1. Reorientation…. Towards sustainable education - Dr Stephen Sterling
Centre for Sustainable Futures
University of Plymouth

2. Reorientation… 1 Context and perception
2 Challenge and ‘response-ability’
3 Towards ‘sustainable education’
4 Realising paradigms
5 Getting there…

3. Context and perception
Reorientation…part 1
Context and perception
Getting the picture…

4. Where on Earth are we going..?!OR

5. The new conditions insecurities unsustainability uncertainty
dense interdependence
stresses
globalisation
complexity
ecosystem degradation
inequity

6. Whole systems thinking
“When we limit ourselves to fragmented approaches to dealing with systemic problems, it is not surprising that our solutions prove inadequate. If our species is to survive the predicaments we have created for ourselves, we must develop a capacity for whole-systems thought and action.”
- David Korten, 1995, 11

7. Mismatch ‘The world is a complex, interconnected,
finite, ecological-social-psychological-economic system. We treat it as if it were not, as if it were divisible, separable, simple, and infinite. Our persistent, intractable, global problems arise directly from this mismatch.’
- Donella Meadows, 1982

8. Seeing differently ….

9. ‘To live in the third millenium we shall need more than incremental improvements on our current rationality; we shall need new thinking joined with new ways of perceiving and visioning ourselves, others, nature and the world around us.’
- Ervin Laszlo 1997

10. Thinking differently
‘…proper understanding of the way the world works requires people to learn how to think systemically, holistically, integratively, and in a futures mode.’
Lester Milbrath ‘Envisioning a Sustainable Society’
New Thinking for a New Millenium, 1996

11. Challenge and ‘response - ability’
Reorientation… part 2
Challenge and ‘response - ability’
Why a change of educational culture?

12. The ability to respond…
SUSTAIN – ABILITY
RESPONSE – ABILITY

13. ‘Daunting agenda…exciting possibilities’
Power civilisation by sunlight
Grow food and fibre sustainably
Dis-invent the concept of waste
Preserve biodiversity
Restore ruined ecologies
Reduce materials, water and land use per head
Rethink the political basis of modern societies
Develop economies that can be sustained within
nature’s limits
Distribute wealth fairly within and between generations
- Prof David Orr
Nine challenges (

14. Re-learning
This century may well be one of relearning on a grand scale…
This learning…needs to be a core part of learning across society, necessitating a metamorphosis of many of our current education and learning constructs.
- Sea Change –Learning and education for sustainability, NZ Parliamentary Commission for the Environment, 2004

15. Learning levels
different levels and qualities of learning.

16. From accommodation to systemic change
‘The biggest challenge for educationalists
is the proposition that
education for sustainable development
cannot simply be added onto existing learning,
but requires a systemic change
to the learning process
and priorities in education’.
- From Here to Sustainability
The Real World Coalition, Earthscan, 2001

17. Metaphysics/cosmology
Levels of knowing
Actions
Ideas/theories
Norms/assumptions
Beliefs/values
Paradigm/worldview
Metaphysics/cosmology
Actions
Ideas/theories
Norms/assumptions
Beliefs/values
Paradigm/worldview
Metaphysics/cosmology

18. Levels of educational thinking
Practice
Provision
Policy
Purpose
Paradigm

19. Towards sustainable education
Reorientation… Part 3
Towards sustainable education
How do we underpin a collaborative culture?

20. A different way of looking at education? Possible characteristics…
integrative/relational/holistic
human-scale and participative
learner-centred
critical and systemic
real-world and future oriented
experiential
values-based
transformative

21. ‘Sustainable Education’
Does sustainability
require:
‘Re-Visioning Learning and Change?

22. Sustainable education?
Sustaining - people, communities, ecosystems
Tenable - ethically defensible, working with integrity, fairness, respect, inclusiveness
Healthy - systems and subsystems I

23. World as machine or as living system?

24. Learning ‘as’ sustainability
Sustainable development values
self-organisation
development and conservation of potential
resilience
community
Educational values
autonomy
capacity-building
participation
collaboration

25. Reorientation… Part 4 Realising paradigms
What are the implications for change?

26. Levels of educational thinking
Practice
Provision
Policy
Purpose
Paradigm

27. Rough paradigm map Educationalparadigm Positivist Critical; radical
Interpretivist;
Constructivist
Critical;
radical
Poststructural
Participative
Role of educator
Instruction
Facilitation
Critical pedagogy/
‘transformative
intellectual’
Deconstruct- ion
Mediation, mentoring/ ‘invitational’ leadership
Curriculum
Prescribed
Constructivist;
Learner centered
Issues based
Pluralist
Indicative, emergent
Pedagogy
Delivery
Transactional
Critical pedagogy
Deconstruc
- tive
Co-inquiry

28. Choose your metaparadigm…
Mechanism
Objectivist
Reductionist, dualistic  
Reductive
Ecology/living systems
Participative
Holistic, integrative
Systemic
Metaphor:
Epistemology:
Ontology:
Methodology:

29. Choose your metaphor…. Mechanistic
view of education
Reductionist view of knowledge
Deficit view of learner
Transmissive model of pedagogy
Ecological (relational) view of education
Holistic view of knowledge
Appreciative view of learner
Transactional or transformative view of pedagogy I

