FORMATION OF ECOLOGICAL COMPETENCE OF STUDENTS IN COURSE STUDY GEOGRAPHY

Abstract

In the article, the peculiarity of the formation of students’ ecological competence by school geography content is considered. Dissemination of environmental problems caused the need to improve the state school environmental education. According to the Concept of Environmental Education of Ukraine, the main purpose of education lies in promoting environmental culture of both individuals and society as a whole. Therefore, environmental education is aimed at providing scientific knowledge about the relationship of nature and society for the new generation. In the article, the author raises questions that concern identifying the potential environmental content in the curriculum of Geography and proposes to extend a system of environmental concepts in school geography that is going to lead to the development of students’ ecological competence by means of geographic information. Since learning geography through the environment is a leading way to ensure the environmental awareness of the society, it appears to be quite logical. Geography is not the only source of new information about the Earth, but it is a basis for the formation of humanistic philosophy, love for the place of living, skills to adapt to the environment, appropriate behavior in it, so there is a need in the formation of environmental expertise that is relevant to the content of school geography. Because of some uncertainties in developing curriculum, including geography one, the students cannot form a complete system of ecological culture, in other words, the procedure from knowledge to practical use is impossible. Thus, school geography sets a goal to provide a systematic presentation of environmental information that requires a variety of methods. After improvement and certain application of environmental knowledge acquired by students, their adequate and responsible attitude to the environment is ensured by school geography content which is its biggest potential.