EfSD, the RCEs and EfSD, the RCEs and the Global Learning Spacethe Global Learning Space
an Opening Address an Opening Address
Global RCE meeting 2012TONGYEONG 21-24 September
Hans van GinkelFaculty of Geosciences
Utrecht University
BACK TO THEBACK TO THE
BEGINNINGBEGINNING
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Increasing numbers of Increasing numbers of crises:crises:
• Increasing numbers of visible Increasing numbers of visible indications of (the impact of) climate indications of (the impact of) climate change;change;
• Growing energy security concerns;Growing energy security concerns;• Intractable armed conflicts/violence;Intractable armed conflicts/violence;• Increase in number and magnitude of Increase in number and magnitude of
natural and humanitarian disasters;natural and humanitarian disasters;• Increase in short term Increase in short term “here and “here and
now”, “us and they”, “black and now”, “us and they”, “black and white” white” thinking; leading tothinking; leading to
• Economic and Financial crises of a Economic and Financial crises of a magnitude never seen in more than magnitude never seen in more than half a century.half a century.
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Why do we struggle so Why do we struggle so much?much?
• ReductionistReductionist tendencies (e.g. focus on tendencies (e.g. focus on GHG emission controls, on energy GHG emission controls, on energy demand but not supply).demand but not supply).
• • Tendency Tendency to over-simplify to over-simplify ( focussing ( focussing
on the problem, not the cure)on the problem, not the cure)
• Always Always looking backwards looking backwards (not asking (not asking what kind of world we want to live what kind of world we want to live in).in).
• Fear to looseFear to loose rather than to gain by rather than to gain by sharing.sharing.
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AN OIL TANKER:AN OIL TANKER:SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THISSOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THIS
We are traveling We are traveling on an oil tanker on an oil tanker on the edge of a on the edge of a hurricane. hurricane. How quickly can How quickly can a tanker change a tanker change course?course?
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A BREAKTHROUGHA BREAKTHROUGH The Decade of Education for Sustainable The Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development (DESD), 2005-2014Development (DESD), 2005-2014
Proposed in Johannesburg Plan of Proposed in Johannesburg Plan of Implementation in 2002Implementation in 2002
Adopted by UN General Assembly in Adopted by UN General Assembly in December 2002 December 2002
The International Implementation The International Implementation Scheme (IIS) for DESD was approved in Scheme (IIS) for DESD was approved in September 2005.September 2005.
Governments are invited to consider the Governments are invited to consider the measures to implement DESD in their measures to implement DESD in their educational strategies and action plans.educational strategies and action plans.
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WHAT ARE WE AIMING AT?WHAT ARE WE AIMING AT? What is What is EEffSDSD, really?, really?
Sustainable Development is a Sustainable Development is a political compromisepolitical compromise: its relevance : its relevance however can easily be argued when we look at both extremes: however can easily be argued when we look at both extremes: sustainability without development or development that is not sustainability without development or development that is not sustainable. Both are impossible, both in developed sustainable. Both are impossible, both in developed and and in in developing countries.developing countries.
Therefore, education Therefore, education forfor sustainable development is a broader sustainable development is a broader concept than environmental education.concept than environmental education.
EEffSD is thus also more than sustainable development education: it is SD is thus also more than sustainable development education: it is educationeducation forfor sustainable development - education to enable all sustainable development - education to enable all people to better contribute to sustainable development.people to better contribute to sustainable development.
THE AIMS OF DESDTHE AIMS OF DESD
The DESD aims at changing the approach to education; The DESD aims at changing the approach to education;
to break down traditional educational schemes and promotes:to break down traditional educational schemes and promotes:
1. interdisciplinary and holistic learning;1. interdisciplinary and holistic learning;
2. values-based learning;2. values-based learning;
3. critical thinking rather than memorizing;3. critical thinking rather than memorizing;
4. multi-method approaches, incl. art, drama, 4. multi-method approaches, incl. art, drama, debate, etc. debate, etc.
5. participatory decision-making;5. participatory decision-making;
6. locally relevant material rather than national;6. locally relevant material rather than national;
7. transformative approaches in teaching and 7. transformative approaches in teaching and learning;learning;
8. tertiary education supporting primary and 8. tertiary education supporting primary and secondary.secondary.
