Dr Noor Azlin Y (FRIM) : Nature conservation education needs for
employers and resource managers of FRIM
FRIM’s main objectives are to generate knowledge and to develop appropriate technology for conservation, management, development and utilisation of forest resources as well as to create awareness on the environmental and conservation roles of forestry. The mature forest on FRIM’s campus with its records and history is also too valuable to allow exploitation by uninformed staff and visitors. Thus, for FRIM, nature conservation awareness is not only needed for scientists conducting research but also for those directly involved in public relations, including the tour guides of FRIM’s grounds and those managing the natural resources, properties and the residents of FRIM. Current fields of graduate employment in FRIM and the associated universities are briefly discussed in this paper.
For scientists, awareness on nature conservation is very important, as the research officers are responsible not only for conducting but also for identifying forest research activities important for Malaysian forests. Thus, intrinsic values on nature conservation should be a basic requirement in the employers of the institute besides the technical qualifications. One of the aspects discussed in this paper is the need for instilling awareness in graduates, such as on Man’s place in relation with biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Global issues of conservation should be addressed in the curriculum and students should also be trained to always want to learn and find out things by themselves. Research results should be made applicable to forest resources conservation, thus besides the contents, the need for improved communication skills in graduates is also emphasized in this paper as it is one of the keys to effective dissemination of information and to convince the public in conservation efforts.
As a communication tool, environmental interpretation serves as a “knowledge bridge” that is concerned with achieving important objectives that include educational, emotional and behavioural changes. Environmental interpretation relates and reveals the secrets of nature and stimulates further interest in nature and conservation of the resources. Thus, environmental interpretation is also discussed in this paper as a recommended method of encouraging nature conservation among potential human resources. Personal experiences in genuine conservation practices would be very useful in shaping environmentally concerned staff in FRIM for carrying their duties. As an institute, FRIM would definitely benefit from conservation committed personnel and that would contribute to natural resources conservation at large.
Ludi Apin (Sabah Parks) : Title to be announced.
Assoc. Prof. Liew Hock Chark (KUSTEM) :
"Nature conservation education and awareness activities at KUSTEM"
The key focus in the education disciplines of KUSTEM is the Science,
Technology and Management of Natural Resources. There is strong emphasis on
instilling a greater sense of responsibility to our environment. As such,
programs were introduced to expose students to nature conservation and awareness. These programs include field trips and field courses for students
to be closer with nature. Students were also given the opportunity to participate directly in conservation programs like the popular SEATRU
volunteer program. New ideas in nature education are constantly being explored especially in combination with Information Technology skill
development. These include the use of internet-based learning systems like
Blackboard.KUSTEM, the submission of web-based assignments and the development of Interactive keys for taxonomic identification.
Rosta Harun, Wan Hilmizi Wan Aziz, Puziah Abdul Latiff (UPM) :
Creative ways of inculcating
environmental values in nature conservation education.
Responding to the challenges in VISION 2020 a course on Society, Ethics and Environment has been offered at the Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
(UPM). However, realizing that the traditional environmental strategies often fail to address the root causes of the deepening environmental crisis and fail to develop a set of sustainable remedies, the course has been developed to inculcate environmental values among the students using creative ways such as creative presentation, role playing game, creative writing and reading, field visit, social and community service, guest speakers, debates and discussions. These methods emphasize students’ participation and highlighting their creativities in dealing with current environmental issues. Hopefully, this will help them in making good decision when facing with nature conservation problems.
Associate Professor Maimon Abdullah (UKM) : "Project-based Learning Approach for Nature Conservation Education - Case for Local
Universities"
Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational
approach in which problems serve as the context and the stimulus for
learning. PBL is increasingly being used across a wide range of
disciplines in many universities in developed countries to improve the
quality of student learning and to prepare learners for professional
life in a changing world. However this learning approach is still a
novelty in developing countries, including our local institutions of
higher learning. The objective of this presentation is to discuss our
brief exposure and current experiences in adopting a PBL approach in the
teaching of some courses in environmental education at UKM. We would
like to explore opportunities for integrating PBL in university
curricula on a wider scale at the local universities, and a proposal to
adopt the PBL approach for secondary and tertiary education in
environmental sciences nationwide. Rapid advances in ICT today have
provided lecturers and teachers with a wide range of resources and
teaching aids to support the development of desired learning outcomes
(objectives). Thus, the traditional role of academics in transmitting
vast amounts of detailed factual information in formal lecture settings
may not be the most efficient means to educate the young adults of
today, is therefore an inappropriate use of valuable class time, and
need to be revised. The PBL approach on the other hand, emphasizes
student-centred learning, whereby through the use of case study or
problems, the students would not only come to understand the concepts
and contents of the course, but also acquire functioning knowledge and
develop metacognitive skills through active and deep learning process.
