Learning for a Change: Exploring the Relationship Between Education and Sustainable Development

Vare, Paul ORCID: 0000-0003-3182-9105 and Scott, William (2007) Learning for a Change: Exploring the Relationship Between Education and Sustainable Development. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 1 (2). pp. 191-198. doi:10.1177/097340820700100209

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Abstract

Whether we view sustainable development as our greatest challenge or a subversive litany, every phase of education is now being urged to declare its support for education for sustainable development (ESD). In this paper, we explore the ideas behind ESD and, building on work by Foster and by Scott and Gough, we argue that it is necessary now to think of two complementary approaches: ESD 1 and ESD 2. We see ESD 1 as the promotion of informed, skilled behaviours and ways of thinking, useful in the short-term where the need is clearly identified and agreed, and ESD 2 as building capacity to think critically about what experts say and to test ideas, exploring the dilemmas and contradictions inherent in sustainable living. We note the prevalence of ESD 1 approaches, especially from policy makers; this is a concern because people rarely change their behaviour in response to a rational call to do so, and more importantly, too much successful ESD 1 in isolation would reduce our capacity to manage change ourselves and therefore make us less sustainable. We argue that ESD 2 is a necessary complement to ESD 1, making it meaningful in a learning sense. In this way we avoid an either-or debate in favour of a yes-and approach that constantly challenges us to understand what we are communicating, how we are going about it and, crucially, why we are doing it in the first place.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Sustainable Development, Schematic Studies, Educational Principles, Attitude Change, Change Strategies, Resistance to Change, Environmental Education, Educational Practices, Educational Methods, Learning Processes, Educational Philosophy, Social Change, Sustainability, Inquiry, Adult Education
Related URLs:	Publisher
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Society and Learning
Depositing User:	Susan Turner
Date Deposited:	24 Jul 2014 08:37
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 08:43
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/939

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