Page 22 - The Caribbean Examiner 1-2020

THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER

ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Facilitating

Environmental

Change Through

Accessible

Learning Resources

‘Natural contaminant threat to drinking
water from ground water’! ‘World’s sandy
beaches under threat from climate change’! ‘Air By Latoya Wedderburn-Rose
Manager – Syllabus and Curriculum Development Division
pollution is one of the world’s most dangerous
health risks’! These are all titles used to
1
describe what is happening in the world today. learn to be, learn to live together and learn To facilitate the development and
While being unsettling, it is safe to say that this to transform themselves and society. CAPE® implementation of the Digital Toolkit, CXC®
is our reality. The question though is how do Environmental Science is one such avenue that has received financing from the Caribbean
we mitigate against these issues? As citizens of will provide these benefits to learners. As an Development Bank (CDB). A portion of the
the world what role are we expected to play? interdisciplinary subject, which draws on the financing was designated for a consultancy to
It is important to note that we are all content of several disciplines, Environmental develop a Digital Toolkit which will be available
members of a global economy with a plethora Science is one of the tools being used by to students and teachers who are engaging
of issues that threaten the environment in the Council to educate learners throughout with the CAPE® Environmental Science
which we live. These include, but are not the region on the value of preserving the Syllabus. The Toolkit will comprise a diverse
limited to, climate change, pollution, waste environment. It offers a balanced scientific and range of Caribbean-centric learning resource
disposal and deforestation. Our forests, holistic perspective of environmental issues as materials that will reflect the diversity of the
biodiversity, water and air quality are all well as the interactions between people and region including, inter alia, age, sex, ethnicity
being impacted by the rising temperatures the environment. and special educational needs.
that have come about as a result of global The CAPE® Environmental Science The prototype for the Digital Toolkit
warming. It is therefore important to preserve Syllabus was developed in 2004 and first has been developed and has gone through
our environment for ourselves and for future examined in 2005. Since its introduction, validation from experts in the field. To facilitate
generations. This underscores the need to there have been concerns about the number implementation, Teacher Training Workshops
educate the populace about the issues that we of trained teachers and instructional resources are being held in the five host countries of
face and equip them with the requisite skills to available to support the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana,
implement best practices to lessen the impact. syllabus. Additionally, the pool of Caribbean- Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. These
The Caribbean Examinations Council® centric resources (electronic and print) that workshops commenced in February 2020
(CXC®) recognises that the environment and show good alignment to the objectives and and aim to train teachers in the use of the
natural resource base of the Caribbean are content in the syllabus is very limited and for Toolkit to facilitate teaching and learning. It
critical to the welfare of the Caribbean people. some topics, non-existent. The creation of is anticipated that by equipping teachers and
We also recognise that achieving sustainable gender-responsive Digital Toolkits to support learners through the provision of a source to
development requires an appreciation of the implementation of CXC® products with gain access to information, they will have the
the value of natural resources and the specific emphasis on the teaching and necessary tools to educate themselves and
environment, combined with the development assessment of CXC® syllabuses such as CAPE® others.
of the knowledge base and skills required Environmental Science, is part of a broader Science plays a major role in the evolution
for effective management. As a result, the e-learning strategy to create and increase of knowledge. It arouses our natural curiosity
Council, being mindful of the role it plays in access to Caribbean-centric interactive and encourages our ability to enquire, pose
educating the region, remains committed to learning resources and systematically improve questions and conduct research to derive
developing syllabuses that address these student outcomes. It is anticipated that solutions. These skills have proven to be
issues and contribute to the development of with the introduction of the Digital Toolkit, invaluable in combatting the issues that
the conceptual ‘Ideal Caribbean Person’ who, paired with teacher training to use them and threaten the environment. Through this
in addition to the other tenets, has respect the increased priority being placed on the joint CDB and CXC® resource development
for human life and an awareness of living environment and environmental issues by initiative, CXC® is seeking to provide resources
in harmony with the environment. These regional governments, the number of entries to support the development of these critical
syllabuses ultimately provide opportunities for and the number and quality of passes should skills needed to create innovative solutions to
learners to learn how to do, learn how to know, trend upwards. environmental issues.

1 ScienceDaily. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/environmental_science/

22 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE NO. 1 • 2020 www.cxc.org