1. What is Development Education?

2. Development Education
“an educational process aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing, interdependent and unequal world in which we live
…it seeks to engage people in analysis, reflection and action for local and global citizenship and participation
…it is about supporting people in understanding and acting to transform the social, cultural, political and economic structures which affect their lives at personal, community, national and international levels”.
Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

3. Topics include…
Sustainability, Conflict, Cultural Awareness, Climate Change, Poverty, Inequality, Debt, Injustice, Development, International Trade Regulations, Aid, Environmental protection and preservation, Refugees, Climate Justice, Education for All, Good governance, HIV and AIDs, Health Provision & Immunization, Access to Safe Water, Food security, Hunger, Multicultural Societies, Gender Equality, Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, The right to work, Energy supply, Management of natural resources, Ethical consumption, Genocide, Millennium Development Goals
Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

4. How to approach Development Ed…
What you teach – integrating DE into aspects of your subject area. See NCCA document at
How you teach it – use active participatory teaching strategies, current news stories, imagery, multimedia…
Your professional practice – act fairly and be aware of sustainable practices

5. Learning Outcomes for DE …
Knowledge
Skills
Attitudes
An understanding of development, underdevelopment and related issues from a variety of perspectives (inc. environmental, social, economic, cultural, political…)
Information processing
Critical thinking
Systems thinking
Dialogue & communication
Reflection
Decision making
Self Awareness
Responsibility for action
Respect for human dignity
Empathy and solidarity
Action
Personal change as well as at community, national and international levels.
Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

6. Development Education
Origins of Development Education
Development Education in Ireland & Irish Aid
Ubuntu Network –
DICE Project –
World Wise Global Schools – –
Irish Development Education Association -
Close associations – EE, ESD, Citizenship Ed, Human Rights education…
Development Education (DE) as a concept emerged in the 1970s from the international work of aid agencies and development NGOs who recognised the need to educate the ‘developed world’ about issues of poverty and injustice in the ‘Third World’ (Regan, 2006:108). The principle motivation for doing so was to allicit support for financing of development projects. The Joint UN Information Committee (JUNIC) working group on DE, lead by UNICEF, created international partnerships with NGOs and built links with public interest groups and development action networks. National Committees on Development Education were established in countries across the world and UNICEF established a clearinghouse through which committees, NGOs and field officers were kept informed of new ideas, publications and productions that would support the integration of DE into formal, non-formal and informal education. (UNICEF, 1986)
Ireland was receptive to the DE message. There already existed a strong connection to developing countries through Irish missionary organisations and the support of the Catholic Church furthered emphasised the need for action. In the mid 1970s the Development Education Commission (DEC) was set up within CONGOOD (Confederation of Non-Governmental Organisations for Overseas Development) to promote DE within the non-formal education sector. The DEC engaged in information sharing, lobbying of government on development issues, public education campaigns and the joint production of development literature (Dóchas, 2005:12). The case for DE in Ireland was furthered in 1978 when the Department of Foreign Affairs introduced a DE grants scheme.
While the focus of DE was on issues of poverty and security, environmental issues were also addressed. In an Irish context, for example, the 75:25 Ireland in an Unequal World resource produced by CONGOOD in 1984 identified environment as a key development education theme. In the UK, the Development Education Compass Rose, which originated with the work of Birmingham DEC gave environmental concerns a central role. Development studies more generally placed a growing emphasis on the relationship between environment and development, as is evident in a number of UNDP reports (the Human Development Reports for 1992, 1998, 2003, 2006, and 2007 explicitly address the environment as a key them). In 2000 the United Nations included environmental sustainability as one of the eight Millennium Development Goals and in 2006 the White Paper on Irish Aid referred to the importance of environmental protection in supporting livelihoods of people in the developing world (Irish Aid, 2006b:63)
Development Education in Ireland today – €2.4 million in 2012
In 2012, 38 organisations were approved for an annual grant. The total allocation amounted to €1.638 million. Irish Aid also supports strategic partnerships with organisations working in priority areas including Initial teacher education, third level education, youth sector, and capacity building for the development education sector. In 2012, the total allocation amounted to €873,774.
Ubuntu Network –
DICE Project –
Worldwise Global Schools –
Development Education.ie –
Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) -
Environmental Education and Development issues
The emergence of the term Environmental Education (EE) can be traced back to the 1972 international Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, although education about the environment preceded this. The conference recommended the establishment of the International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) to raise awareness of environmental problems and to build EE capacity across Member States (UNEP, 1972). The Belgrade Charter provided a Global Framework for Environmental Education, stating that EE programmes should be interdisciplinary, involve active participation, have a global perspective, consider both current and future situations and address the environment in its totality (including man-made, ecological, political, economic, technological, social, legislative, cultural and aesthetic) (UNEP, 1975). In subsequent years principles, guidelines and actions for the implementation of EE were developed through the Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, held in Tiblisi in 1977, and the International Congress in Moscow in 1987.
While Environmental Education (EE) focused issues such as acid rain, pollution and depletion of natural resources, it also grew to address development issues. International conferences highlighted that the root of many environmental problems laid in social, economic and cultural factors (UNESCO, 1987:5). Speakers from developing countries at Stockholm in 1972 emphasised that the task of resolving environmental instability was second to providing more immediate needs such as food, shelter and healthcare, they emphasised that,
“for two-thirds of the world's population the human environment was dominated by poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and misery…until the gap between the poor and the rich countries was substantially narrowed, little if any progress could be made in improving the human environment” (UNEP, 1972).
The relationship between the environment and poverty was were further noted in the final report of the intergovernmental conference on Environmental Education in Tiblisi in 1977, which stated that,
“environmental problems are not just those of the detrimental or irrational use of natural resources and pollution. They include problems of underdevelopment, such as inadequate housing and shelter, bad sanitary conditions, malnutrition, defective management and production practices and, more generally all problems which stem from poverty.” (UNESCO, 1977:11)
ESD – Bringing together Development and Environmental Issues
It is evident then that throughout their history the DE and EE movements were each orientating themselves to include aspects of the other. The major conceptual breakthrough in this respect, came with the work of the World Commission on Environment and Development, established by the UN to re-examine global environmental and development problems and to suggest practical and realistic proposals for address them. The resulting Brundtland Report promoted the concept of ‘sustainable development’, defining it as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1987). The concept was about reconciling the interests of the development community with those of the environmental movement. It identified three components to sustainable development: economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity, and suggested that all three could be achieved by gradually changing the ways in which we develop and use technologies (Environmental Literacy Council, 2006). The work of the Brundtland Commission was followed up by the Rio Summit in 1992, which produced Agenda 21 a blueprint for sustainable development into the 21st Century. Chapter 36 Promoting Education, Public Awareness, and Training, focused on the role of ESD in providing access to quality basic education for all, building public awareness of sustainable development issues, reorienting existing education to incorporating sustainable development concerns and ensuring that training programs for all job sectors to reflect sustainable development practice. Ten years later the World Summit (in Johannesburg) recommended that the United Nations General Assembly adopt a decade of education for sustainable development, from 2005 –2014, with UNESCO as the lead agency.

