SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Bachelor of Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
22903	Bachelor of Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice
ORIGINATOR
SGB Environmental Educators
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National First Degree	Field 05 - Education, Training and Development		Adult Learning
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	360	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	Regular-Unit Stds Based
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 091/21	2021-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2029-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The B. Env. Ed degree in EETDP (Level 6) will prepare learners to function independently as environmental education practitioners, and to take on some management responsibilities. It will apply in particular to environmental education practitioners working in environmental education centres, and to people employed primarily in fields other than formal education (schooling), but who may develop an environmental education role in the workplace, e.g. field rangers, outreach officers, community development practitioners, interpretative officers, industry trainers etc.

The B. Env. Ed degree in EETDP (Level 6) will enable environmental education practitioners to design, plan, implement, evaluate and improve on a variety of curricula, programmes, environmental learning programmes and learning support materials. When qualified, the candidate will be able to manage an environmental education project or programme, and improve their practice through policy development at a local and / or institutional level, and through networking. Candidates credited with this qualification will have the capacity to analyse different perspectives on learning and learning processes, and will be able to interpret and apply educational policies and management principles. They will not only be familiar with educational policy, but also with environmental policy and legislation, and with some of the more complex dimensions of socio-economic development issues and processes, particularly as these relate to better environmental management, and improvement of quality of life. They will have a strong sense of ethics, and will be able to apply crucial and systematic knowledge of environmental ethics to their work.

People qualified at this level will make a meaningful contribution to environmental change through an educational response to environmental issues and risks in a range of contexts and workplaces. These may include environmental education centres, cultural and natural heritage sites (e.g. nature reserves, protected areas, museums, botanical and zoological gardens), and community and industrial settings. They may also be able to function as assistant teachers or environmental education specialists in formal education settings like schools.

Rationale for the qualification:

Many environmental education practitioners have no formal qualification in environmental education, yet they may be required to develop, implement and evaluate environmental learning programmes and resource materials for adults and children in a range of contexts. These may include environmental education programmes at natural or cultural heritage sites or in community settings, or environmental health and safety programmes in the workplace.

The National Certificates in EETDP at NQF levels 4 and 5 equip candidates to operate as assistant environmental education practitioners, and the National Diploma at level 6 will prepare an environmental education practitioner to operate fairly independently in an education context. The B. Env.Ed, is designed to provide a vertical career advancement opportunities for those educators who have completed a 240 credit National Diploma in Environmental Education, Training and Development Practices, and is designed to enable candidates to operate independently as environmental educators. It also enables candidates to develop critical academic skills, and to apply these to their practice. The B.Env.Ed degree also enables candidates to operate in leadership positions, with some responsibility for management of programmes and projects within a given institutional context.

This unit standards-based qualification is worth 360 credits on the NQF. It will require the equivalent of one to three years full-time study to complete, depending on whether candidates have completed the level 5 National Diploma in EETD or not, and on their levels of experience.

Having a qualification and unit standards at this level will make the framework of environmental education qualifications more flexible and accessible and enable candidates to obtain recognition for their knowledge and experience in this sub-field. It will also enable organisations training and employing environmental educators to structure training programmes in accordance with nationally recognised standards. It also enables the development of a career pathway in environmental education, training and development.

Candidates who obtain the B.Env.Ed Degree in EETDP (NQF Level 6) will be able to register for further education qualifications at level 6 on the NQF, such as a Graduate Certificate in Education, or an Advanced Certificate in Environmental Education, Training and Development (a further 120 credits). This will provide access to level 7 qualifications. Should candidates with the B.Env.Ed degree complete a Graduate Certificate in Education, they should be eligeable to teach in schools, and enter a career path in the formal education (educators for schooling) sub field.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The learning assumed to be in place is an FETC or RPL equivalent. In addition to the necessary communications and mathematical literacy required at this level, foundational knowledge in educational theory and practice (understanding learning) and educational policy and management is strongly recommended.

Other learning assumed to be in place is detailed in specific unit standards. Different combinations of unit standards require different learning to be in place. For example, in the case of in-service training, the particular combination of unit standards will relate to the needs of the particular workplace, e.g. nature reserve, community-based development project or industrial plant.

