PEDAGOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR FORMING ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETENCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITHIN THE NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL FIELD

Abstract

Environmental competence is an essential attribute of a citizen capable of living within the framework of sustainable development, making informed decisions regarding the use of natural resources, and taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Its formation begins in primary school, where the foundations of a value-based attitude toward nature and elementary practical skills for environmentally sound behavior are established. Environmental competence is one of the key competencies, involving an awareness of the basics of environmental culture, a demonstrated interest in nature, an active stance toward environmental issues, and the capacity for wise and frugal resource management. It has been established that environmental competence is interpreted as an integrative personality trait. This trait encompasses a synthesis of environmental knowledge, skills, practical experience, value orientations, and motivation necessary for effective, environmentally safe, and responsible activity within the environment. The research clarifies that the structure of environmental competence includes the following components: cognitive (knowledge-based) component; value-motivational (emotional-value) component; activity-behavioral (practical) component; reflective-evaluative component (additional). The pedagogical conditions for forming environmental competence in primary school students have been identified as: Integrating environmental education content into other primary school disciplines; Implementing an activity-based approach to forming students' environmental competence; Creating physical and informational environments that stimulate environmental activity; Developing the value-motivational component – specifically, the environmental consciousness and responsibility of children. A selection of practical tasks has been compiled, including environmental campaigns, games, quests, and quizzes, which can be implemented within the framework of each pedagogical condition.