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High Level Meeting, Vilnius 17-18 March 2005

Explore the ideas and challenges of education for sustainable development at a high-level meeting in Vilnius. Discover the need for a metamorphosis of our education systems and the key shifts required for a sustainable society. Dr. Stephen Sterling, an expert in sustainability education, shares valuable insights and lessons learned.

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High Level Meeting, Vilnius 17-18 March 2005

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  1. High Level Meeting, Vilnius 17-18 March 2005 Education for Sustainable Development,learning and change - Dr. Stephen Sterling

  2. ‘Re-learning’ ‘This century may well be one of relearning on a grand scale…relearning how we can sustain ourselves on a planet that has limits... This needs to be a core part of learning across society, necessitating a metamorphosis of many of our current education and learning constructs. - See Change-Learning and education for sustainability, NZ Parliamentary Commission for the Environment, 2004

  3. The ability of educational systems to respond… SUSTAIN – ABILITY Depends on Enables RESPONSE – ABILITY

  4. What are the barriers to response? •  the rise of market-based values - a narrowing influence on the purpose and practice of education; • the dominant reductionist approach to understanding - emphasising separate subjects and abstract knowledge; • lack of awareness or understanding of ESD by both policymakers and practitioners; and • structural inertia in educational systems, particularly in the formal sector. • .

  5. What do we know? Ten lessons… 1. that the education of the past is no longer adequate 2. that an information-led, transmissive approach to sustainability education is of limited value 3. that ESD must be participative, real-world based, evolving, and engage hearts, minds and hands 4. that ‘education for change’, inevitably involves ‘change in education’ 5. that ESD involves a change of educational culture

  6. What do we know? Ten lessons… 6. that we need to consider shifts at all levels of education: paradigm, purpose, policy, provision and practice 7. that full realisation of ESD requires systemic rather than piecemeal change     8. that a key shift is from reductionist modes of thinking in education towards holistic modes    9. that change in education must be in tandem with the sustainability transition in society    10. that there is no universal blueprint for change – rather, continuous learning is the process.

  7. Levels of educational thinking Practice Provision Iceberg Policy Purpose Paradigm

  8. ‘Where we are’ (dominant ideas) • Purpose - education as preparation for economic life • Policy - education as product (courses/qualifications) • Practice - education as instruction

  9. ‘Where we need to go’(newer ideas) • Purpose - education for sustainable society, economy and ecology • Policy - education as process of individual and social capacity building • Practice - education as participative learning

  10. FROM: Curriculum as top-down ‘product’ Fixed knowledge Abstract knowledge Teaching/instruction Few learning styles Passive learning Lack of sustainability concepts TOWARDS: Curriculum as experience/situated learning Provisional knowledge Real world knowledge Participative learning Multiple learning styles Reflective/active learning Sustainability concepts integrated throughout Shifts in curriculum, content andprocess

  11. FROM: Disciplinarity Specialisation External assessment Teaching system Formal education emphasis TOWARDS: Inter and transdisciplinarity Broadness and flexibility Continous internal assessment and reflection Learning system Life-long education Shifts in structures and policy

  12. Post Vilnius: Six concerns… 1. that little actually changes     2. that a gap remains between: rhetoric & reality, policy & practice, decision makers & practitioners 3. that insufficient resources are found   4. that ESD policy will be contradicted or undermined by other educational policies and priorities 5. that change is piecemeal rather than systemic 6 .that too much emphasis is placed on implementation - not enough on building engagement and trust

  13. An implementation framework Regarding what we do now: • What is of value that we need to keep? • What might need modification? • What do we probably need to abandon? • What new ideas, principles, methodologies, working methods, or policies are needed?

  14. What’s your vision? • “Recycling • Down on pollution • No weapons”

  15. ‘Vision is absolutely necessary to guide and motivate action. More than that, vision, when widely shared and firmly kept in sight, brings into being new systems’. - Meadows, Randers and MeadowsLimits to Growth – the 30 Year Update, 2005

  16. Contact details Dr Stephen Sterling Independent consultant, and Visting Research Fellow, Centre for Research on Education and the Environment (CREE), University of Bath, UK Email: srs@srsterling.org.uk www.bath.ac.uk/cree/sterling.htm

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