Engaging ODL Students with Biodiversity Issues: A South African Case Study on the Role of ESD
Biodiversity is regarded as a key asset in safeguarding the well being of future generations. The threat to biodiversity through indiscretionary human activities is increasingly gaining attention, from local to global scales. Biodiversity forms part of the agenda for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through addressing inter linkages between the various components and systems comprising the environment. This has been illustrated throughout the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, which ended in 2014. As a result, significant progress has been made at various levels on the understanding of the impact of human consumption on biodiversity, together with the sensitization of students in terms of their potential roles to curb habitat and species loss as well as environmental degradation. This chapter utilises a case study approach to reflect on the way biodiversity is dealt with through the blended approach to ESD in the Diploma in Nature Conservation offered by the University of South Africa (UNISA) This blended approach is unique due to the combination of open distance learning (ODL) practical sessions, and work integrated learning (WIL) A review of the flexibility of a blended approach to ODL, the challenges that were experienced, the means through which these were addressed and a future perspective, concludes this chapter.