Education for Sustainability (EfS) is designated a Cross-Curricular Priority in Australia, but arguably this phrase is an oxymoron. We know that schools and teachers struggle with integrating cross-curricular themes. Is there a danger that in expecting EfS to be everywhere, it ends up being nowhere convincingly? Geography and Science are both natural curriculum homes for links to be made and I have written myself about links between EfS and Citizenship education. Others would make a case for Technology and young people designing smart solutions to issues around Sustainability. Please feel free to share your examples of good practice here where yoo have seen effective approaches to creating space for EfS in school curricula and high quality student learning.
Dear Peter Brett
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a continuous and sustainable learning process by integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions at all levels of education through comprehensive and integrated means. ESD aims to help individuals acquire the attitudes, skills, values and knowledge needed to make appropriate decisions
That the increasing threats and environmental problems associated with the movement of awareness and education in communities led to the emergence of knowledge fields specifically concerned with the environmental issue, for example, we have shown environmental sociology, which is a branch of sociology, which is my main specialization and therefore the concept of education for sustainable development includes Environmental education, but not limited to, but includes other economic, social and cultural dimensions.
I appreciate your response, Hamza. I think that environmental sociology is a fascinating field for higher education study.
My question related more to the organization of learning experiences for students when they are still at school. I attach some of my thoughts which relate to EfS in the Australian context, but other countries and states will have different stories to tell about where and how this important educational work occurs in schools.
At my university (USP in the Pacific Islands) it has become a major field and now also secondary schools are picking up even much more could be done.
Thanks for your contribution, Eberhard. I am not surprised to hear this, given the urgency of the issue of rising sea levels in the Pacific Islands. Australia should feel particularly guilty as a regional neighbour, if a proposed new massive Adani-backed coal mine goes ahead in Queensland.....It would be fascinating to hear about school projects on the ground, where young people are becoming informed and advocating around the issue of Sustainability.
Peter
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