Abstract

CASTRO CUELLAR, Adriana de; CRUZ BURGUETE, Jorge Luis  and  RUIZ-MONTOYA, Lorena. Educar con ética y valores ambientales para conservar la naturaleza. Convergencia [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.50, pp. 353-382. ISSN 1405-1435.

In spite of conservation efforts, the environmental damage has not been stopped, perhaps because we can not reach awareness and an attitude of respect toward nature. Teaching environmental values from infancy is a way of generating changes in the way the nature is seen and appreciated. We started with an analysis of the fifth grade natural science textbook, with a view to its environmental education contents. Observations were made on the behavior of fifth-grade students in two schools in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. The students were interviewed and asked to answer a questionnaire to identify their perceptions of environmental ethics. We believe that although the program content and execution convey information about environmental issues, it does not effectively promote environmental values such as respect for flora and fauna, responsible management of water and waste into children.

Keywords : environmental education; awareness; values; attitudes; behavior.