ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Melnik Eleonora 
Published: May 2021

Realizing existing environmental problems the contemporary humanity is seeking new ways of interaction with environment. On the one hand it lies in development of innovative technologies in manufacturing process which reserve natural resources and focus on en-hancement of environment. On the other hand it implies introduction of environmental knowledge into all spheres of education. Psychological science claims that a person of postindustrial society is spiritually distanced from nature and the increasing formal religiosity doesn’t prevent them from developing a pragmatic view on their being. Striving to take every-thing from life “right now and right here” has made an impact on development of values. They have changed for the worse. The process of human mentality change is long-term. It requires organization of special institutions which would study these issues from the early childhood to make a child understand the role of environment as the most important value needed for preserving the life on the Earth. That is why it is very important for children to want and for teachers to able to carry out this process jointly. World viewing component of environmental education is intended to find out human’s belonging to the world – whether a person is “in” the world, “out” of world or “above” the world – and to organize the system of knowledge which would correspond to this understanding of human’s place in the world where environment would act as the main value of life and work. It is significant to change the character of relationships between the contemporary society and the environment; it should be developed on the basis of such principles as subordination, coordination and corre-lation. It is necessary to research the order of interrelations, the character of interrelation of elements and transformation of elements in the environment. Supporting the statement that knowledge is the basis of any education we claim that the content of environmental educa-tion being a part of general education with its complex and integrated character can provide comprehensive study of the environment to students. Nature, human being and society - bio-logical and social – genetic unity of existence should be reflected in education standards: pro-grammes, study-books, methodological literature, etc. The content of education determines the form of training: traditional lessons, outdoor training, excursions, research and project activity of students. Environmental education should have lifelong character: from childhood till elderly. Continuity of education – from the past to the present and future- should be im-plemented in the sphere of knowledge as well as in the sphere of traditional relationships with nature and people. It is also reasonable to consider such characteristics as direct results of educational activity – knowledge, skills, experience, kinds of activity and achievements; and indirect results – changes in social life of humans, their behavior and relationships with nature and people.

On the whole the analysis of the problem of environmental education in Russia shows that the interest of young people to natural science is on the same level of that in other Euro-pean countries and it is not high. However as a result of reforms of secondary and higher edu-cation the natural science subjects have become electives. It can be expected that low level of interest to such subjects as physics, chemistry and biology will turn into decrease of number of those who would like to get knowledge of these subjects. Considering the demographic sit-uation in the country we can predict decline of teaching load, absence of demand for such teachers and, at the end, loss of pedagogical staff in schools and universities. That is why mentioned above projects on upgrading environmental education with the goal to improve the environmental situation in the country and nature preservation remain in the status of scientific projects. That is to say that there is an understanding of the necessity to improve education for better life in the country but now it is still on the stage of formal declaration.
Key words: environmental education, environmental knowledge, values of life.