2 research outputs found
Sustainability in formal Education: ways to integrate it now
Sustainability emerged as a way to address global challenges âwithout leaving anyone behindâ. Nevertheless, sustainability is hard to implement. At the individual level, education can help, Â as recognised at the international level. This paper looks at sustainability for education, and vice versa to decipher why the two benefit from each other. Education fosters literacy, forming the citizens of tomorrow: it can thus support sustainability, promoting a positive understanding of nature among students. Thanks to its interdisciplinary nature, sustainability can foster collaboration among different subjects and offer new practices helping education to prepare students for a complex future. This interplay can exist without intervening in the national curricula, by focussing on student-centred pedagogies, and the role of teachers. Three projects show how, through learning scenarios, massive online open courses and competitions, teachers can support sustainability education. Hence, this paper shows that the integration of sustainability in education is recommendable and achievable
Education for environmental sustainability : policies and approaches in European Union Member States : executive summary
In the recent years, there has been a growing consensus in Europe and beyond on the role
that education can play in the transition towards a green economy and society needed to
address the severe decline in biodiversity, environmental degradation and risks posed by
climate change.
Education has an essential role to play by supporting citizens in
developing the competences needed to live responsibly, change consumption models,
design solution, transform society and shape a green economy.
In the context of the EUâs efforts to promote a sustainable and green Europe, the purpose
of this study is to map EU Member Statesâ national and institutional practices, processes,
tools and strategies in education for environmental sustainability (EES) at various
levels and in different forms of education. To date, no such comprehensive comparative
analysis has yet been carried out on the delivery of education for environmental
sustainability in the EU. The study will help inform the actions of the European Commission
with regard to education for environmental sustainability and policy for the implementation
of the European Education Area and the European Green Deal.
This study understands education for environmental sustainability as education that makes
students aware of, sensitive to, and knowledgeable about the environment and its
interconnectedness to social and economic systems, while encouraging them to develop
attitudes of concern and motivation, as well as practical, complex systems and critical
thinking skills to identify and solve environmental problems.
It recognises that EES is strongly linked to the economic and social dimensions of
sustainability, but focuses on environmental topics and views these in social and economic
contexts. The study understands EES beyond topical knowledge, as an inter-disciplinary
issue that must be approached holistically. EES should closely follow learners through all
phases and stages of education and take place in a supportive learning environment and
by way of thoughtful and engaging pedagogies. This requires learning to occur along
three dimensions: cognitive (relating to knowledge, understanding and critical thinking);
socio-emotional (relating to a sense of common humanity, values and responsibilities,
empathy, solidarity and respect); and behavioural (relating to skills development).
As members of society, individuals should be empowered to act in a sustainable manner
in complex situations. This may require them to strike out in new directions and participate
in socio-political processes that require every member of society to acquire a
âsustainability mindsetâ and environmental literacy.peer-reviewe