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FUTURE PERSPECTIVESFUTURE PERSPECTIVES
The ‘Knowledge TriangleThe ‘Knowledge Triangle’’Knowledg
e
Education
Innovation
N.B.‘Knowledge’ = all scientific knowledge, incl. from social sciences and humanities‘Innovation’ includes technological and social innovations
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The The ‘Knowledge Triangle’ ‘Knowledge Triangle’ and and Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development
All education All education (formal and non-formal) at all (formal and non-formal) at all
levels and in all sectorslevels and in all sectors must be reconsidered must be reconsidered
and transformed and transformed as to prepare the present as to prepare the present
and next generations to better contribute to and next generations to better contribute to
the sustainable development of their the sustainable development of their
societies: societies:
EEffA and EA and EffSD areSD are two sides of the same coin two sides of the same coin; ;
EEffSD cannot just be a different subject next to SD cannot just be a different subject next to
all already existing subjects, but all already existing subjects, but all existing all existing
subjects must be transformedsubjects must be transformed to reflect E to reflect EffSD.SD.
PrimarySchools
SecondarySchools
Universities
PrimarySchools
SecondarySchools
Universities
Community leaders
Local Governments
Botanical gardens
(Science) museums
(Research centers)
Laterallinks
Horizontal links
Ver
tica
l lin
ksREGIONAL CENTRES OF EXPERTISE REGIONAL CENTRES OF EXPERTISE (RCE’s)(RCE’s)
Formal education Non-formal education
Local businesses
Knowledge-relatedinstitutions
Local NGOs
Nature parks
Media
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Regional Centers of Expertise in Regional Centers of Expertise in EfSD:EfSD:
Vehicles to Build Winning Vehicles to Build Winning AlliancesAlliances,,
characterised bycharacterised by
A A multi-disciplinarymulti-disciplinary approach approach Research onResearch on ‘hard’ ‘hard’ – meaning infrastructure and – meaning infrastructure and
‘soft’ ‘soft’ – meaning non-structural measures, to – meaning non-structural measures, to develop develop effective policies effective policies and and innovative innovative solutionssolutions
An An educated public educated public supporting long term supporting long term measuresmeasures
Community participation and support Community participation and support in the in the strategic development agenda that incorporates strategic development agenda that incorporates disaster risk reduction disaster risk reduction in development planningin development planning
What About Rio? RCEs beyond 2015!!What About Rio? RCEs beyond 2015!!
RCEs a lasting tool to transform our lives:RCEs a lasting tool to transform our lives:
1. portfolio’s of projects1. portfolio’s of projects2. flagship projects2. flagship projects3. ‘common wisdom’ on SD through study3. ‘common wisdom’ on SD through study4. sharing and applying knowledge 4. sharing and applying knowledge in the region in the region5. Global Learning Space5. Global Learning Space
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Starting Points for Discussion Starting Points for Discussion about Research to Support EfSDabout Research to Support EfSD
1.1. Sustainable Development rests onSustainable Development rests on 3 pillars: 3 pillars:a)a) the environmental/ecologicalthe environmental/ecologicalb)b) The economicThe economicc)c) The socialThe social
2.2. The aim is not to teach sustainable The aim is not to teach sustainable development but to prepare present and next development but to prepare present and next generations to better contribute to sustainable generations to better contribute to sustainable developmentdevelopment
3.3. The aim is not to replace all existing education, The aim is not to replace all existing education, but to improve the programmes and ways of but to improve the programmes and ways of teaching, so as to achieve better (2)teaching, so as to achieve better (2)
4.4. All concepts, theories, knowledge, etc. can be All concepts, theories, knowledge, etc. can be taught to children/students at all levels, though taught to children/students at all levels, though in appropriately adapted formsin appropriately adapted forms
5.5. EEffSD should include: 3 pillars, WEHAB, MDGsSD should include: 3 pillars, WEHAB, MDGs
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environmental economic social
concept/theory
- ecosystem - growth - democracy
- global warming, etc.
- equality, etc. - gender, etc.
issues
- emissions - employment - elections
- land degradation etc.
- productivity, etc.
