REIMAGINING NATURE-BASED EDUCATION: ECO-PEDAGOGY IN PRACTICE AT SANGGAR ALAM (SALAM) ECO-SCHOOL YOGYAKARTA
Abstract
Ecological consciousness develops through lived experience, not instruction alone. This qualitative case study examines how Sanggar Anak Alam (SALAM) Eco-School in Yogyakarta, Indonesia enacts eco-pedagogy through nature-based learning, community participation, and local ecological knowledge. Data were collected over three months through interviews with students, parents, and educators, participant observation of daily activities, and analysis of curriculum documents and student projects. Four findings emerged. Students developed ecological sensitivity through direct engagement with gardens, animals, and natural cycles rather than through classroom teaching. The school's emphasis on autonomy allowed children to pursue projects aligned with their interests, fostering creativity and intrinsic motivation. Educators functioned as facilitators who accompanied inquiry rather than authorities who transmitted knowledge. Community members participated actively in learning, and parents reported that children's environmental awareness influenced household practices. SALAM's model suggests that eco-pedagogy requires structural transformation—permeable boundaries between school and environment, between institution and community. For Indonesia and other nations facing ecological challenges, such alternatives to conventional schooling merit serious attention.
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