Thank you for the informative discussion that we had last week. Thank you for your facility in English and our apologies for having no Norwegian in our language skill set to call upon.
I suggested that a blog might be a way of sparking and capturing some of the insights and directions we talked about.
Context
-All ecosystems in the world are in decline. We are experiencing greater levels of economic disparity. Social tensions and awareness of these are increasing.
To prepare societies to address these challenges formal educators have been called upon to evolve learning practices (Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005 to 2014, sustainable development goals, Agenda 2030). It is in this context we examine why and how learning takes place within our school systems.
We can go through a number of exercises in identifying what learners should experience through education to prepare them for current and future challenges and opportunities. Conventional teaching overall falls short in achieving these goals. A view I hold is that we cannot get to where we want to go through the conventional teaching world view. The underlying principles and values are not consistent with learning for sustainability and many conventional learning practices/strategies are counterproductive and inadequate (individual focus, subject based, teacher as knowledge delivery agent, etc).
Yet most practice in formal school systems is predominately conventional.
More appropriate learning approaches to support achievement of a sustainable future have been articulated: 21st century learning, transformative learning come to mind (inquiry based, real world connections, focus on competencies, introducing complexity, teacher as facilitator -co-learner). And there are many education reform initiatives with transformative elements.These have considerable support and experience however they are very much minority practices.
Question 1. How does the goal of a sustainable future influence the purpose of formal learning and the experiences students have in it?
-serving the economic system is a main stay of formal learning -yet the economic system is undermining ecological and social ones
2. What values, principles, learning strategies and experiences are consistent with this goal?
-example the principle "All ideas and practices are improvable" -lends itself to an inquiry frame of mind
3. How can educators apply these to their own ways of learning?
-premise -teachers need to experience strategies like authentic inquiry in order to be able to facilitate learning through this strategy
4. How do we bring about widespread change in formal learning practices?
-very pertinent question since in formal learning systems are very resistant to change
LSF has been engaged in supporting change in learning practice at several levels: policy, professional development, learning methodologies, resource support for educators, youth engagement.
In Norway explorations in Science Education, the Nature Backpack program and others has gained experience in learning supporting ESD.
How might we share questions, insights and experiences to help advance learning practice for a sustainable future in our respective jurisdictions?
Your comments are invited please and please reintroduce yourselves when you start in the comment section below.
Cheers,
stan
Stan
Kozak
Learning
Innovation Consultant
Policy,
Professional Development and Programs
Learning
for a Sustainable Future/L’education au service de la Terre
T 519
826-0408
"Education
is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
—Poet and playwright William Butler Yeats
—Poet and playwright William Butler Yeats
