Education for Sustainable Development in Structural Change Processes Using the Example of the Coal Phase-out in Lusatia

2021 ◽  
pp. 097340822110050
Author(s):  
David Löw Beer ◽  
Verena Holz
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Educational Approach ◽  
German Region ◽  
Transformation Processes

Within socio-economic transformation processes, the task of education is often reduced to short-term economic factors, that is, a suitable qualification profile of the local population. Transformative education should, however, be based on the broader claim that education contributes to successful transformation processes in the sense of facilitating a high and sustainable quality of life within a democratic society. In this article, we look at the transformation process in the German region of Lusatia. Coal, the region’s predominant industry, will be phased out by 2038. We examine what types of programme content might enable learners to participate in the transformation process, and discuss how different educational concepts (education for sustainable development and related approaches including transformative learning, socio-economic and civic education) could be used to develop an educational approach towards the transformation process. We derive competences that students should possess in two areas and provide recommendations for educational processes and policy.

scholarly journals Civic Education for Sustainable Development

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-22
Author(s):  
Bernhard Ohlmeier
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
German Development ◽  
Political Dimension ◽  
Economic Productivity

Abstract Education for sustainable development (ESD) often fails to consider the political dimension. To address this gap, this paper focuses on a specific political approach to ESD. The model presented is derived from the four sustainable growth targets of German Development Policy. Instead of relying on a neo-classical or neo-liberal economic paradigm, however, the goals of social justice, environmental sustainability, economic productivity and good governance are interpreted using a sustainability model. This model is anchored in a steady-state economy that has overcome the myth of unlimited material growth and seeks to stay within the limits of the planet's resources. The preconditions of good governance are outlined, and it is described how the state and civil society can contribute to this normative goal. In addition to social, ecological, economic and political components, the presented model for civic education for sustainability considers conflicts between different development components and the need for horizontal and vertical coherence. In conclusion, the paper shows that civic education for sustainability must aim to produce informed and empowered global citizens. Citizens should have the ability to employ their knowledge and skills responsibly through local and global civic involvement while also remaining aware of their own interests. Furthermore, it falls to educational policy makers to create national as well as international organisational structures that facilitate civic ESD.

Transformation Development and Eco-Environmental Protection of Resource-Exhausted City

2013 ◽  
Vol 340 ◽  
pp. 1045-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Xian Sun ◽  
Yao Shun Zhu ◽  
Cun Yu Cai ◽  
Yong Mei Li ◽  
Rui Tao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Geological Hazards ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Over Exploitation ◽  
Ecological Construction ◽  
The Relationship

In order to ensure the sustainable development of resource-exhausted cities,with Dongchuan disrict of Kunming as an example, the achievements and problems in the economic transformation, as well the relationship between the geological hazards and mining were analysed,the results showed that Dongchuan has achieved good results in the process of transformation in economy, city transformation, and ecological construction.However, the basic cause of severe natural disasters lie in over-exploitation is ignored for the misunderstanding of the causes of geological disasters.Therefore, the prominent problem in the development of transformation is the insufficient emphasis on eco-environmental protection.Resource-exhausted cities must pay attention to ecological construction in the transformation process for keeping the economic and environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Transformative Learning and Pedagogical Approaches in Education for Sustainable Development: Are Initial Teacher Education Programmes in England and Turkey Ready for Creating Agents of Change for Sustainability?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8973
Author(s):  
Douglas Bourn ◽  
Nese Soysal
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Transformative Approach ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a feature of academic and policy debates within initial teacher education around the world. A theme within these debates is the extent to which ESD is more than just a body of knowledge, and if it suggests different pedagogical approaches which may be prevalent in most countries. Another feature of these debates is whether ESD can be seen as suggesting a transformative approach as opposed to a transmissive approach. As a qualitative study, using examples from research and evidence gathered in England and Turkey through document analysis, this article identifies both the opportunities and challenges for teacher education courses using ESD as a means for promoting a distinctive pedagogical approach and whether they can be seen as posing transformative learning.

