Summary Review of Current Thinking in Education for Sustainable Development, David Grierson and Claire Hyland, May 2009 (original) (raw)
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Education for sustainable development (ESD): exploring theoretical and practical challenges
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 15 (2) 188-207., 2014
This article aims to explore the challenges posed by the conceptual framework and diversity of practice of education for sustainable development (ESD). The implications of plurality of ESD perspectives and methodological approaches as well variations in ESD practice will be addressed. Critical framework for conceptualizing of ESD which takes environmental ethics into account will be proposed through the discussion of The Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Attitudes Toward the Sustainable Development (EAATSD) scale. Design/methodology/approach: The paper opted for a general review approach, covering literature which provides an overview of the concepts and practices of ESD, as well as program evaluation studies. Additionally, qualitative evaluation of EAATSD scale with students of higher professional education was conducted, using in-depth interviews and dialogue with individual students as well as classroom discussions. Findings: It was found that there are wide and inconclusive debates about the aims of ESD based on the critique of sustainable development discourse in general and instrumentalism embedded in ESD in particular. According to the qualitative evaluation, EAATSD scale can be used for testing anthropocentric and ecocentric attitudes towards sustainable development in students of higher education. Based on these results, this scale was found to be revealing of the critical view of paradoxes and challenges inherent in multiple goals of sustainable development as well as useful for testing anthropocentric and ecocentric attitudes in students of higher education. Research limitations/implications: Reliability of the scale needs further statistical testing, and as is the case in conventional ESD evaluations, and consequent research is necessary to improve institutional, national, and international applicability to particular cases. Future research should draw from this critical review in order to devise alternative evaluation tools. Practical implications: In practice, this implies that currently administered evaluations of generic ESD, while useful in concrete cultural or institutional settings, might be premature. The article concludes with the reflection upon which conceptual, methodological, cultural, and ethical challenges of ESD which should be useful for ESD researchers and practitioners in different national settings. EAATSD is proposed both as methodological and content-oriented tool to be used for generic ESD programs. Originality/value: This article fulfills an identified need to address the paradoxes of sustainable development and to study how ESD can be more effective. ""
2021
As higher education institutions (HEIs) have increasingly turned to consider sustainability over the last decade, education for sustainable development (ESD) has emerged as a way of imbuing students with the skills, values, knowledge, and attributes to live, work, and create change in societies facing complex and cross-cutting sustainability challenges. However, the question of how HEIs can actively embed ESD more broadly in and across curricula is one that continues to challenge institutions and the HE sector as a whole. While traditional teaching practices and methods associated with subject-based learning may be suitable for educating students about sustainable development, a reorientation towards more transformational, experiential and action-oriented methods is required to educate for s ustainable development. The need for educators to share their practices and learn lessons from each other is essential in this transformation. This paper presents a selection of practical examples of how to embed a range of interactive, exploratory, action-oriented, problem-based, experiential and transformative ESD offerings into HE teaching practice and curricula. Presented by a group of academics and professional services staff at the University of Strathclyde who lead key modules and programmes in the institution's ESD provision, this paper reflects on five approaches taken across the four faculties at Open Peer Review Reviewer Status
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the University of Bristol 2015-2016
Our Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) project is an ambitious, University-wide venture which aims to enable every one of our students to gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to create a sustainable future. The ESD team works closely with students and academic staff to embed these concepts into our curriculum. In doing so, our students learn how the decisions they make will impact on the world, and how they can challenge and build upon existing concepts of ecological sustainability and social justice. To ensure that we understand the changing nature of the formal curriculum, we conduct regular reviews of the ESD content within all our units and programmes. This helps shape our engagement with academic schools. We provide a wide range ofonline resources, tailored for each school, as well as delivering training sessions to staff and students as part of the CREATE scheme, the University’s continuing professional development scheme for academics. A key method for embedding ESD within the curriculum is through the Green Apple Scheme, a funding mechanism that supports academics who wish to develop new teaching and learning practices. Through this scheme, teaching staff receive support to develop projects that embed ESD principles within their discipline, and students can contribute ideas and suggestions to help shape the future of their courses.