- participation, etc.
cases- many (place-based)
- many (place-based)
- many (place-based)
Sustainability
Com
ple
xit
y
Development Scheme for EfSD
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DESD VISIONDESD VISION
To create a world where To create a world where everyone has the opportunity to everyone has the opportunity to benefit from quality education benefit from quality education and learn the values, behavior and learn the values, behavior and lifestyles required for a and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and for sustainable future and for positive societal transition.positive societal transition.
The Ultimate Goal of the DESD is:
The Creation of a Global Learning Space
for EfSD, based on RCEs, in order
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Global Learning Space
Redefine the web as a
2020
Global Learning SpaceGlobal Learning Space
I have been talking about the I have been talking about the need to create aneed to create a Global Learning Global Learning Space Space on the topic of sustainable on the topic of sustainable development over the past 15 development over the past 15 years.years.
There are two important There are two important precursorsprecursors to create this Global to create this Global Learning Space.Learning Space.
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This Development Has Already This Development Has Already Been Been Discussed for Some Time:Discussed for Some Time:
RossmanRossman e.g. calls for the terms: e.g. calls for the terms:
“ “cyberspace”, “the Internet”, “virtual cyberspace”, “the Internet”, “virtual space” space” and and “hyperspace” “hyperspace” to be blended to be blended together into atogether into a “Global Learning “Global Learning Space”.Space”.
He also anticipates:He also anticipates:
the emergence of more ”the emergence of more ”humanhuman” forms of ” forms of online education.online education.
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A Space for Global LearningA Space for Global Learning
RimmingtonRimmington states that states that Global Learning Global Learning is the:is the:
"combination of global reach"combination of global reach using modern using modern communication technologies, with communication technologies, with global global perspectives; perspectives;
is achieved through the interaction of is achieved through the interaction of students and faculty living students and faculty living in different in different geographic locations with diverse cultural geographic locations with diverse cultural backgroundsbackgrounds, to produce the “global , to produce the “global graduate.” graduate.”
∴ The word “global” may be replaced by “glocal.”
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One Billion People Have Internet One Billion People Have Internet AccessAccess
(15% of the world population)(15% of the world population)
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Internet Access is Unevenly Internet Access is Unevenly DistributedDistributed
So: How to Bridge the Digital Divide or So: How to Bridge the Digital Divide or better still…better still…
How to Share Knowledge?How to Share Knowledge?
in the most optimal ways?in the most optimal ways?
An Information Society Open to An Information Society Open to ALL!ALL!
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• Interlinkages:Interlinkages: how are issues and how are issues and solutions interconnected?solutions interconnected?
• Knowledge sharing: Knowledge sharing: if we know what if we know what we need to know, how do we share we need to know, how do we share that knowledge?that knowledge?
• Multi-lateralism and institutional Multi-lateralism and institutional collaboration: collaboration: working collectively working collectively we can achieve more!we can achieve more!
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS?BY COOPERATION AND KNOWLEDGE- SHARING:
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Global Learning SpaceGlobal Learning Space
Asia Pacific InitiativeAsia Pacific Initiative: Linking : Linking universities in the US, Japan, Fiji, universities in the US, Japan, Fiji, Samoa, India and Thailand.Samoa, India and Thailand.
UN Water Virtual Learning CentreUN Water Virtual Learning Centre: : Linking with universities in Canada, Linking with universities in Canada, Ghana, Thailand and Fiji.Ghana, Thailand and Fiji.
REDMESOREDMESO: Collaboration with 25 public : Collaboration with 25 public universities in Mexico, Belize, Costa universities in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras and Guatemala. Honduras and Guatemala.
Asia Pacific Initiative University Partners
National University of Samoa
University of Hawaii
Keio University
Aoyama Gakuin University
Waseda University
Okayama University
University of the Ryukyus
Asian Institute of Technology
Gadja Mada University
TERI University
UN University
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THE POWER IN OUR HANDSTHE POWER IN OUR HANDSMAYBE WE WOULD PREFER TO FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE WOULD PREFER TO FEEL LIKE
THIS:THIS:
Holding such Holding such power power in our hands: in our hands: Human Human ingenuity ingenuity and and imagination; imagination; Enhanced by Enhanced by
properproperEducation.Education.