Recognition of prior learning:

The assessment criteria in the unit standards are, for the most part, performance-based, rather than descriptions of required knowledge. This qualification could therefore be awarded as a result of RPL in the workplace.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

People with the Bachelor of Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice (NQF Level 6) will be competent in all the core unit standards required for the National Diploma in Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice (NQF Level 5) in addition to the unit standards specific to the B.Env. Ed. These sets of unit standards are listed separately below:

Outcomes specific to the B. Env Ed Degree (level 6)

Analyse different perspectives on learning and learning processes

Interpret education policy, and apply policy and management principles to own practice

Design and review environmental education curricula and programmes

Evaluate a variety of environmental education learning support materials

Manage and evaluate an environmental education project or programme

Improve environmental education through policy development and networking

Demonstrate knowledge of the history, key features and current debates in environmental education

Apply critical and systematic knowledge of environmental ethics to a field of work or study

Review aspects of environmental legislation in a South African context

Critically review socio-economic development issues and processes

Plan and conduct assessment of learning outcomes

The unit standards making up this qualification reflect aspects of all the roles of the professional educator, as defined in the Norms and Standards for Educators (February 2000):

Learning mediator

Interpreter and designer of learning programmes and materials

Leader, administrator and manager

Scholar, researcher and lifelong learner

Community, citizenship and pastoral role

Assessor

Learning area / subject / discipline / phase specialist

Furthermore, they also promote the development of the foundational, practical and reflexive components of 'applied competence' described in the same document.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The exit level outcomes and the unit standards for this qualification are directly related. Assessment criteria are detailed in each of the unit standards. Therefore the SGB did not produce additional assessment criteria for the exit level outcomes. They are adequately dealt with in each unit standard.

Integrated assessment:

Assessment Process:
Assessment is not a single event but rather a structured process of gathering evidence and making judgements of learners' performance in relation to national standards. It is not within the scope of the SGB to prescribe forms of assessment or assessment instruments. However, trainers, employers and assessors should bear in mind the principles of outcomes-based assessment when developing learning programmes and courses, and when monitoring and assessing learner competence. The Assessors SGB within the Education, Training and Development Field stresses that assessment should be appropriate, fair, manageable, integrated into work or learning, valid, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

Assessment is concerned with the quality of the candidate's performance, the quantity of products produced and the candidate's knowledge and understanding. The assessment criteria in the unit standards provide adequate guidance for professional assessors to make informed judgements regarding learner performance. If assessment indicates that the candidate is not yet competent in a particular unit standard, s/he should be allowed further time and opportunities to develop the necessary competence.

In order to ensure that judgements are reliable, assessors should collect evidence from a variety of sources and in a number of ways, e.g. direct observation, roleplays and simulations, interviews, review of portfolios of work, testimonies from third parties, and formal written, oral or skills tests. Where possible, assessment of performance should be carried out in authentic situations and in an integrated fashion, enabling the simultaneous assessment of multiple specific outcomes and assessment criteria. So, for example, by observing the candidate during the course of preparing and implementing an environmental learning programme, the assessor will be able to assess not only his/her competence as an environmental education practitioner, but also his/her organisational, administrative and teamwork abilities. Furthermore, by observing how the candidate undertakes an environmental action project, the assessor will be able to gauge how well the candidate understands the particular issue and related environmental concepts and processes.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

It appears that environmental education qualifications and unit standards are not included in international qualifications frameworks. Possible reasons for this include:

Most of the international qualification frameworks are restricted to technical rather than academic qualifications; formal qualifications in environmental education are often educational specialisations at postgraduate level

Non-degree courses in environmental education are often short courses or workshops, which do not count towards formal qualifications.

The field of environmental education is a relatively new field internationally. It has received much attention since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit in particular, when more than 100 governments made commitments to the implementation of Agenda 21. UNESCO has described South Africa as being on the 'cutting edge' of incorporating environmental education qualifications into national policy systems.
While environmental education qualifications per se, are not registered on other national qualifications frameworks, a number of diploma and degree programmes do exist internationally, covering in particular environmental education in teacher education. A survey of environmental education courses from the Asia-Pacific region, New Zealand and the United States of America indicated that the content of this level 6 qualification compares well with the knowledge, understanding, skills and value orientations covered in international courses. This qualification has also been compared with educational programmes offered by UNESCO at an international level, and it compares favourably with these programmes (used at levels 6 and 7).

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification has been designed to articulate with the level 5 National Certificate and with the level 5 National Diploma in Environmental Education, Training and Development Practices. It articulates with the General Certificate in Education (for educators in schooling) allowing vertical articulation. Similarly, it articulates with the Advanced Certificate for Environmental Education, Training and Development Practices.

It has also been developed with reference to existing and draft qualifications and unit standards, in particular unit standards from assessors, ABET, Tourism and Conservation. It is likely that related fields and sub-fields will in turn be able to draw on unit standards from this level 6 qualification.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the qualification. Moderation should encompass achievement of the competence described in both individual unit standards as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification. For the purposes of recognising prior learning, providers are required to develop sound and fair means for the assessment of individual learners on a case-by-case basis.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Anyone assessing learners against this qualification must be registered as an assessor in Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice by the relevant ETQA. Assessors must have a level 7 qualification in Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice. Universities, colleges of education and organisations with well-established environmental education programmes should apply for accreditation in order to be able to carry out assessment. Co-operation between potential groups of assessors will be required in order to standardise assessment, moderation and the awarding of this qualification.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

NOTES

1. Essential embedded knowledge

The essential embedded knowledge required for this qualification has been built into the unit standards and assessment criteria. It is therefore not detailed in a separate section here. Because of the wide array of contexts within which environmental educators work, and the broad scope of environmental issues and concerns, much embedded knowledge will be contextual.

