Environmental Awareness in Higher Education: A Case Study in Nursing

Language plays a pivotal role in framing how environmental issues are understood and addressed within educational contexts. This presentation explores the intersection of language, environment, and health education through a sociological lens, examining how linguistic choices influence environmental awareness and behaviour among nursing students. By analyzing curriculum content, pedagogical strategies, and discourse patterns, we aim to uncover how language shapes environmental consciousness and promotes sustainable practices in higher educational settings questioning the risk of young people becoming tired of environmental discourses.

Our analysis is grounded in sociolinguistic theory and the sociology of education. We also employ a critical sociological perspective to examine how educational discourse reflects and reinforces broader societal values.

The contents of the nursing course curriculum will be considered in order to highlight the language associated with environmental issues. What teaching strategies are used inside and outside the classroom? How different pedagogical approaches use language to facilitate or hinder environmental understanding. The language of environmental issues in media and popular culture also impacts educational contexts. We examine how environmental narratives in films, social media, and news outlets shape students' environmental consciousness and expectations from their education. Students' own language and discourse around environmental topics provide insights into their understanding and attitudes. By looking to student discussions, writings, and projects, we gain a deeper understanding of how they interpret and internalize environmental messages.

The focus of the research of all these fields will be the language used to educate nursing students about environmental issues as they relate to health. Considering that these students have already been sensitised to the subject in secondary school, we need to explore how to work on the environmental messages. Language in environmental education should be carefully considered to maximize its impact.