Green Teacher Diploma

A distance education programme for in-service teachers

Centre for Environment Education (CEE) and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Vancouver, Canada have established the Green Teacher: Diploma in Environmental Education, a distance education programme. The programme addresses the rapidly growing need for continuing education and professional development in the field of Environmental Education (EE), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and is geared to build capacity of teachers and educators.

Green Teacher- A Podium for Excellence in EE

The Green Teacher offers teachers an opportunity to empower themselves with the requisite knowledge and skills for effective transaction of concepts in environment and development in the classroom. The Green Teacher is open for teachers and other professionals dealing with education and communication for environment and development in a formal teaching-learning set-up. All teachers and educators, irrespective of their subjects of specialization, will find this diploma meaningful. Till date, over 250 teachers and educators have successfully completed the Green Teacher Programme.          

Programme Details

Green Teacher is a one-year Diploma Programme. It includes two compulsory contact sessions of about five days each, and a five-month programme project. The self-study hours are approximately 240 (60 hours/module). The Programme Project would require another 200-220 hours.

Learning Material

The programme curriculum includes subject knowledge on science of environment, environment-development issues and key concepts in Sustainable Development. It also provides practical orientation for using a variety of teaching-learning techniques. The Learning Material consists of a Learners Handbook, four Self-Learning Modules and two Essential Readings. Each of the following four modules contains a set of study notes, reading material and self-assessment exercises.

• Life Support Systems and Basics of Ecology
• Understanding Sustainable Development
• Environmental Education in Schools
• Resources and Opportunities for EE         

The Learning Material is provided at the first contact session, held sometime in the months of June/July.

Contact Sessions

The two Contact Sessions, of 3-5 days, are held across the six Study Centres located in the cities of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Guwahati, Lucknow and Pune. The first contact session acts as an introductory session to the programme; the second contact session, organized sometime midway through the programme, helps you to discuss programme project ideas with resource persons and other learners.

Programme Project

As a teacher-learner you are also required to conduct a 4-5 months sustained action project related to EE in the schools. This is an essential component of the programme and is evaluated.          

Examination, Evaluation and Diploma Certificate

Programme-end examination will be conducted in June/July/August 2011 at the six Study Centres. Besides the written exam, module-end assignments, participation at the contact sessions, programme project, its presentation and report, will form a part of the overall evaluation. A Diploma Certificate will be awarded by CEE to those teacher-learners who would secure at least 40 per cent marks in each of the above mentioned components. On successful completion of the examination, you will be awarded with a Diploma Certificate indicating your performance in the programme i.e.

• A Bronze leaf certificate indicating up to 60% of marks secured.
• A Silver leaf certificate indicating more than 60% - 70% of marks secured.
• A Gold leaf certificate indicating more than 70% of marks secured.            

Programme Faculty

The Programme faculty possesses a variety of experience and expertise in the field of EE. Most faculty members have experience of conducting a variety of teacher training programmes in EE, both at pre-service and in-service levels. Many of them have also been involved in curriculum and textbook writing in EE, both at state and national levels.

Programme Fee

The programme fee is Rs. 6000.00. This is inclusive of the programme material, communication during the year, postage, participation in the contact sessions, visits/trips during the contact sessions as well as the programme-end examination. In addition, you will be required to bear the cost towards travel, accommodation and food during the Contact Sessions. The fees should be paid by demand draft drawn in the favour of ‘Centre for Environment Education', payable at Ahmedabad. The demand draft should accompany the filled enrolment form.             

Refund of Fees

For any reason, if you need to withdraw your enrolment, the following rules will be applicable. In case of a withdrawal request reaching us:

• Within two weeks of final date of enrolment: 60% of the fee will be refunded.
• Just before the first contact session is held: 40% of the fee will be refunded.
• After the first contact session is held: No refund will be made.

If for an unforeseen reason, a you cannot continue to pursue the programme in the year of enrolment, it would be possible for you to resume the programme in the coming year at a nominal additional fee.  However, if the programme fee for the coming year increases, then the additional amount will have to be paid by you for the extended year.           

Programme Executed by

Centre for Environment Education, India is a national institution engaged in developing programmes and material to increase awareness about the environment. CEE was established in 1984 as a Centre of Excellence in EE, supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. It is affiliated with the Nehru Foundation for Development. For more information, log on to www.ceeindia.org

What will you Gain

• Diploma in EE from a pioneer organization which is a Centre of Excellence in EE.
• The programme will strengthen your professional standing and broaden your scope to be a subject expert or resource person in appropriate environment-based programmes.
• The programme will help you learn how to utilize interactive and experiential teaching-learning methodologies for transacting EE/ESD effectively and will provide you an opportunity to share your expertise with other teaching professionals and educators.
• The diploma may become a stepping stone for you towards pursuing other degrees or research programmes in the field of EE and communication.

Who should Enrol and How to Enrol

If you are an educator or a teacher of any subject or discipline, and want to enhance your skills in teaching-learning for environment and development, Green Teacher is the right opportunity for you. Enrolment for Green Teacher 2012 is expected to begin from January 2012 and the commencement of the new batch will commence in July/August 2012.

Download Application Form

Customized programmes can also be developed.

For more information contact: