ROLE OF INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGICAL TOOLS IN ENHANCEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE.

It goes without saying that education without experiential exposure is futile. Learning anything is best understood when it is retained for long and this can be ensured only when the knowledge that one has gained can be applied to real life situations. Environmental Education is a course which teaches an individual the basic essence of the living surroundings. Having understood the significance and the implications of doing a course on environmental education, the study undertaken gives an insight into the different pedagogical tools that have been adopted across the three top notch schools in Pune. Emphasis has been laid on such tools because this channel facilitates the flow of knowledge from the learned to the learners. The objective of the study was to analyze the Role of Innovative Pedagogical Tools and Teaching Techniques adopted by primary level schools to evaluate the effectiveness in terms of predefined learning outcomes of environmental education. Primarily, an in depth study of the composition mix of the theory-practical element that exists in the pedagogy used by each of the schools was examined followed by evaluating the success of the respective composition mix. Since the research was extended to more than one school it helped us to give a broad outlook in terms of the innovative modes adopted in the delivery mechanisms. The study helped us to find the highlights; the positives and negatives of the techniques used to impart the subject matter. It also examined the limitations on part of the students, teachers and the parents that hinder the smooth functioning of the teaching-learning process and seeks to give valuable suggestions so that the activity is translated into a more meaningful practice. It was also found that there is a fundamental change in the existent syllabi of environmental education in schools which now promotes cognitive capacity and resourcefulness in order to make the child curious about social phenomena thereby nurturing the curiosity and creativity of the child particularly in relation to the prevalent environmental uncertainties and related sustainability goals. Theresearch intends to help policy makers in formulating an appropriate response strategy with regards to primary level education in India. Finally, the research aimed to develop and implement an effective tool kit for environmental education, based on the identified gaps and assessment. The study was however limited to survey results based on research carried out in three schools of Pune.