30. Choose your approach… Mechanistic Ecological instrumental values
prescriptive
outputs and fixed outcomes
control
Ecological
intrinsic values first
indicative
emergence and open outcomes
participation I

31. Purposes of education Vocational - preparing for economic life
Socialisation - reproduction of culture, promotion of citizenship
Liberal - developing individual’s potential
Transformative - education for change, for a better world

32. ‘Where we are’ (dominant ideas)
Purpose - education as preparation for economic life
Policy education as product (courses/qualifications)
Practice - education as instruction

33. ‘Where we need to go’ (newer ideas)
Purpose - education for sustainable society, economy and ecology
Policy education as process of individual and social capacity building
Practice - education as participative learning

34. From control to participation
Overspecialisation and fragmentation
Single issue management
Top-down policy making
Disciplinarity
Goal oriented planning
TOWARDS:
More integrated structures
Integrated decision-making
Participative approaches
Inter and trans disciplinarity
Adaptive management

35. Shifts in curriculum, content and process
Curriculum as top-down ‘product’
Fixed knowledge
Abstract knowledge
Teaching/instruction
Few learning styles
Passive learning
Curriculum as experience/situated learning
Provisional knowledge
Real world knowledge
Participative learning
Multiple learning styles
Reflective/active learning .

36. Shifts in structures and policy
Disciplinarity
Specialisation
External assessment
Teaching system
Formal education
Inter and transdisciplinarity
Broadness and flexibility
Continous internal assessment and reflection
Learning system
(As part of) life-long education

37. Towards sustainable institutions
Systemic coherence and synergy
Human scale
Open community
Learning organisation
Microcosm of sustainable society
FROM
Incoherence and fragmentation
Large scale
Closed community
Teaching organisation
Microcosm of unsustainable society .

38. Dimensions of change

39. Reorientation… Part 5
Getting there...
Journeying with inspiration…

40. Significant change depends on...
a) A deeper critique - of current trends
b) A broader vision - of necessary alternatives
c) An effective strategy - of systemic change

41. Learning responses to the challenge of sustainability
No response - no change
Accommodation - green ‘gloss’
Reformation - serious reform
Transformation - whole system redesign

42. Different levels of engagement
Education about sustainability: content and/or estate emphasis. Fairly easily accommodated into existing system. Learning about change.
Education for sustainability: values and skills emphasis. Greening of institutions. Deeper questioning and reform of purpose, policy and practice. Learning for change.
Sustainable education: Capacity building and action emphasis. Sustainable institutions/communities. Learning as change.

43. Learning points from AFANet
Sustainability is imprecise.
Integrating sustainability requires the re-thinking of institutional purposes.
Sustainability is complex and multifaceted.
Teaching it requires the transformation of mental models.
Programming sustainability requires a rethinking of teaching and learning.
There is no universal blueprint for educational change towards sustainability.

44. Two sorts of change Piecemeal change Systemic change
changing parts of a system
no consideration of system as a whole
often imposed
often short-lived
Systemic change
change with effect on whole system in mind
change with emergence in mind
by purposeful, collaborative design
often long-lived

45. Ingredients of systemic change
Endorsement from the top
Inclusion
Collaborative ethos
Action research and feedback
Encouraging reflection
High levels of connectivity and communication
‘Champions’ and keenies
Active alliances outside system
Exemplars
Leadership
Channels and publicity to spread innovation
Appreciative culture
Resources/support
Rewards
AND…?

46. Designing fulfilling learning environments…eg.
reflective learning for individuals and the institution
cooperation and shared purpose
the enjoyment of learning
service and creating opportunity for service
treading lightly and living simply
the intrinsic value of work of all kinds
celebrating diversity
recognising limitations
a good experience for everyone
- Schumacher College values

47. Sustainability values
Efficiency
Sufficiency
Equity and justice
Community
Diversity
Inclusion
Democracy
Subsidiarity
Self-reliance
Participation
Futurity and trusteeship
Resilience and durability
System health

48. Key dimensions Perceptual - ethos, values Conceptual Practical
- understanding
Practical
- design, action

49. Guiding principles Extension - inclusive boundaries Linking
- understanding connections
Integration
- towards systems health

50. Implement strategies eg…
Regarding what we do now:
What is of value that we need to keep?
What might need modification?
What do we probably need to abandon?
What new ideas, principles, methodologies, working methods, or policies are needed?

51. Reasons to be cheerful? HEFCE Policy Sustainable Development in HE
HEA research on ‘Embedding ESD’ and 5 yr programme
Three ESD-related CETLs and network
National networks: Forum’s HEPS, DEA, EAUC
Education Commissioner - Sustainable Development Commission
UN Decade of ESD
International networks and agreements eg Global HE for Sustainability Partnership (GHESP), IAU

52. ‘Vision is absolutely necessary to guide and motivate action
‘Vision is absolutely necessary to guide and motivate action. More than that, vision, when widely shared and firmly kept in sight, brings into being new systems’. - Donella Meadows, Beyond the Limits to Growth, 1992