ECO Heutagogy, the self-directed, self-determined approach to learning applied in environmental contexts, can help communities contribute to the long-term health of watersheds that they rely on. It can also help increase watersheds’ resilience and adaptability to changes, while improving their functions such as water supply, flood regulation, soil stabilization, and support for biodiversity and livelihoods.
The framework linking community-led learning with watershed protection was presented at the 16th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS) 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, on May 9–13. The research paper was written by Cyril John Nagal, a scholar at the DAAD-Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture. DAAD is the German Academic Exchange Service (or Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst in German), the world’s largest funding organization dedicated to the international exchange of students, scholars and researchers. Nagal is also taking doctoral studies in environmental science at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
His study, “Developing an Ecoheutagogical Framework for Reframing Community Environmental Education and Watershed Resilience in Southeast Asia,” is deemed significant to Southeast Asian communities that rely directly on watersheds for drinking water, agriculture and fisheries. It aims to strengthen their capacity to manage and protect watershed resources over the long term.
Nagal’s research suggests that when communities lead their own learning about local water systems, land use and ecological changes, they are better positioned to adopt practices that support sustainable environmental stewardship.
Self-determined learning supports autonomy, motivation and critical reflection among community members, allowing them to identify environmental issues relevant to their specific watershed.
Environmental education refers to the process of teaching and learning about the natural environment, human interactions with it, and ways to protect and manage natural resources. It seeks to develop knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors that support sustainable environmental management.
ACSS 2026 convened scholars, researchers, educators and practitioners from across the globe to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaborative partnerships across national and disciplinary boundaries. The event was organized by the International Academic Forum (IAFOR) in partnership with the IAFOR Research Center at the Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University. Leander Domingo