It is worth mentioning that environmental education, in addition being a sub-field with its own embedded knowledge, also draws on the embedded knowledge of a number of other fields and sub-fields of learning. So, for example, the environmental educator needs to be aware of the origins, historical development and scope of environmental education, the principles upon which it is based, and some of the methods commonly employed. In addition, environmental educators require grounding in general educational theory and practice, and in both general and specific aspects of environmental science and development studies. In order to ensure that essential foundational knowledge from these three fields is adequately dealt with, this qualification requires the successful completion of four knowledge-rich unit standards (US EE 6.01, EE 6.02, EE 6.08, EE 6.09, EE 6.10) from the following fields: Environment and Development Studies; Education; Environmental Education. In addition, it requires 60 credits to be obtained in from the fields of Human and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences or Environmental Sciences and Management (electives). This will provide candidates with the necessary 'background knowledge' to fill leadership roles in education.

2. Practitioners who have special needs

The specific outcomes and assessment criteria contained in the unit standards are guidelines for assessors working with practitioners who do not have disabilities or special needs. Special consideration and exemptions should be given to practitioners who cannot fulfil the assessment criteria due to disabilities or other special needs.

Environmental education training providers should consider issues of access when developing environmental education courses and training programmes. For example, venues, learning programmes and action projects should be accessible to all learners. There is considerable design expertise in South Africa focusing on making both buildings and natural areas more accessible to the physically challenged, and these organisations or individuals should be consulted when developing or hosting environmental education training programmes.

UNIT STANDARDS:

	ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Core	8618	Organise oneself in the workplace	Level 2	NQF Level 02	3
Core	13662	Fulfil administrative requirements of an environmental learning programme or action project	Level 4	NQF Level 04	3
Core	13674	Identify and support learners with special needs	Level 4	NQF Level 04	4
Core	13667	Reflect on own facilitation performance as an environmental education practitioner	Level 4	NQF Level 04	5
Core	13668	Work ethically and professionally as an environmental education practitioner	Level 4	NQF Level 04	3
Core	13648	Apply appropriate social protocols in the workplace and community	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	4
Core	13649	Apply fundamental knowledge of environmental ethics to a field of work or study	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	6
Core	13650	Demonstrate a general understanding of people-environment relationships and current environmental challenges	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	16
Core	13632	Demonstrate knowledge of environmental education goals, principles and methods and their appropriateness in different contexts	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	4
Core	13635	Implement and evaluate an environmental learning programme	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	6
Core	13637	Network broadly in order to source information and support around a key environmental issue or risk	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	4
Core	7978	Plan and conduct assessment of learning outcomes	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	15
Core	13640	Research and analyse an environmental issue in terms of principles of environmental justice and sustainability and recommend possible solutions	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	8
Core	13651	Review a variety of approaches to learning, teaching and evaluation	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	4
Core	13636	Select, adapt and use existing environmental learning support materials and develop own supplementary learning aids	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	4
Core	13634	Select, plan and adapt a contextually-relevant environmental learning programme	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	6
Core	13624	Apply critical and systematic knowledge of environmental ethics to the field of work or study	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	8
Core	13631	Critically review socio-economic development issues and processes	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	14
Core	13630	Demonstrate knowledge of the history, key features and current debates in environmental education	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	6
Core	13619	Design and review environmental education curricula and programmes	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	8
Core	13620	Evaluate a variety of environmental education learning support materials	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	6
Core	13623	Improve environmental education practice through policy development and networking	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	5
Core	13621	Manage and evaluate an environmental education project or programme	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	8
Core	13625	Review aspects of environmental legislation in a South African context	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	4
Fundamental	13627	Analyse different perspectives on learning and learning processes	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	14
Fundamental	13629	Interpret education policy, and apply policy and management principles to own practice	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	12
Fundamental	10304	Relate education and training to development	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	16
Elective	8405	Demonstrate a basic knowledge of animal management	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	25
Elective	8387	Demonstrate knowledge of basic indigenous plant management	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	25
Elective	7976	Design and Develop Assessments	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	10
Elective	10299	Design learning programmes and related learning materials	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	20
Elective	9942	Design, conduct and co-ordinate research	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	10
Elective	10300	Evaluate and assure quality of learning programmes	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	16
Elective	9958	Facilitate learning through selecting and integrating methodologies	Level 6	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6	18

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

NONE