RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR

Responsible behaviour towards nature and people is understood to be the kind of behaviour where an individual, both solo and in cooperation with others, makes deliberate decisions to improve the environment and quality of life on local and global levels.

DEFINITION OF A COMPETENCE

Responsible Behaviour towards Nature and People is understood to be the kind of behaviour where an individual, both solo and in cooperation with others, makes deliberate decisions in order to improve the environment and quality of life on local and global levels. Pupils equipped with such competences possess knowledge, skills and stances, which help them act responsibly towards nature and people in simple and complex situations of the present and the future civic life.

The closest competence to Responsible Behaviour towards Nature and People in currently-valid education documents would be civic and social competences. In Framework Education Programme, Responsible Behaviour towards Nature and People is connected to topics like Environmental Education, Upbringing of a Democratic Citizen, and Thinking Within European and Global Context. Competences are divided into 6 areas which develop various skills, stances and knowledge as well as being linked and complementing one another. The areas are further divided into education aims.

HOW TO DEVELOP THE COMPETENCE

The established set of aims comprises the DEVELOPMENT CONTINUUM, a tool which presents a thoroughly thought-through overview of knowledge, skills and stances which are a suitable aim to target toward. These aims are split into two levels, which, however, do not correspond with specific school levels. Their definition is based on the breadth of specific knowledge, usage of specific skill, or with forming a specific stance. The initial level represents the initial, but not zero phase, in which the given part of the competence starts to develop.  The advanced level is, on the other hand, quite high level, and can be perceived as a desired target for pupils in compulsory education.

The aims are not connected to any specific area of education or subject. The general and recommended way of utilising the continuum is to implement the aims into preparation and realization of lessons or, ideally, into longer education units while also working with formative student assessment. Teachers should work with the progress students make on the way towards these aims, and, based on this, adjust further learning, and develop pupil’s self-assessment. The way the aims are verbalised in the continuum corresponds with the fact that it is the teachers who will work with them, not the pupils. Aims for pupils should be simplified and specified by the teacher into a form easily processed by pupils.