Computing, Communicating, Educating: Information Technology, Higher Education and the Environment

Abstract

Because of the worldwide increase in public awareness and concern in matters environmental, it is likely that there will also be a worldwide increase in the demand for environmental education during the 1990s. Such a massive expansion of demand cannot be provided using the lead times normally associated with the development of new courses, ie from idea, through curriculum determination and development into classroom practice in schools and universities, leading to eventual assimilation in society as a whole. Nor does the related urgency of raising environmental awareness in the community at large permit such a delay. The problem is further exacerbated by the need to present environmental subject matter in a holistic way so that the essential interconnections between issues can be preserved, and the insights and understanding so necessary for effective solutions can be gained. This paper puts forward several views.

(a) The environment is such an important issue that it will dominate the Research and Development agenda for many years ahead.

(b) Universities and other organizations for higher education should, and will, play a key role in increasing awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues.

(c) The uses of information technology as flexible tools of learning can help to satisfy the need to promote rapid change and to implement mass delivery of education in general and environmental education in particular.

(d) The organizational infrastructure for both development and delivery of education will become initially continental and eventually global, in scope; the uses of networks, databases and multimedia educational tools and software are key elements in an overall strategy.