Leading inquiry question: How could a pilot project of teaching ecopedagogy at the university level, inform a narrative inquiry into the barriers of normalizing this type of radically critical pedagogy within our institutions of education? This particular inquiry question gets to the heart of a fundamental societal organizing issue: What is the purpose of education? The topic area and context of this inquiry is institutionalized education, and even more specifically, the university education of teachers, leaders, and future citizens of the Earth. It is my intention that this inquiry would lead to a dissertation that would influence the influencers (e.g., teachers and leaders).
This proposed inquiry has emerged within the context of my work as a university adjunct instructor. This particular context is chosen on the premise that a sustainable future is going to require that we ‘teach our teachers to teach’ in an ecologically literate manner, as well as to be ecological. With this inquiry, I’m entering into the vital debate about: Should environmental education (e.g., ‘sustainability’) be taught as a subtopic, an ‘optional’ course of study, or should it be taught as the basis of all other learning?
This developing inquiry also leads to the following sub-questions: What are the barriers to normalizing ecopedagogy within the academy? How can the academy become vested in ecopedagogy and not completely abandon academic freedom? In the face of our ‘wicked problems’ (e.g., ecological crises, mass extinction, climate change, social injustice, etc.), how can the academy fully embrace an ecopedagogy and find a new balance of what academic freedom means in the Anthropocence? In the face of becoming extinct, what constitutes a relevant education?
Hi Eric,
Interesting subject!
I don't have a straight answer for your question, but I thought of a fourth option to add to your paragraph:
"Should environmental education (e.g., ‘sustainability’) be taught as a subtopic, an ‘optional’ course of study, or should it be taught as the basis of all other learning?"
A good option for educators working together in the same faculty is to pursue the articulation of a certain idea or concept through special assignments for their students. This way, the same subject can be approached from different perspectives. The subject you propose would be a great one for articulation between courses.
Hope this helps!
Hello Diana,
I appreciate your engagement! Yes, your response does help. Your response appears to be in line with my belief that ecoliteracy could become the unifying theme/topic of all learning, and could help to actually mend the disciplinary fragmentation that is correlated with our fragmented collective psyches and the sociocultural systems we build. With that being noted: What does ecoliteracy look like across different disciplines? What does ecoliteracy mean across different disciplines? How does a transdisciplinary ecopedagogy create an embodied ecoliteracy that helps to ground our highly abstract thinking?
Thank you,
Eric
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