Journal of Education for Sustainable Development
Journal of Education for Sustainable Development
Whether we view sustainable development as our greatest challenge or a subversive litany, every phase of education is now being urged to declare its support for education for sustainable development (ESD). In this paper, we explore the ideas behind ESD and, building on work by Foster and by Scott and Gough, we argue that it is necessary now to think of two complementary approaches: ESD 1 and ESD 2. We see ESD 1 as the promotion of informed, skilled behaviours and ways of thinking, useful in the short-term where the need is clearly identified and agreed, and ESD 2 as building capacity to think critically about what experts say and to test ideas, exploring the dilemmas and contradictions inherent in sustainable living. We note the prevalence of ESD 1 approaches, especially from policy makers; this is a concern because people rarely change their behaviour in response to a rational call to do so, and more importantly, too much successful ESD 1 in isolation would reduce our capacity to manage change ourselves and there-Paul Vare is an ESD consultant, and Chair and founder member of the South West Learning for Sustainability Coalition.
Annals of Human and Social Sciences
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a multifaceted and interdisciplinary approach that addresses the complex challenges of sustainability. This paper presents an analysis of emerging trends and research developments in ESD concepts. Findings show that ESD emphasizes a holistic and integrated approach, highlights diverse disciplines and promotes critical reflection, contextualization, participation and empowerment among learners. ESD recognizes the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental issues, and promotes inclusive, just, and resilient societies. It emphasizes the importance of local and cultural context, and promotes transformative and collaborative teaching. This paper provides recommendations for advancing ESD, including the need for policy support, capacity building for educators, and fostering research and innovation. The findings contribute to the understanding of ESD concepts and highlight the relevance of ESD in addressing sustainability challenges and promoting a more sustainable future.
2012
Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a long-term mechanism to translate the principles and values of sustainable development (SD) concept into practices. With the 'nurturing' nature of ESD it is hoped that it would give the learners a lasting impact on their practices. However, ESD poses great challenges to educators at every level of education system, including university educators worldwide, in many aspects. This paper focuses only on the aspect of integrating SD concept into university courses, with reference to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Hence, this paper analyses the challenges to integrate SD concept into university courses found in the literature, and with reference to UKM. The methods used in this study are the analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, as well as logical and comparative analysis. The results show four main challenges faced by university educators: (a) the basis of integration, i.e., the extent to which SD provides a suitab...
The Curriculum Journal, 2013
The need to embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the higher education curriculum is well recognised in international sustainable development dialogues. However, early pioneers in this area have met with substantial obstacles and now face the prospect of attempting systemic education change in a new and difficult sector climate. This article explores the potential for engagement with the higher education curriculum by bringing ESD into its quality assurance and quality enhancement system. It builds on insights gained from a national project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which worked in collaboration with the UK Quality Assurance Agency and a consortium of five universities. It considers the ways that ESD has entered the UK higher education sector and the potential connectivity that exists between ESD and quality. Key findings are shared from the development projects carried out in these universities, including their identification of specific quality-led pathways for embedding ESD, the differences of perspective uncovered amongst stakeholders and challenges for institutional strategy and implementation. It concludes in reflection on the need to access deeper currents of teaching and learning to make ESD a viable education proposition, as well as the potential transfer to other parts of the education and skills sector.
Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 2016
This research is a synthesis of studies carried out in 18 countries to identify contributions of education for sustainable development (ESD) to quality education. Five common questions were used for the interviews in each country to solicit education leaders and practitioners' views on the outcome and implementation of ESD. The analysis revealed that major themes repeated across the 18 studies, showing that ESD contributes in many ways to quality education in primary and secondary schools. Teaching and learning transforms in all contexts when the curriculum includes sustainability content, and ESD pedagogies promote the learning of skills, perspectives and values necessary to foster sustainable societies. The research also identified the need to integrate ESD across all subjects, to provide professional development for teachers to ensure ESD policy implementation and to adopt ESD management practices to support ESD in the curriculum in order to broaden ESD across countries.
The need to embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the higher education curriculum is well recognised in international sustainable development dialogues. However, early pioneers in this area have met with substantial obstacles and now face the prospect of attempting systemic education change in a new and difficult sector climate. This article explores the potential for engagement with the higher education curriculum by bringing ESD into its quality assurance and quality enhancement system. It builds on insights gained from a national project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which worked in collaboration with the UK Quality Assurance Agency and a consortium of five universities. It considers the ways that ESD has entered the UK higher education sector and the potential connectivity that exists between ESD and quality. Key findings are shared from the development projects carried out in these universities, including their identification of specific quality-led pathways for embedding ESD, the differences of perspective uncovered amongst stakeholders and challenges for institutional strategy and implementation. It concludes in reflection on the need to access deeper currents of teaching and learning to make ESD a viable education proposition, as well as the potential transfer to other parts of the education and skills sector.