Research on Improving the Supporting System for Experiential Environmental Education Programs Funded by Ministry of Environment

환경부의 체험환경교육 프로그램 지원 사업 개선 방안 연구

The Ministry of Environment supports environmental education mainly in two ways ; one is by supporting schools engaged in environment conservation model school and the other is by extending grants for experiential environmental education programs. This research aims to evaluate the current status of grant for experiential environmental education programs while proposing possible improvement for constructive and continuing development of the support measures. Grant for experiential environmental education programs is divided into two areas of grant for schools and grant for community-based civil organizations. The diagnosis and evaluation were conducted in terms of 7 areas, such as time, facilities, programs, manpower (professional expertise), operation, administrative and financial support mechanism and others. Research process involved the review of previous studies in 2001 and 2003, comparison of the grant program with other grants in and out of Korea for environment education, and the following areas considered when identifying improvement options: i) Overall review of objectives and operations, ii) expansion supports programs oriented problem solving as well as those focused ecological sensitivity, iii) change from expendable, one-time program to productive, continuous program, iv) link to social changes and issues, v) principles for operation and evaluation, vi) criteria and methods for program selection and evaluation, and vii) improving operation system. Based on review and the overall evaluation on the experiential environmental education program grant, the recommendation for improving operation system were provided, which included stages of passive improvement, active improvement and building infrastructure for environment education, and building capacity of the members related in the initiatives.