Curricular Critique of an Environmental Education Policy: Implications for Practice

This paper provides a curricular critique of an environmental education policy framework called "Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow" (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009). Answers to the following two curricular questions: "What should be taught?" and "How it should be taught?" frame the critique. Scrutiny of the latter of the two questions through an examination of the conventional argument for integrated curriculum models and their relevance to K-12 environmental education comprises the first part of the critique. The second part of the critique examines utilization of a typology of integrated curriculum models to analyze an environmental education policy framework within the jurisdiction of Ontario, Canada. In conclusion, Ontario's environmental education policy framework tends toward an integrated curriculum model referred to as "selective infusion" illustrating a disconnect between curriculum theorists and designers. The implications for integrated curricular practice are identified, limitations of the critique are highlighted, and recommendations for improving the policy framework from a pragmatic curricular perspective are summarized.