The long journey ofEducation for SustainableDevelopment

Prof. Dr. Inka Bormann

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OutlineESD from its‘ beginnings until today – institutionalisation, thematisation andrecent developments

1. Stages of institutionalising Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

2. Forms of thematising Sustainable Development in the Education System

3. Recent focusses in research on ESD

4. Embeddedness of ESD in primary education

5. Starting points: Values and knowledge among youth

6. Propects

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1. Stages of institutionalising Education for Sustainable Development

1. Introduction and legitimation of Sustainable Development as a politicalgoal (1970ies-2000)

2. Politisation of education: importance of education on dealing with politicaland societal challenges (1990ies-2000s)

3. Educational processing of political tasks: Education for SustainableDevelopment (mid 1990ies-today)

4. Embedding of ESD into policy and research (early 2000s-)

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2. Forms of thematising SustainableDevelopment in the Education System

1. Sustainable Development as an object of education (1990ies)

2. Development of a distinct approach on ESD (1990ies-)

3. Scientification of ESD (early 2000s-)

4. Transfer and integration of ESD (today)

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Stages of institutionalisation and forms of thematising ESD

1970ies 1980ies 1990ies 2000s

SD as a political goal and challengeeducation as a

driver fordealing with

challenge

educationalprocessing ofpolitical tasks

SD as objectof education

ESD as an distinct

approach

scientificationof ESD

embeddingESD into

policies andresearchagendas

transfer andintegration

of ESD

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3. Recent focusses in research on ESD

1. Constallations of actors in the transfer of ESD

2. Measuring ESD and its outcomes

3. Quality assurance, development and documentation (monitoring andreporting)

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schoolsEmbedding of ESD in primary education curricula(Arnold/Carnap/Bormann 2016 on behalf of Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher)

• Objectives: description of ESD embedding into primary education curricula understanding of ESD expected competencies

• Method download of selected primary education curricula from all federal state ministries‘ of

education websites application of UNECE sub-indicator 2.1.1 – list of key themes

peace studies, poverty alleviation, cultural diversity, ecological principals/ecosystem approach, citizenship, democracy and governance; environmental protection; natural resourcemanagement; corporate social responsibility; production/consumption patterns

“profile” for each federal state’s curricula

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schools• Results

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schools• Results

wide spread of key themes, partly recognizable as holistically interconnected

in 3 of of 16 federal states‘ curricula ESD is explicitly mentioned among them also 3 recently published / enforced curricula in only 4 out of 16 federal states‘ curricula for primary education AND elementary

education ESD is explicitly mentioned

childrens‘ expected outcomes mainly refer to general competencies

educators‘ competencies to teach ESD are extremley rarely mentioned

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schools

• (School) education is an important contribution for developing action intentions

• The higher the level of education the more people are willing to advocate forsustainability

• In well-posed families issues of sustainable developement are more oftendiscussed

(Michelsen/Grunenberg/Rode 2011: 185f.)

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schools

(Green at fifteen?!)

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4. Embedding of sustainability at schools

(Green at fifteen?!)

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5. Outcomes I

Average future orientation and present orientation according to type of school andyear

(Reinders 2005)

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5. Starting points I

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5. Starting points II

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5. Starting points III

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5. Starting points IV

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6. Summarizing conclusions• journey of ESD is an example of democatric engagement in itself

• diversification of subjects of ESD research illustrates the focus on mechanisms ofESD transfer

• transfer takes place in different societal areas, special focus on schools

• primary education curricula only partly refer to ESD, but allow for integration ofESD

• young adult‘s values and interests largely seem to be compatible with key themesof sustainable development

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Lebenswelt(en) von Jugendlichen• (schulische) Bildung wichtiger Baustein auf dem Weg zu Nachhaltigkeit

• viele aktive Schulen mit unterrichtlichen und außerunterrichtlichen Angeboten

• Schulbildung trägt zur Entwicklung von Interesse und Handlungsintentionen bei

• und scheint Bedeutsamkeit von Umweltthemen positiv zu beeinflussen

• Werte und Zukunftsorientierungen beziehen sich v.a. auf Bewältigung des eigenen Lebens

• Klimawandel wird zwar als bedrohlich wahrgenommen, aber in Verantwortung der Politik gelegt

• Interesse durchaus vorhanden, aber teilweise fehlendes bzw. fehlerhaftes Wissen

• auch abhängig von Bildungs-/sozialem Status des Elternhauses

• geringeres Umweltwissen korrespondiert mit Zukunftsoptimismus

• Umweltwissen stammt v.a. aus Schule und Medien

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Umweltwissen von Jugendlichen: Verteilung II

(Green at fifteen?!)

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Umweltwissen von Jugendlichen: Eltern I

(Green at fifteen?!)

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Umweltwissen von Jugendlichen: Eltern II

(Green at fifteen?!)