This study is concerned with the availability and adequacy of environmental information resources to support field workers at four Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) environmental education centers in KwaZulu-Natal. Thanks go first and foremost to all the field workers and management staff of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa for their enthusiastic support and time.
Introduction
- Background to the study
- The environment
- The environmental crisis
- The research problem
- Aim, objectives and research questions
- Aim of the study
- Objectives of the study
- Research questions
- Importance of the study
- Limitation of the study
- Definitions of terms used in the study
- Adequate
- Available
- Environmental education
- Environmental information
- Environmental information resources
- Field workers
- Identified information resource
- Project Managers
- Structure of the study
- Summary
Most importantly, this led to the inclusion of environmental education as part of the school curriculum (Tselane and Mosidi 1998:5). This is followed by a discussion of the research problem and of the availability and adequacy of environmental information sources to support field workers at WESSA's four environmental education centers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Literature review
- Environmental education and environmental education centres in South Africa
- Environmental information resources
- Lack of environmental information resources
- Staff development and environmental information resources
- Conclusion
- Summary
These publications all play an important role in environmental education (Environmental education policy guidelines for WESSA 1996:9). The first section of the review concentrated on relevant works related to environmental education and environmental education centers in South Africa.
Research methods used
- Choice of research methods
- The literature search and review
- The survey method
- Data collection method
- Construction of the survey instruments
- Limitations of the interview
- Time
- Possible interviewer bias
- Population
- Pre-testing the instrument
- Population for the pre-test
- Changes to the interview protocols
- Data analysis
- Summary
The results of the study were discussed in light of insights from the literature review. The two methods were search for and review of relevant literature and interview survey of the population of field workers and management staff.
Results of the survey
Section 1
- Responses from interviews with field workers
Most field workers (80%) had benefited from the annual staff induction in KwaZulu-Natal and the environmental educator's course (67%). Twelve field workers (75%) felt that the center kept them up to date with the latest developments in environmental information resources. There was a predominance of the use of magazines, with the majority of fieldworkers (70%) using this resource to keep up to date with environmental information resources.
Of the four field workers who felt that the center did not keep them up to date, three used the internal WESSA publications. How does this center keep you and other field workers up-to-date on the latest environmental issues happening around the country and around the world? Six out of eight field workers (75%) kept themselves up to date with the latest environmental issues by reading publications.
Half of field workers (50%) had contact with other people to stay informed. Fourteen out of sixteen field workers (88%) felt that professional support (in terms of environmental information sources) could be improved. Lack of up-to-date information on national and global issues was mentioned by three field workers.
Section 2
- Responses from interviews with management staff
The questions focus on environmental information sources to which field workers would be exposed during the various training courses. All eight management staff (100%) responded that field workers were exposed to environmental information sources during either the formal or informal training events offered by WESSA. Staff induction gave field workers the opportunity to discuss and work through the environmental information sources as a team.
Five management staff (63%) believed that field workers view themselves and their colleagues as a source of environmental information. Six management staff (75%) believed that field workers are being informed about new sources of environmental information. Several ways in which management felt that field workers were kept informed of developments were given.
A slight majority of management staff (63%) felt that field workers kept themselves up-to-date on the latest environmental issues happening around the country and around the world. The following two questions (question 29 is open-ended) were asked by both management and field workers. Seven of the management staff (88%) felt that the professional support related to environmental information resources provided to field workers could be improved.
Discussion
- Attributes of the population
- Work experience at other WESSA centres
- Highest educational qualification
- Environmental information resources available to field workers
- Training opportunities
- Environmental information resources
- Summary
- Information support required by field workers
- Summary
- Adequacy of the environmental information support for field workers
- Environmental information resources
- Environmental information issues
- Centre libraries
- Strengths and weaknesses of the centres
- Other comments
- Summary
The majority of field workers (69%) had a senior certificate, but only five of the 16 (31%) had some form of higher education. These five field workers with tertiary qualifications were located at two of the four centres. The majority of field workers (88%) believed that professional support (in the form of environmental information resources) could be improved.
