A comparative study on environmental education in elementary schools between Taiwan and Japan: An example of energy education

[[abstract]]隨著地球暖化的問題日趨嚴重，全球有愈來愈多的國家與團體呼籲環境保護的重要，尤其是在節省能源方面，更是趨緩環境破壞刻不容緩的工作。其中政府在推動環境保護政策時，環境教育就是其中重要的一環。 而日本除了是一個高度發展經濟的國家，在國際上也同時以推展環境教育與節省能源著稱。因此本研究採用文獻分析的方式，探究台灣與日本小學推行環境教育的概況，尤其以兩國能源教育的推展的歷史與實例進行分析、比較，以其能對我國未來推展環境教育作為參考。 本研究歸結出的結論有：一、日本在支援環境教育背後的法體系相當完備；二、日本樹立節能文化，視之為基本國策；三、能源教育實踐校的甄選，一次給三年的補助；四、日本環境教育相關教材的開發活絡；五、日本的環境教育確實融入小學教育的課程；六、日本重視小學生自然與節能的體驗活動；七、規模較小型的小學，適合以環境教育作為學校發展特色。 本研究可供我國參考之處為：一、台灣應加速建置與環境教育相關之完備的法體系；二、台灣應加強樹立節能文化；三、甄選能源教育績優學校，應加以串聯及給予更多補助；四、台灣官方機構應積極開發環境教育的相關教材；五、將環境教育確實融入小學教育的課程；六、台灣應重視小學生的自然體驗活動。[[abstract]]Along with the problems of the Earth warming getting serious, more and more nations and organizations in the world are calling for the importance of environmental protection. Particularly at economical energy, the government is pushing environmental protection policies. The environmental education is most important one. Japan is not only a nation of highly economical development, but also well known for promoting environmental education and saving economical energy among nations. Therefore, this research adopts the way of document analysis and investigates primary schools in Taiwan and Japan which are promoting the general situations of environmental education. Based on the analysis of related documents, the main conclusions of this study can be summarized as follows: Firstly, There is a perfect method system of environmental education in Japan. Secondly, Japan sets up economy energy culture and regards it as the basic national policy. Thirdly, Schools which selected as energy education model schools should be supported for three years at once. Fourthly, the environmental education teaching materials in Japan are written and promoted very actively. Fifthly, the curricula of primary school education are really integrated into the environmental education of Japan. Sixthly, the Japanese people value the experience activities of nature and economy energy very much. Seventhly, the smaller primary schools are the better size and easy to take environmental education as a school special feature. This study has six implications for energy education in Taiwan: Firstly, Taiwan should build the environmental education related method system. Secondly, Taiwan should strengthen to set up economy energy culture. Thirdly, selected energy education excellent schools should be supported more subsidies. Fourthly, the official organizations in Taiwan should actively develop the related teaching materials of environmental education. Fifthly, environmental education should be integrated into the curricula of primary school education. Sixthly, Taiwan government should promote the natural experience activities in the primary schools.[[note]]碩