Formation of environmental competence based on the case methodat ESP classes

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to specify the content and role of environmental competence and determine the place of the case method in the process of forming the environmental competence of students. There have been used theoretical methods that allowed to determine external relationships between the studied phenomena (the method of induction, deduction, multifactor correlation), and empirical methods (generalization, classification, and description of research results). Environmental competence is an individual’s ability to apply environmental knowledge and experience in both professional and simple life situations based on awareness of environmental values and a responsible attitude for environmental consequences. The formation of ecological competence is the formation of a responsible and caring attitude towards nature based on ecological awareness. The case method is a study that uses the description of real economic situations. The stages of the case method for the formation of environmental competence are: 1) preparatory stage (assimilation of new lexical material); 2) studying the problem situation in general; 3) discussion of the situation in groups, distribution of roles within the group; 4) game process, including situation analysis, decision-making (work in groups); 5) analysis of the proposed solutions, which leads to the choice of the most optimal solution; 6) evaluation of work results by the teacher and students. Environmental competence is a person’s ability to practically solve environmental problems, the presence of personal qualities and the necessary knowledge and skills to act effectively in problem situations. The use of the case method for the formation of environmental competence involves activating students, mastering the skills of analyzing environmental situations and finding the optimal solution; practicing the skills to find the necessary information; increasing motivation for the educational process; finding the right solution based on an in-depth analysis of the situation; development of skills to convincingly defend one’s own point of view on environmental issues; developing skills of critical evaluation of different points of view. Environmental competence of a student is a kind of criterion and indicator of the quality in proper professional education based on learning outcomes and a system of value orientations.