"Active Education for Sustainable Development- From Theory to Good Practice "

1. "Active Education for Sustainable Development- From Theory to Good Practice" ECO-UNESCO Charlotte Ab Ifan Dharsh Pillay Education & Training Officer Environmental Youth Officer

2. ECO – UNESCO Video

3. National Director: Elaine Nevin ECO – UNESCO Established in 1986 • National Environmental Education and Youth Organisation – • Affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs,Centres and Associations. (WFUCA) • Specialise in Environmental Education and environmental work with young people NOT FOR PROFIT

4. RAISE environmental awareness in children and young people. • PROTECT and conserve the environment. • PROMOTEthe personal development of young people through practical environmental projects. What WE Do?

5. Young Environmentalist Awards Programme • Irelands all-island environmental awards programme for young people How ? - Teacher & Leader modules - ECO Youth CHOICES - Youth for Sustainable Development-Peer Education Programme (TY-students) - Environmental Workshops - Events and activities • ECO-UNESCO Clubs Develop Educational Publications Education & Training Programmes

6. Why we Do it? Environmental Sustainability One Earth

7. Environmental Education ? ‘Through environmental education young people gain wider knowledge, experience and understanding of the world in which they live…….begin to appreciate differences in ways of thinking, working and viewing the world……gradually develop attitudes informed by understanding social and environmental issues that affect them personally, locally, nationally and globally.’

8. What is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) develops and strengthens the capacity of individuals, groups, communities and organisations to make judgements and choices in favour of sustainable development

9. Thinking about Sustainable Development…. Definition: ‘… development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’ Brundtland Report1987

10. The Twin Imperatives of Sustainable Development “Securing a world based on social justice and democratic accountability” “Living within our environmental limits” (Porritt, 2008)

11. Video Clip What are the key themes in theclip?

12. What do you see?

14. 2005- 2014 UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development 4 key areas of Education for Sustainable Development • Improving Basic Education • Reorienting Existing Education • Public Understanding and Awareness • Training

15. poverty alleviation citizenship Peace Ethics responsibility in a local and global context, democracy and governance Justice security human rights health gender equity cultural diversity production and consumption patterns corporate responsibility environmental protection natural resource management biological and landscape diversity ESDThemeThemes in ESD include

16. 5 Key Areas of Education for Sustainable Development • Knowledge • Skills • Perspective • Values • Risks

17. 5 Key Areas of Education for Sustainable Development • Knowledge • People need basic knowledge from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to understand the principles of sustainable development, how they can be implemented, the values involved and ramifications of their implementation. Knowledge is power?…

18. 5 Key Areas of Education for Sustainable Development 2. Skills: • ESD to be successful must give people practical skills that will enable them to have sustainable livelihoods and to live sustainable lives. These skills will differ according to community conditions. eg: • The ability to communicate effectively (both orally and in writing) • The ability to think about systems (both natural and social sciences) • The ability to think in time - to forecast, to think ahead, and to plan • The capacity to move from awareness to knowledge to action

19. 5 Key Areas of Education for Sustainable Development 3. Perspectives: • ESD requires perspectives that understand global issues as well as local issues in a global context • Understanding roots of an issue and being able to forecast possible outcomes is part of ESD i.e. • over consumption of consumer goods such as paper leads to deforestation, which in turn is thought to be related to global climate change

20. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Methods The Key to ESD is that it doesn’t teach a particular subject but requires participants to consider different issues regarding sustainable development = deeper understanding of some key principles ie change • Simulation games • Discussions • Roleplay • Brainstorming • Group work • Practical activities

21. To a man with a hammer, everything’s a nail

23. Teaching methods • Active learning • Structured discussions • Simulation games and role-play • Debate • Issue tracking • Photographs , artwork and images • Surveys/questionnaire • Working with texts

24. ECO-Unesco and ESD

25. Young Environmentalist Awards

26. Our 2007 Project:Compost, worms, teabags and beyond… Grosvenor Grammar School

27. Eco Carers 07/08/09

28. Final Tip ! From Grosvenor Grammar School Make it FUN! Don’t take it all too seriously . Remain optimistic. Encourage a few trips and fun days out.

29. William Butler Yeats • Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.