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effects on land use, and how water is used to attain electricity resources. Lastly, the concept of flooding and other natural disasters that affect South Africa are discussed, drainage systems, how populations affect water sources, the reiteration of water as a source for plant growth, water availability, water quality, water pollution, and the chemistry of water are discussed (Department of Basic Education, 2011d).
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used for water education are discussed. In this study, Missingham explores the effectiveness of “asset- based teaching … participatory learning … and involving students in [the] construction of knowledge”
in the higher education system (2013:34). Missingham acknowledges that there are dynamics of power and inequality that are present within schools and universities, therefore expressing that the use of participatory learning and other popular education strategies must be assessed before implementation. In addition, Missingham recognizes the importance of shifting the mindset of a learner toward water awareness and the need for consistent involvement in water conservation for continued cognitive development (2013).
A study that focuses on the effects that water scarcity has had in South Africa notes that there is a distinct difference between those who live in rural versus urban regions and their relationships with water (Duse et al., 2003). Additionally, these scholars find that to improve hygiene and sanitation, it is critical for the enhancement of education, in relation to water, to be enforced. The intervention for better water management practices and awareness is considered crucial for the development of South Africa (Duse et al., 2003).
Investigating the relationship between the South African communities with their environment, Sherwill et al. find that people of the Sabie catchment, in Mpumalanga, are well aware of their
dependence of their water resources and how crucial they are for their survival (2007). However, despite finding that the majority of communities in the study area have a strong sense of the surrounding
environment and their dependence on the water resources, Sherwill et al. find that the community of the Sabie catchment is not concerned or bothered by droughts and periods of water scarcity, as they strongly believe that the water will always return to its normal level irrespective of the crisis at hand (2007).
When studying the community of the Sand River, Sherwill et al. find similar results in that the community is also very connected to their river and dam. In the study, it is explained that when the Injaka Dam was completed, many speculated that conflicts would arise between local residents and stakeholders who were disagreeing about the best management practices of this water; if it should be used for domestic purposes or if it should be conserved (Sherwill et al., 2007). Sherwill et al. also
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discuss the presence of inequality between community members and stakeholders and how these imbalances impose on the ability of community members to make decisions, despite using the participatory approach.
In a different scholarly article discussing the awareness of water and water pollution amongst South Africans, the complexities that arise amongst different population groups when assessing their water awareness and behaviours toward water is assessed and discussed (Anderson et al., 2007). This study finds that due to the long history of power struggles in South Africa, the majority of the African population in South Africa has been primarily concerned with the accessibility of clean and safe drinking water, rectifying water and sanitation challenges, and acknowledging how these difficulties have been directly affecting the environmental quality of the state (Anderson et al., 2007). In bettering the water management practices, Anderson et al. find that the connection with the environment is much stronger within the lower-income population, as they are mainly isolated to rural areas (2007). They also find that enhanced education positively correlates to active participation in water conservation and protection (Anderson et al., 2007). Anderson et al. also assert that when in more rural areas, water scarcity and management are seen as community problems and therefore the responsibility of all those within the community to rectify them (2007). Through these, communities are strongly aware of their assets, the potentials that they have, and the benefits that they gain by having strong participation when conserving and restoring their water resources (Anderson et al., 2007).
In a case study carried out by the eThekwini Municipality in 2007, scholars find that using a resource-based approach also facilitated in water education improvements (Hoffman et al., 2007). This study assesses teachers that enrolled in a sustainability program as part of a professional development initiative that was started in Durban. Through this study it is found that many teachers are using their resources to guide their teaching by using an outcomes-based approach, rather than implementing the resource-based approach that was being promoted (Hoffman et al., 2007). Additionally, they found that
“[w]hen learners are restricted to using what they already know to try to make sense of new experiences, the potential to learn from anything new and to challenge the validity of what they already know can be
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limited, and may be inadequate for making good sense of new experiences” (Hoffman et al., 2007:9). In essence, this study finds that it is difficult for teachers to introduce new concepts to students if the students have not experienced these concepts before in an earlier stage of cognitive development and are therefore being unable to grasp or relate to the subject matter (Hoffman et al., 2007). It is therefore suggested that these concepts be introduced and continually introduced throughout all stages of the education system (Hoffman et al., 2007).