Promoting Education for Sustainable Development by Using ICT Enhanced Problem Based Learning in a Developing Country

Abstract

One of the goals of education is to create responsible citizens who can understand and respond to problems in their societies adequately. Such acts of responsibility may need knowledge, ability to think critically about the problem and some action towards a possible solution. Previous research shows that forest fires in Tanzania are serious social problem. Adequate education about this problem does not take place because of lack of number of teachers required and lack of qualification among the teachers. This study used ICT media to connect the expertise of local environmental officers to school students who creatively conducted projects-based-learning activities to solve local environmental conservation problems. These projects when followed by student presentations encourage and ensure that students learn about the problem well. Amix-method research approach shows that the use of video for learning and providing environmental education was ranked as being very effective by participants.