EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF FOREST PEDAGOGY AS A STARTING POINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS

Abstract

In the current society, the topic of global environmental problems that people face in their everyday lives is becoming more frequent. The consumption lifestyle of people has a negative impact on the environment, which causes reduced quality of life on Earth. One of the most important tasks of education is leading children toward sustainable living. The study is focused on a specific pedagogical-didactical approach � Forest pedagogy as one of the options for environmental education as well as building a relationship towards sustainable development in the primary level of education. Forest pedagogy is focused on teaching about the forest ecosystem and children forming a positive relationship towards the protection of the environment on examples tied to the forest. Forest pedagogy introduces programs that are realized by forest pedagogues at school within formal education based on the condition set by the Slovak Republic. These programs lead towards the education of environmental thinking and a positive approach of a child towards the environment. The study features partial outcomes of the research on how the programs of forest pedagogy influence the development of children�s knowledge about forests and their protection.