Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Engaging Faculties of EducationManitoba 2009

Chuck HopkinsUNESCO and UN University Chairs

York University

Source: UN Population Division 2004; Lee, 2003; Population Reference Bureau

Our pressures on the planet have increased with numbers

1 billion (1800)

4 billion (1975)

2 billion (1920)

6.7 billion (2009)

science

$1 trillion in 1900

$10 trillion in 1967

$70 trillion in 2008

World GDP (trillion 1990 dollars)

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Generating great wealth but paying a great price

• Great wealth without FCC – Full Cost Accounting

Biomass of Table Fish (tons per km2)

Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment; Christensen et al. 2003

19002000

From: Steffen et al. 2004

From: Steffen et al. 2004

Our Student’s Eventual Greatest Challenges

Provide for 50% more people:using less waterusing less landusing fewer ocean food resources

whiletripling the global energy – (carbon free)addressing new issues as they emergedeveloping employable skill sets etc.

The Evolving Concept of Sustainable Development

• Global Change (environment)• Globalization (economic)• Human Development (social/culture)• Sustainable Development

Plus concepts of:• Intergenerational responsibility• Need verses greed /equity• Social justice, etc.

Manitoba’s Sustainability Threats

• Environmental certainly but also• Social issues such as racism, inclusion, equity,

poverty, citizenship, relationships….• Economic issues such as preparing for the

world of work, managing money and larger issues such as creating new opportunities…..

• Plus the global issues that face us all.

Understanding EE and ESDEnvironmental Education, Population Education, Development Education, Energy Education, HIV/AIDS Education, Permaculture Education, Citizenship Education, Democracy Education, Consumer Education, Media Education, Outdoor Education, Experiential Education, Workplace Education, Conservation Education, Anti-Racist Education, Religious Education, Equity Education, Gender Education, Holocaust Education, Entrepreneurship Education, Horticulture Education, Water Education, Global Education, Drug Education, Sex Education, International Studies, Family Studies, Human Rights Education, Women's Studies, Native Studies, Values Education, Natural History Education, Vocational Education, Economic Education, Anti-smoking Education, Conflict Resolution Education, Workplace education, Disaster Prevention Education, Computer Studies, Life-Skills Education, Recycling Education, Civics Education, Heritage Education, Community Studies, Multicultural Education, Anti-Violence Education, Systems Thinking Education, Futures Education, Biodiversity Education, Pioneer Studies, Nutrition Education, Resource Management Education, Self-Image Education, Peace Education, Leadership Education, Cooperative Education, Character Education, Sexual orientation Education…………….(100 plus)

Sustainable Dev. and Education (ESD)

• ESD is the potential contribution of the world’s education, public awareness, and training systems to building a more sustainable future.

• Thus ESD varies from situation to situation depending on the local/global environmental, social and economic threats both current and emerging

Four Major Thrusts of ESD

– Access and retention to quality education

– Reorienting existing education

– Public awareness and understanding

– Training programs for all sectors

Agenda 21 -92, UNESCO -96, UNCSD -98, JPOI -2002

A Question for All Societies

What should our students:• know,• be able to do,• and value,when they graduate?

UNESCO – Purpose of Education

• To Know• To Do• To Become• To live together• (To live together with “others” sustainably)

Global Awakening –Formal Ed.

• Formal education leaders are taking action (CMEC)• Collaboration Regional levels – UNECE, Asia Pacific, • ESD Indicators are being developed• Engagement of core disciplines’ professional

organizations• ESD research platforms being established • New ESD Research Journals• Embedding ESD initiatives mainstream projects • ESD concept linking to ECE, Spec. ED, TVET, Lifelong

learning / adult education• Manitoba an ESD Leader in Canada

UN Decade of ESD (2005-2014)

• Co-coordinated internationally by UNESCO

• Each country/region to develop locally relevant and culturally appropriate response

• Formal, non-formal and informal ed. Included

• www.unesco.org/education/undesd

• Key Agents –Canadian Commission for UNESCO Environment Canada Canadian Council of Ministers of Education

UNESCO World Conference on ESD 2009

• 31 March – 2 April 2009, • 900 participants from 150

countries, 48 ministers and vice-ministers

• Objectives: to highlight the contribution of ESD to quality education; to promote international exchange on ESD; to take stock of Decade activities; to develop strategies for the way ahead

Bonn Declaration – A Call for Action:

• “Promote ESD’s contribution to all of education and to achieving quality education”

• “Increase public awareness and understanding about sustainable development and ESD”

• “Mobilize adequate resources …, in particular through integrating ESD into national development policy and budgetary frameworks”

• “Support the incorporation of sustainable development issues [e.g., climate change] using an integrated and systemic approach in formal education as well as in non-formal and informal education at all levels”

Bonn Declaration – A Call for Action:

At the practice level

• “Support the incorporation of sustainable development issues [e.g., climate change] using an integrated and systemic approach in formal education as well as in non-formal and informal education at all levels”, in particular through the development of effective pedagogical approaches, teacher education, teaching practice, curricula, learning materials, and education leadership development.

