Integrating Environmental Ethics in Teaching and Learning Through the Use of Ubuntu Principles: Review of Literature

Abstract

Conversations about integrating environmental ethics into the school curriculum have recently gained attention. Scholars and stakeholders have advocated for the inclusion of ecological ethics to foster an understanding of moral values and cultivate a sustainable relationship between humans and the environment. This need has become particularly urgent in light of the global environmental crisis, affecting countries like South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to review articles published between 2011 and 2023 that examine the extent to which ecological ethics education, incorporating Ubuntu values, has been integrated into the curriculum. The majority of the 27 articles selected for this study are from Scopus-indexed journals and adhere to the PRISMA model. A qualitative research design was employed. Findings from the study indicate that teachers struggle to integrate environmental ethics, rooted in Ubuntu values, into their teaching due to a lack of appropriate knowledge areas that cultivate empathy in textbooks. Integrating Ubuntu values with environmental ethics has the potential to foster a positive relationship between humans and the environment. The study concludes that certain strategies, such as virtual reality experiences, can enhance students' understanding of Ubuntu and the ethical dimensions of humanness and communalism. Additionally, the study suggests that using Ubuntu philosophy to integrate environmental ethics into the classroom may contribute to the decolonization of education in Africa.