Energy and water conservation in the home : a teachers' resource pack

Abstract

Subsequent to the recent local water and electricity consumption issue, the study investigates the impact of environmental education (EE) within the Maltese Home Economics (HE) Curriculum. Moreover, the focus of the study was to analyse the needs of HE teachers and Form 4 HE students about the topic 'Saving Energy and Water in the Home' which is found in the Form 4 HE syllabus. Data was collected through questionnaires which provided the necessary criteria for the development of the resource pack. The activities help students to develop a caring attitude towards the environment when it comes to their daily practices within the home. Consequently, activities raise awareness on water and electricity conservation by infusing values in students towards a sustainable lifestyle. Teachers have the possibility to adapt activities according to the students' needs and abilities. On completion of the resource pack, it was evaluated by two HE teachers so as to collect feedback on the design, content and effectiveness of the resources. Consequently, this helped the researcher to improve on the final production of the resource pack. Positive feedback was given by the participating HE teachers on the resource pack as they found it to be versatile and useful. Thus, the resource pack helps the HE teacher to reach the objectives of the topic more effectively. This helps to leave a positive impact on students' behavioural practices at home with regards to water and energy conservation.