scholarly journals Exploring the Connections of Education for Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurial Education—A Case Study of Vocational Teacher Education in Finland

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 11887
Author(s):  
Eveliina Asikainen ◽  
Annukka Tapani
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Entrepreneurial Education ◽  
Teacher Students ◽  
Vocational Teacher

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Entrepreneurial Education (EE) are quite abstract and demanding concepts for teacher students. Yet, Key Sustainability Competences and Entrepreneurial Competences entail important qualities of future citizens and workers, and teacher students should become prepared to accommodate education for these competencies in their teaching practice. This paper explores teacher students’ process of sense-making of sustainable development and how becoming a teacher who practices ESD connects with entrepreneurship. EE serves as a good mirroring surface to ESD as they both have their roots in Transformative Learning (TL) but pursue transformation towards different goals. The case study follows the vocational teacher education (VTE) students’ sensemaking of Sustainable Development as a part of teacher’s work during one semester which included integrated Thematic Studies of Sustainable Development. The qualitative content analysis of students’ texts focused on signs of transformative learning and was guided by the dimensions of sustainable development and learning goals set for teacher’s sustainability competences in the VTE curriculum. The results indicate that transformative learning is possible. Furthermore, they address the importance of certain entrepreneurial capabilities in the actualization of change agency.

The Bridge Between Education for Sustainable Development and Transformative Learning: Towards New Collaborative Learning Spaces

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Schnitzler
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Key Features

Recent research has become increasingly interested in the concepts of education for sustainable development (ESD) and transformative learning (TL). However, even as ESD can be described as holistic and transformational education with the purpose to transform our society, only few studies have examined potential bridges between these two concepts. The article at hand gives an indication on this issue by studying the literature of ESD and TL. Strengthening the transformative aspect of ESD requires taking into account critical reflection, participation and social engagement, all of which all express key features of the new collaborative learning spaces (CLS). Subsequently, the potential of such CLS for the transformative mission of ESD are emphasized. In ESD as well as in CLS, the bridge between learning and action is crucial and a core element of social transformation. In order to clarify this, the new method of WeQ is described, aiming to better understand and develop CLS.

Education for Sustainable Development and the “Whole Person” Curriculum in Japan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Clark ◽  
Niculina Nae ◽  
Masahiro Arimoto
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
The Social ◽  
Whole Person ◽  
Sense Of Reality ◽  
Japanese Youth

Since the 1970s, Japanese society has endured rapid and confusing socio-economic transformation. These changes brought a sense of decentralization into Japanese life. It was a sense of loss and a sense of reality, as the stable dependencies that had characterized the Japanese way of life for centuries vanished. In the years leading up to the 21st century, this radical departure from tradition meant that the concept of continuity existed only to emphasize its absence. Society goes through a process of rapid change, posing challenges not everyone might be ready to tackle. The unintended, but inevitable, consequence is the social disaffection of Japanese youth, who may be losing their motivation (or focus) at a time of sudden and sustained adversity. The Japanese government is promoting the revitalizing energy of education for sustainable development (ESD), and even publicizes ESD’s potential for giving life a robust meaning. This is by no means an exclusively Japanese problem. In recent years, and with Japanese leadership, other UNESCO nations have integrated ESD into curricula. To fully understand the nature of the Japanese system for sustainable education, scholars need to draw from cultural philosophy, social neuroscience, historical analysis, and the ideas of socio-cognitive and constructivist theorists. Such a mix of methods provides an inter-disciplinary “geometry” of the often deeply inlaid shapes, patterns, and relationships that surround the uniquely cultural, yet highly exportable models for zenjin-education (“whole-person”).

