M.U.E. |
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