Utilization of Rice Field and Swampy Land for Environmental Education in School: Concept and contents of the project

Abstract The Environmental Education Center (EEC) was established in Miyagi University of Education in 1997. The center aims to provide students and teachers in this area with a facility in which they can study and do some research on the environment in cooperation with the city and prefectural governments. Environmental problems are now issues all over the world. We believe that environmental education will play a significant role as an effective means to change our awareness and behavior for our surrounding environment. Our activities are based on three fundamental pillows: (1) Field Museum Plan, (2) School Education Supporting System by use of Internet, and (3) Friendship Project. We are doing some research projects of the field museum plan. One of these plans is "Utilization of rice field and swampy land for environmental education in school". First in the present paper, concept and contents of the project is mentioned. In the project, remote sensing techniques was used to collect data on the environmental factors. To assist children's learning at school, we made CD ROM pictorials and cyberpedia of the microorganisms in the field. In the friendship project, students learned the environment of the field with children. These activities have been continued for three years by supporting many persons of Prefectural government, City government, a NGO, an enterprise and farmers