Most field workers (75%) felt that the center and WESSA kept them up to date with new sources of environmental information. Half (eight) of the field workers felt that the center kept them up to date with the latest environmental information issues happening around the country and the world. Eight field workers (50%) felt that the collective knowledge and experience of people working in the centers was a strength.
This was followed by three field workers (19%) who felt that centrally held environmental information resources were also a strength. Most field workers felt that the center and WESSA kept them up to date with new sources of environmental information. Eight field workers felt that the center kept them up to date with the latest environmental issues.
Conclusions, recommendations and further research
Overview of the study
Two data collection methods were used to gather information about the availability and suitability of environmental information resources for field workers. These two methods were the search and review of relevant literature and the interview survey of the population of field workers and management staff. The results of the survey, conducted through personal interviews, were listed in chapter 4.
The discussion began with the attributes of the population and then followed the listing of the research questions. In addition, some field workers felt that the environmental information resources held at the centers were also strengths; and, o lack of up-to-date information on national and global issues, a large movement of field workers, and limited or no Internet access were considered weaknesses of the centers.
Revisiting the objectives of the study
Conclusions
This may be due to a lack of knowledge or field workers not needing information resources beyond those published through WESSA. Booklets dominated the environmental information resources fieldworkers used during course preparation and course delivery. However, although the instrument revealed that fieldworkers recognized their colleagues as potential environmental information resources, they did not seem to utilize them as information resources, as only seven fieldworkers mentioned using colleagues as resources during the preparation of environmental courses.
In terms of environmental information resources and field workers at environmental education centers, this may result in an increase in interdisciplinary courses and possibly an increase in field workers' demand for additional environmental information resources to assist in the preparation and implementation of these courses. These publications also help keep some of the field workers up to date with the latest national and global environmental issues. To supplement their knowledge/awareness of environmental issues, field workers make use of newspapers, magazines and colleagues.
Regarding the weaknesses of the centers, field workers mentioned a lack of up-to-date information on national and global issues, a high turnover of staff and limited or no access to the Internet. Management staff mentioned the lack of interaction between field workers and other environmental education practitioners. It would appear that "adequacy" or "inadequacy availability" or "unavailability" is largely linked to individual field workers and how they utilize and/or adapt existing environmental information resources to which they have access.
Recommendations
In addition, many environmental educators and field workers from other centers and organizations who visit WESSA centers leave examples of their resources. These, however, are only available and accessible to field workers in that particular center if they are "shared". This "sharing" could be enhanced for all field workers in all centers with individual center newsletters with a section listing new resources in each center.
It would make sense for the management staff to appoint more field workers with training or to encourage those already in the centers to train. A comment made during the interviews was that the available resources often direct the range of courses run by field workers. Field workers could be trained to develop the skills necessary to use resources fully and adapt existing resources or, where necessary, acquire and access new environmental information resources.
This can be done by individual centers working with nearby organizations, or through collaboration, where experts are invited to one center and all WESSA field workers meet at the center. It may be helpful to formalize these discussions, and to have quarterly discussion groups for all field workers. Other than meeting once a year for KwaZulu-Natal's annual staff induction, there appears to be no other 'formal' gathering of all WESSA field workers.
Suggestions for further research
In your opinion, this center keeps you and other field workers informed of new environmental information sources. How does this center keep you and other field workers informed of new environmental information sources. You said "no, the center did not keep you and other field workers informed of new environmental information sources".
What environmental information sources do field workers use to prepare for courses (the courses that field workers themselves give) that you know. Which environmental information sources do field workers use during courses (that field workers themselves give) that you know? How do you determine what additional support, in terms of environmental information sources, is needed?
How does this center keep field workers informed of any new environmental information sources. An investigation into the availability and adequacy of environmental information resources to support field workers at WESSA's four environmental education centers in KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the study is to investigate the environmental information support for field workers at WESSA's four environmental education centers in KwaZulu-Natal.