In this interactive process the lecturer acts as a facilitator to guide
and help the students to help themselves in the learning process. Thus,
the lecturers would expect their students to engage in independent,
self-directed learning to achieve a range of competencies that include
co-operative team work, interpersonal skills, computing and
problem-solving skills. Some positive outcomes and setbacks in our early
attempts at adopting the PBL approach as well as some proposals for the
way forward will be discussed.
Associate Professor Dr Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah (UNIMAS): "Integrating inquiry-based exercises for conservation
benefit"
It is very important to understand the significance of conservation knowledge in education. In general, knowledge is the psychological result of perception, processes of learning and also reasoning. Scientific knowledge is based on making systematic inquiries about certain questions or
hypotheses of unknown information. This is carried out by application of principles to derive with certain conclusion. A university plays a role in offering courses for students to acquire explicit knowledge both in a formal and codified manner. Sometimes knowledge is gained just for the sake of knowledge that has no connection to the vocation of an individual. This is where academicians are often been blamed for being highly theoretical, out of touch with the real world and have failed to recognize the needs of the community or industry. To reconcile those knowledge management problems, we have integrated inquiry-based exercises in two different sets of courses at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) that
have produced tangible conservation knowledge to benefit the conservation community (conservation agency and eco-tourism) as an example in Niah National Park. Thus, experiential and theoretical knowledge could be acquired and internalized by future Unimas graduates and at the same time could meet the skill requirements of our conservation industry.
Michael Meredith (WCS) : "Ecological concepts
for mature students"
The Sarawak-Lincoln programme set out to provide an intensive university-level course for experienced non-graduate officers. The presentation will describe examples of the methods used to promote full understanding of ecological concepts, leveraging students practical experience of parks and
wildlife management. These concepts include: carrying capacity,
sources and sinks, viability of small populations, and choice of
research questions. The methods will be applicable to undergraduate courses as well as continuing professional education.
Professor Mashhor Mansor (USM) : "Biological knowledge is lacking in
most environmental projects"
- Prof Mashhor was unable to attend due to a last-minute
engagement.
Currently, all the major news media in this country are showing and projecting environmental hazards taking place in Malaysia. This issue was intensified when the Prime Minister himself appeared on the front pages of all the major newspapers on the 4 March 2005. The general public beginning to realize that the environmental destruction is one of the important issues facing every Malaysian. Why target at Selangor only, when almost all states in Malaysia have contributed environmental sins in the name of development...
[more]
Wilfred Landong (SFC) : "Sarawak Forestry's
human resource needs leading up to 2020"
Dr Sivananthan Elagupillay, Dr. Pan Khang Aun, and
En. Burhanuddin Mohd Nor (PERHILITAN) : "Human Resorce Needs
of DWNP to Face Future Conservation Challenges"
Associate Professor Idris Abd. Ghani (UKM) :
"Nature Conservation Education at UKM: Past, present and future
courses and teaching approaches"
The educational curricula at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is evolving and so to the ‘biodiversity and conservation’ related courses offered. Before 1990, the courses offered were basically fundamental such as ecology, developmental biology, genetics, marine sciences, biology of vertebrates and invertebrates, entomology, microbiology and ethology. However, in 1990’s courses such as environmental management, management and conservation of genetic resources had been added to the curricula. Since 2000 up to more courses related to bio-diversity conservation like wildlife management, conservation biology and molecular approaches for biological diversity conservation were introduced. The courses and teaching approaches that are geared to the contemporary needs and toward the Malaysian Vision 2020 will be presented and discussed in
detail
Page updated 3 April 05
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