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Education for Sustainability
From WikiEducator
This is an 8 week course to help you understand the status and terminology of Education for Sustainability internationally and in New Zealand. The course may be completed in more or less than 8 weeks depending on the pace you chose.
Each week you will complete an online reading and answer a question on your blog. If you are new to blogging, refer to this resource for getting started. When you have your blog set up, send your blog address to the course facilitator.
Note: Please do these readings online in order to save paper in printing. Reading online becomes easier with practice! Thanks. :)
Note: If you find links do not open when you click on them, try copying and pasting them into the address bar of your internet window.
Objectives
1. Knowledge of the terminology and concepts that underpin Education for Sustainability (EfS)
2. Aims and goals (process and content)of Education for Sustainability
3. Critically analyse your own teaching in relation to EfS
4. To understand the concepts of action competence and critical thinking in relation to EfS
Learning support
- Peopled enroled with Otago Polytechnic as students of this course have access to learning support services such as the libraries, the Community Learning Centres, regular contact with learning facilitators and lecturers, assessment services and certification.
- Otago Polytechnic offers learning support and assessment services through ...?
Course Schedule
- You may enrol in this course at anytime and complete it at your own pace. Staff at Otago Polytechnic will be offered support and assessment free of charge. Successful completion of the course will be acknowledged on your Individual Development Plan.
Welcome and Introductions
Welcome to Education for Sustainability. As the facilitator of this course I encourage you to get to know me through my blog Anna Hughes. Please send me the link to your blog when you have one set up. A list of course participants and their blog addresses will be shown here once the course gets under way. I encourage you to read and comment on other people's blogs. This ensures the course is an interactive learning experience and that we can help each other with questions and ideas now and well after the course.
To do
Post to your blog your background and motivation for attending this course. Introduce yourself to other course participants by commenting on their blog.
Otago Polytechnic website
To do
If you are not yet familiar with the Sustainability pages of Otago Polytechnic's website please go to Otago Polytechnic and read this page and related links - Education for Sustainability and updates, LivingCampus, Sustainable Operations, Centre for Sustainable Practice, SHAC 09.
The global challenge of sustainability
To do
Read Chapter 1 of Education and Sustainability and answer the following question on your blog. Comment on another participants response to the question.
In your view what are the advantages and limitations in educating people for sustainability in relation to the notion of education for sustainable development
Links and Resources
- Fien, John and Tilbury, Daniella. (2000). Chapter 1, The global challenge of sustainability in Tilbury, D., Fien, J., Stevenson, R.B., and Schreuder, D. (2000). Education and Sustainability: Responding to the Global Challenge. CEC
Education for Sustainable Development: an international perspective
To do
Read Chapter 2 of Education and Sustainability and answer the following question on your blog. Comment on another participants response to the question.
How does the reorientation of education (according to this article) and the knowledge and skills needed to educate for sustainability, fit with Otago Polytechnics aims, vision and policies?
Links and Resources
The following links are provided in order to help you answer the question in relation to this reading.
- Policy on Education for Sustainability
- OP Strategy_2008-2012
- OP Priorities
- Hopkins, Charles and McKeown, Rosalyn. (2000). Chapter 2, Education for sustainable development: an international perspective in Tilbury, D., Fien, J., Stevenson, R.B., and Schreuder, D. (2000). Education and Sustainability: Responding to the Global Challenge. CEC Education and Sustainability
Education for Sustainable Development: an international perspective 2
To do
Read Chapter 18 of Education and Sustainability, follow the instructions and answer the following question on your blog. Comment on another participants response to the questions.
In this article, what is Steveson's view of an innovative approach to education in the future?
In what ways could you develop the process and content of your own teaching to meet Steveson's summary of what is required for education in the future?
Links and Resources
- The Sabre Tooth Tiger Curriculum Hi Leigh - I don't know if I'm allowed to put this here. Should I try to search for it online? Cheers
- Experiential Learning
- EfS_Swirl
- Action Competence Models
- Integrated Approach
- Stevenson, Robert B. (2000). Chapter 18, Conclusion: Education and sustainable development: perspectives and possibilities in Tilbury, D., Fien, J., Stevenson, R.B., and Schreuder, D. (2000). Education and Sustainability: Responding to the Global Challenge. CEC Education and Sustainability
Explaining education for sustainability
To do
Read Chapter 3 of this report and answer the following questions on your blog. Comment on another participants response to these questions.
What are the differences and similarities between Environmental Education, Education for Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development?
What are the key aspects of Education for Sustainability that underpin your current approach to teaching and learning and why?
Links and resources
See Change Evaluation
To do
Read the Executive summary and conclusion, Background, Methods, Overview of progress to date and number 4 of the Government responses and progress to date, Tertiary education, page 20. Feel free to read any other parts of the report. Answer the following question:
Explain the ways in which Otago Polytechnic is meeting the Area for Action in relation to Sustainability in the Tertiary Sector of this report.
Links and Resources
Action Competence and Critical Thinking
To do
Read the following 3 readings related to action competence and critical thinking and answer the following question on your blog. Comment on another participants response to this question.
1. Jensen, B.B and Schnack, K. (1994). Action and Action Competence as Key Concepts in Critical Pedagogy, in Studies in Educational Theory and Curriculum, Volume 12. Royal Danish School of Educational Studies 1994. Link:Action and Action Competence
2. Mogensen, F. (1997). Critical thinking: a central element in developing action competence in health and environmental education, in Health and Education Research, Theory and Practice. Vol. 12, No. 4, 1997, pp 429-436. Link: Critical Thinking
3. Action Competence Learning Process, TKI, NZ Link:Action Competence Learning Process
Explain in your own words the concepts of Action Competence and Critical Thinking and give examples of how you do, or could use each concept in the classes you teach.
Links and Resources
Reading 1. https://pure.dpu.dk/ws/fbspretrieve/122/Some_further_comments_on_the_action_competence_debate.pdf
Reading 2. http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/12/4/429
Reading 3. http://www.tki.org.nz/r/health/cia/make_meaning/teach_learnappr_proc_e.php
Engaging People in Sustainability
To do
Read: Tilbury, D. and Wortman, D. (2004) Engaging People in Sustainability,Commission on Education and Communication, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Link:Engaging People in Sustainability
something about the criticalness of educating for Sustainability. Or their vision or something, but related to the reading. Using examples from the reading, in what way(s) could you engage your students in action that is relevant to improving the sustainability of your industry?
Links and Resources
http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2004-055.pdf
Final Task
Please comment on the value you have found in doing this course. Please comment on what parts have been useful to your teaching and how you think the course can be improved.
Thanks for your participation. All the best in integrating Education for Sustainability into your teaching and helping Otago Polytechnic achieve the goal "That every graduate may think and act as a sustainable practitioner by 2009." Please feel free to contact me for support in reaching this goal for your students. Thanks again. Anna :)