Education for sustainable development in the senior Earth and Environmental Science syllabus in Queensland, Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa Tomas ◽  
Reece Mills ◽  
Donna Rigano ◽  
Maryam Sandhu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Societal Transformation ◽  
Educational Discourse ◽  
Intended Curriculum ◽  
Learning Content ◽  
Sustainability Learning ◽  
Missed Opportunity

AbstractIn Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been approved for first implementation in 2019. Given the natural alignment between EES and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this study employs document analysis to investigate the extent to which the intended curriculum reflects the tenets of ESD. An exploratory content analysis examined the frequency of keywords to identify any prominent sustainability themes that might underpin the syllabus, while a curriculum key guided a deeper analysis according to four tenets of ESD: Learning content; Pedagogy and learning environments; Societal transformation; and Learning outcomes. These analyses found that the ESD tenets reflected in the syllabus is limited chiefly to sustainability learning content, while broader notions of ESD, like the promotion of transformative learning, are marginalised or absent. Instead, the syllabus reflects a technical orientation to curriculum, underpinned by a neoliberal agenda. It is argued that the Queensland EES syllabus represents a missed opportunity to engage students with ESD. In a policy climate where achievement and accountability dominate educational discourse, there is an inherent risk that ESD will fall by the wayside, given it is not prioritised in the intended curriculum. Implications for curriculum development are also discussed.

scholarly journals Civic Education for Sustainable Development and its Consequences for German Civic Education Didactics and Curricula of Higher Education

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Brunold
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Educational Policy ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Global Development ◽  
The World ◽  
The United Nations

Abstract Since the nineties, the principle of sustainable development has increasingly been adopted by policy makers and civil society in Germany and, of course, in many countries of the world. With the acceptance of this principle, the significance of education for sustainable development (ESD) has also been recognised. Increased awareness of the problems of environmental challenges, globalisation and poverty has meant that the concepts of environmental education, global learning, and education in development policy have been consistently oriented towards more sustainability. This leads to an increased awareness that globalisation processes must be shaped in accordance with the objectives of sustainable development, both nationally and internationally. By encouraging the idea of sustainability to take root in all areas of education systems, the World Decade of Education for Sustainable Development from 2005 to 2014 intended to take significant steps towards greater educational sustainability. The curricula for civic education for sustainable development and global learning in Germany are, therefore of course, very closely linked to global development and globalisation processes, and because of that, they are to be seen within the mandate of the United Nations educational policy. The paper shows, that the learning area of global development objectives is structured in an inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary manner. It carries the essential features of a domain: a delimited object area, a specific approach to the world, and the reference to a basic teaching concept in the educational policy traditions of one-world or development-policy education and global learning. Therefore the aim is clear, that these curricula should contribute to the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, towards inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, as it is mentioned in goal number 4 (United Nations, 2014).

Education for sustainable development: an exploratory study in a Portuguese University

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 956-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Torres ◽  
Rui Marques Vieira ◽  
Ana V. Rodrigues ◽  
Patrícia Sá ◽  
Gillian Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Educational Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Near Future

Purpose The research aims to evaluate whether this educational approach is being implemented in a Portuguese public university and looking for explicit references to education for sustainable development (ESD) in the online descriptions of course units (CU). Design/methodology/approach The research design adopted for this qualitative research follows the principles of a case study with exploratory, multiple and collective features. Findings It was possible to find direct matches with key ESD expressions in fifteen of CU. In addition, nine CU were identified in the second stage of analysis of the teacher training master programmes. Research limitations/implications One of the limitations of this study which the authors identified, and which was responsible for considerably reducing the probability of finding matches, was that only results in which the key expressions appeared in the description of the CU in exactly the same form as in the research instrument were recorded. Practical implications The need for an educational programme for teachers to be developed and implemented in the near future. Social implications A training workshop will be proposed with the main aim of supporting teaching staff in making the necessary shift in their pedagogical practices to include a ESD orientation in their CU. Originality/value The instrument eveloped that appears in Appendix - Analysis Tool with key ESD expressions.

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