The use of excerpts in environmental education: the principles of deep ecology

The diversity of learning styles, which characterizes students in higher education, makes it necessary for teachers to constantly look for variety in the methods and approaches they use with a view to both raising and maintaining the interest of the students. Fully engaging students in their own learning is a task best achieved through active, rather than passive, learning approaches. Active learning can enhance motivation, increase inquisitiveness, facilitate retention of material, improve classroom performance, and foster development of critical thinking skills. This paper puts forward an active learning approach regarding the use of excerpts in environmental education. Following presentation of a system of basic guidelines for effectively using excerpts in the teaching / learning process, an effort is made to apply these guidelines to an excerpt on the principles of deep ecology.