Teacher-educators

• Have broad influence– Educate next generation of teachers.– Sit on national curriculum committees.– Write textbooks for elementary & secondary.– Invited to give advice to ministries.– Speak at conferences.– Publish.– At local, regional, and national levels.

International Network Formed

• Met in 2000, Canada,Baseline reports, Agreed to experiment at homeinstitutions. Set up reporting format.• Met in 2002. South AfricaSent in reports and responded to survey.• Met in 2004. SwedenReviewed draft of guidelines.• Met in 2006 FinlandEstablishing regional UNESCO networks• Met in 2008 Turkey - Launch phase 2

Recommendations: Research

• Create a research agenda to address important questions, such as the effectiveness of faculty efforts to reorient education to address sustainability.

• Develop strong arguments backed by research to submit to academic boards to show that education for the future that does not include ESD is not an appropriate education for the future.

Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre:Métis Holistic Lifelong Learning Model

Redefining Success in Aboriginal LearningPrinciples of Learning: FN Emerging Model

Harmony and Well Being: Individual and CollectivePurpose

To protect the earth to ensure sustainability of all life.Principles of Learning

Holistic (physical, emotional, social and spiritual), experience based and cumulative (life-long)

personal and collective (individual and community or societal focused –connected to…natural world, language, traditions and ceremonies, self, family, ancestors, clan, community nations and other nations –intergenerational – nurtured by mentors, elders, guides, etc.)

natural or organic, integrated, dynamic evolving process with depth in knowledge (wisdom) emerging as the ultimate outcome

circular (self-generating) and available at all stages of life promotes responsibility, adaptability and interdependence respectful of place and the natural order of life at its core it is culturally based – language based and open to new

experience and knowledge (Indigenous and Western traditions) can be enhanced or disrupted by physical, social, cultural and political

environment (natural, social, economic and political environments)

Systemic Challenges for both EE and ESD

• vision and awareness• policy or mandate• society’s expectation• funding and resources• training programs• crowded curriculum• research base• models and exemplars

OECD ESD Problems

• Hard to serve students suffer

• Not seen as relevant to testing – reading and math

• Poverty related issues

• Irrelevant to core curricula

• Technical and vocational ed.

• Untrained staff

• Lack of meaningful equipment

The Need for Hope

Speak of solutionsOur ability to change/survive etc Age appropriateEducation verses indoctrinationMinistry guidelinesandOur need to learn by acting and experimenting now

before the worlds poor suffer unbearably!

We will change – but when and how!

Reorienting Existing Education

Currently our mosteducated nationsleave the deepestecological footprints

We have ED systemsfor Dev. RatherThan SD

Reorienting Existing Education

We need more ecological handprints!!

- From all sources!

www.handsforchange.org

Infusing EEMeans Addressing:

Infusing EEMeans Addressing:

Values Principles Perspectives Knowledge Skills

But again in a context of education rather than indoctrination

Infusing EE into Existing EducationMeans Addressing:

• Buildings• Program• Practices and actions• What we value and what we evaluate• Modeling

sustainability

SEdA Domains

• Governance: policy, goals, mission• Curriculum, teaching and learning• Human Capacity: professional development• Facilities, operations, procurement

Community: relationshipsCommitment: System culture and ethosLeadership

Prof Dev. Considerations

• Prof development for all employees including leaders

• PD and teacher education institutions

• Capacity building

• Technology transfer for support staff

• Rewarding innovative practices

Ministries and Faculties of Ed

Learning Perspectives

• Traditional – Learning as “acquisition” modelKnowledge, solutions, true/false right/wrong

• Plus – Learning as “participation” model”complexity, reflexive, reflection, negotiation

• And – Learning as a “response” model”ambiguity in world, taking charge-life, tolerance, engagement

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low high

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Strengths Model: A Starting Point for Formal ed.

• No single discipline/group/teacher/employee can do it all

• Every discipline/group/teacher/employee can contribute something

• Some individuals or sectors can take lead roles in directing/managing the reorientation

• Leadership and coordination of these “strengths” are key as we “learn” our way forward

Energy savings

Geography

Science

Industrial Arts

Economics

Family Studies

LiteracyHistory

Health Math Media Arts

The Arts

IN Phase Two - (2010-2014)

Goals1 - To implement the Guidelines2 - To develop regional networks3 - To further refine the Guidelines4 - To assist in the overarching SD strategies (internationally - local)5 – Research into ESD

competencies, impact, contributions delivery schemes, EfSD vs EuSD