Education and Sustainable Development Learning to Last? Stephen & Maureen Martin Rolf Jucker Carolyn Roberts ICEE Conference, Ahmedabad, India, th November 2007

How far have we come since 1980? What happened? High level international support for SD and ESD Official UN Decade for ESD UNECE ESD Strategy Ubuntu Declaration ESD strategies & action plans adopted in many countries Many good examples of ESD activity at all levels

What did not happen? Paradigm change has not happened Inappropriate people signing the treaties Most of these are ‘soft laws’ – guidance & encouragement only Little systemic approach to implementing ESD No effective mechanism to mainstream good practice & transfer lessons learnt How far have we come since 1980?

Current policy & practice in ESD It is hard to identify a coherent system in the UK and EU for identifying & disseminating good practice. There is no systematic evaluation of the depth and breadth of impact of particular programmes. Development has been patchy, based on individual teachers or groups of teachers. Few national programmes that facilitate curriculum and pedagogic reform.

A Framework for Good Practice Seven Key Concepts Interdependence Citizenship & stewardship Needs & rights of future generations Diversity Quality of life, equity and justice Sustainable change Uncertainty, and precaution in action

Case Study – Professional & Vocational Sector PP4SD A facilitated workshop on five overlapping themes: –Principles of sustainability –Introduction to systems thinking & practice –Tools and techniques for taking a future perspective –Making the business case for sustainable development –Action planning

Case Study – Higher Education ESD Postgraduate programme – South Bank University, London, UK The units cover: –Environmental & development education –Processes & management of change –Values & participation –Local & Global –Theories & perspectives on environment & development –Science & culture in education for sustainability –Education for sustainability – experiences of change –Research skills

Learning to Last Competences? Ability to think Ability to learn Ability to communicate Ability to collaborate AND an ability to do all of these across disciplinary boundaries

Case Study – Higher Education Centre for Active Learning, University of Gloucestershire, UK Focus on work-based, community or employer linked activities Make explicit learning outcomes Promote understanding and reflection Electronic support to develop communities of learners

Five factors underpinning quality learning Wanting Needing Doing Feedback Digesting - motivation - interest - necessity - saving face - practice - trial and error - other people’s reactions - seeing the results - making sense of it - gaining ownership

Ripples on a pond…. Wanting/ Needing Doing Digesting Feedback After Race (2001)

"Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience" Kolb (1984, 38) Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory

Concrete Experience (CE) DO Reflective Observation (RO) REFLECT Active Experimentation (AE) PLAN Abstract Conceptualisation (AC) THINK Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory

What’s CeAL about? Students engage in active learning through: inquiry-based exploration in the field and classroom field and laboratory experimentation studio-based work using real sites work-based, community- related, and employer- linked activities

The Gloucestershire approach to active learning The distinctive feature of the University of Gloucestershire definition of active learning is that it centres on the mastery of theory within a ‘learning by doing’ approach involving working in real places with actual people and live projects

The Gloucestershire Approach to Active Learning Linking the thinking, doing and reflecting Innovative ways of linking the theory and practice Embedding active learning in all teaching Innovative methods for developing blended learning Active involvement of external agencies Creative ways of assessing active learning Underpinning practices by pedagogic research Involvement nationally and internationally Maintaining inclusivity Making learning enjoyable for everyone

A final note on active learning

Further information This presentation is available on the CeAL website at: eal ‘Making a difference’