Integrated Approach; a Suitable Approach for Designing and Developing an Environmental Literacy Curriculum in Higher Education System

Protecting the environment is an inseparable part of education systems and higher education system employs appropriate methods to achieve sustainable development, education, growth of environmental culture, solve related issues and institutionalize environmental knowledge, values and skills. But, it has not had a performance worthy of its status in this regard. Therefore, as the young population increases and higher education system develops and especially due to the significance of environmental changes of the new current century and its dependence on realization of sustainable development as well as necessity of participation of the younger generation, the aim of this research is to emphasize the necessity of Environmental literacy through designing and developing a suitable model for Environmental literacy curriculum in higher education system. Environmental education requires simultaneous consideration of the three components of knowledge, value and attitude in environmental education Environmental education as an interdisciplinary field requires integration. Incorporating environmental concepts into the courses will lead to easier and more effective learning. Yet, lack of consideration for environmental education and accumulation of environmental concepts in a single course will hinder the achievement of the objectives of environmental education. This study is a review research. Results of the research suggest the determining role of curricula as the heart of university centers in fulfilling Environmental literacy and behavior, which should be taught within the framework of Marcinowski and Rehring’s environmental literacy (1995) and in the form of Bloom’s three domains of cognition, attitude and emotion and as an interdisciplinary curriculum. In this regard, Palmer’s (1998) integrated environmental education models will be effective.