ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS FORMATION AMONG STUDENTS AS RELEVANT AND GLOBAL PROBLEM OF THE PRESENT: UKRAINIAN AND POLISH EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The aim: The purpose of the study is to develop a scientifically grounded methodology for the formation of ecological consciousness among students on the activity basis, taking into account the interdisciplinary approach in the process of extracurricular work. Materials and methods: The research was conducted during 2016–2021 on the basis of pedagogical faculty of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (PNU, Ukraine) in several stages.At the theoretical and diagnostic stage, the state of problem development in the scientific literature was studied; international documents on environmental protection and sustainable development were studied; domestic pedagogical experience was analyzed and generalized; through interviews, questionnaires, observations, interviews a statement experiment was carried out, which resulted in initial data on the state of environmental knowledge of future professionals, study the results of students’ acquisition of environmental knowledge in university, their attitude to environmental protection, willingness to improve their knowledge of nature. 200 students were involved in the experiment. Also, students from the Warsaw Medical University (WMU, Poland) were interviewed. Results: The ecological consciousness formation among future specialists has to be done on the activity basis. It should be a purposeful and completely voluntary process, taking into account the students’ interests on interdisciplinary basis, using traditional methods (narration, conversation, lecture, etc.), but with an emphasis on the activity basis. Environmental education in higher education institutions should gain the status of a strategic large-scale and high priority course, with expanded and updated content, form and methods of training, which are based on the activity basis. Conclusions: Forms and methods of ecologic and humanistic nature forming the ecological consciousness of a person create a model of positive moral and social behavior; forming such a behavior among students will ensure the nature preservation on planet Earth.