Review of the book | Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska | EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA 1/2016
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EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA | ebis.ibe.edu.pl | ebis@ibe.edu.pl | © for the article by the Authors 2016 © for the edition by Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych 2016
It is good that the publication written by Wiesław Stawiński concerning the study of aspects of education for the didactics in the context of theory, practice and research has been published, thus providing really valu-able and substantive reference.
The publication is both scientific and methodologi-cal aid as it meets expectations of higher schools result-ing from the possibility for comprehensive development of didactics. Also, it is a substantial publication which enables a reader to realise the role and importance of development of didactics in biology and environmen-tal protection. The Professor’s biographical reflections, his reminiscence, scientific expeditions and sightseeing trips described in the book popularize research findings in the field of education for didactics development. The author also presents experiences of Polish higher school on the international arena. The book is addressed to a wide circle of people interested in the issue who are active in the area of education concerning didactics in biology and environmental protection.
Moreover, it enables readers to become familiar with the author’s observations, conclusions and sug-gested postulates, inspires the scientific community to become involved in implementing directives of Decade
Wiesław Stawiński
W nurcie życia In the Stream of Life
Published by: Airo Studio, Mariola Bylicka Bielsko-Biała 2014
ISBN: 978-83-936577-3-5
of Education for Sustainable Development so as to pre-vent further devastation of wildlife on our planet and also for the further realisation of the above mentioned issue through IUCN’s and other international institu-tions’ activities.
Society in the process of globalization should be characterized by high pro-ecological activity, home rule and ability to cooperate for the public welfare. In Poland
the phenomenon of building such a society needs stim-ulating. There exists a need to undertake initiatives and responsibilities involving codecision which involves functioning of the real education as well as in the area of the man-environment relation.
The activities aimed at increasing ecological aware-ness of the society which have been conducted for years is are effective, however, the level of this awareness is far from sufficient. Schools of all kinds and educational institutions provide environmental education in a for-mal way. Its vital supplementation is infora for-mal education including the knowledge which permeates awareness of the society resulting in the change of inappropriate attitudes and values in favour of pro-ecological habits and attitudes. While becoming familiar with the au-thor’s valuable reflections and thoughts it is also worth to appreciate the documentation in the form of pho-tographs of his relatives, close friends and acquaint-ances, researchers, lecturers participating in creative conferences, trips, as well as unforgettable photographs from his expeditions. Professor W. Stawiński’s book arouses some sentiment and presents episodes from the war which his family experienced, and the author’s fa-ther’s participation in the fights taking place in the East against the Soviet army, his captivity in the prison camp in Starobielsk, thus enabling the reader to distance themselves from psychological experiences of the fami-ly. Delving into the author’s biographical reflections one can confront themselves with the motto considered and dedicated by me to the Professor, ‘Things are neither important nor precious. But happiness, cherishing the beauty, respecting values, friendship between people, dialogue, interpersonal communication, willingness to offer help – it is the essence of true, joyful and opti-mistic life which affects own personality.’ The Professor dedicates the book to his parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, teachers,
Review of the book
Worth reading... worth recommending...
a moment of reflection
Review of Wiesław Stawiński’ book
In the Stream of Life
Review of the book | Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska | EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA 1/2016
93
IN SHOR
T
SCIENCE
SCHOOL
EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA | ebis.ibe.edu.pl | ebis@ibe.edu.pl | © for the article by the Authors 2016 © for the edition by Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych 2016
professors and students and other people at home and abroad as a token of his gratitude for the whole good done to the author.
Wieslaw Stawiński’s publication In the Stream of Life comprises an introduction, opening and ending chap-ters and two main parts.
In the first part My biography. My memories the author presents reflections about his family, life in pre-war Poland, time of the pre-war, first post-pre-war years, recalls himself as an outsider to the social class, who is enter-ing a university, beginnenter-ings of his teacher work, pre-sents Himself as a teacher and pedagogue, his role in instructing teachers and his research and didactic work. In the second part Scientific and Sightseeing Expeditions the author describes various stories, events, meetings with interesting personalities during his numerous foreign expeditions and participation in international conferences. Scientific expeditions and conferences provided Professor with the opportunity to familiar-ize himself with global trends in the development of biological and environmental education and scientific research concerning didactics of biology, and to under-take scientific research with institutions abroad. What is more, the author was able to compare scientific ac-tivities at home to achievements of institutions abroad. At the moment some of the scientific contacts are still maintained and expanded, the experiences gained com-pensate enhancing scientific development of Professor Wieslaw Stawiński’s researchers as well as their compe-tencies in biological didactics. In this chapter the author gives a comprehensive description of his long-lasting work as a teacher and researcher through publishing his memories in which he recounts experiences he shared with different people in a number of countries, capital cities, towns and villages he visited.
Programmes of international conferences included outdoor activities concerning protection of the nature
and environment as well as becoming familiar with the culture of a particular country through getting to know local habits, traditional dishes and delights.
Professor Wieslaw Stawiński describes each expedi-tions presenting Spain, India, Israel, Costa Rica, Cuba, Australia, the city of Singapore, Russia, Kenya, USA, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Estonia. Furthermore, he describes scientific and di-dactic contacts with seats of learning in Germany with the division into East Germany – GDR, West Germany – FRG emphasising cooperation with the university in Halle, the Güstrow Institute for Teacher Training, uni-versity in Greifswald, uniuni-versity in Kiel and his research practice in Austria at the university in Salzburg. The book does not present journeys across the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy and other European coun-tries. Only some aspects concerning contemporaneous living conditions in Poland and other European coun-tries as well as councoun-tries round the world have been mentioned. It is worth to encourage the author to write another book, another part of his memories of jour-neys across other not described countries which have been enumerated above and to elaborate on problems connected with the history of didactics in biology and wildlife as well as wildlife education in Poland over the course of 20th and 21st centuries.
What is more, I wish Professor’s dream came true so as he could explore his dream part of the world and describe journeys across China including Tibet.
I encourage and sincerely recommend the contem-plative book by Professor Wieslaw Stawiński In the
Stream of Life. Contact directly with the author or the
publisher – Airo Studio, Mariola Bylicka, pl. M. Lutra 3/2, Bielsko-Biała, publisher’s website: www.airstudio. pl, or contact with the Publishing Centre Augustana, address: www.Augustana.com.pl. Moreover, it is worth
to emphasise that the publication deserves an unmeas-urable grade for its enormous substantive values and highlighting practical aspects vital to prepare a man to responsible, appreciative and contemplative life in the changing world with the sense that they are doing the good.