7. Challenges - Development Ed…
Challenges the root causes of under-development, not just the symptoms. (Bryan, 2011)
Going beyond DE that is ‘fundraising, fasting and fun’. (Bryan, 2011)
Recognising negative stereotyping of the developing world (Dochas, 2010)
Do we (or our curriculum) have a eurocentric view of development? Do we see development as ‘modernisation’. (Freeman, 2011)

8. Task 2: What do you think? Prompting questions…
is this relevant to you as a teacher?
should this be taught?
should it be a separate subject?
is it realistic given the pressures in post primary schools?

9. What is education? What is it for?
for employment?
(vocational function)
for socialisation?
(socialisation function)
Outcome focused …
Education…
to develop individuals
to their potential
(liberal function)
to encourage change for
a better world
(transformative function)
Process focused
Raises questions about our philosophy of education and what we value/deem to be important in education
Reveals our ideologies about education, i.e. our ideas and ideas of what education should do for us.
Is our education system competitive rather than caring? Focus on results? Performance targets? Inclusive of all?
For Employment: (instrumentalism – purpose driven)
- development of human capital contributes to a more skilled and innovative workforce, attract FDI, enhance international competitiveness (national interest) Responding to the demands of a globalised economy (more maths and science, more ICT…)
- employment, choices, financial benefits, fulfillment (personal interest)
EGFSN - The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) advises the Irish Government on current and future skills needs of the economy and on other labour market issues that impact on Ireland’s enterprise and employment growth.  It has a central role in ensuring that labour market needs for skilled workers are anticipated and met. Established in 1997, the EGFSN reports to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and the Minister for Education and Skills.
For Socialisation: (instrumentalism – purpose driven)
Develops capacity to act within a community, to build relationships, to act appropriately and effectively
- replicates society and culture (national interest)
- Enables the individual to live within the social mechanism, become enculturated – acting, thinking, feeling as appropriate in that culture
For liberation (intrinsic)
- Education is a good in itself, other outcomes are secondary
To encourage change for a better world (instrumentalism) e.g. promote peace, combat drugs & alcohol abuse, stamp out racism, isolation, exclusion, preservation of environment (YSI activities).
Sterling, S. (2001). Sustainable Education - Re-visioning Learning and Change. Bristol, Green Books (for The Schumacher Society).

10. What is the role of the teacher?
for employment?
(vocational function)
for socialisation?
(socialisation function)
Education…
to develop individuals
to their potential
(liberal function)
to encourage change for
a better world
(transformative function)
The role of the teacher is complex…
Instructional manager (subject & pedagogical content knowledge)
Generous ‘expert’ learner (facilitator of learning)
Caring person
Cultural and civic person
Conway, P. F. (2009). Learning to teach and its implications for the continuum of teacher education: a nine country cross national study, Teaching Council, Ireland

11. …should Irish farmers be subsidised…?
"People are living in poverty if their income and resources (material, cultural and social) are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living which is regarded as acceptable by Irish society generally. As a result of inadequate income and other resources people may be excluded and marginalised from participating in activities which are considered the norm for other people in society."
This is the Irish Government's definition of poverty in its National Action Plan for Social Inclusion
What it means is that people are living in poverty if they do not have enough money to do the things that most people in Ireland take for granted. Poverty can mean not having the money to buy enough food for your family, not being able to afford to heat your home in winter or having to buy second-hand clothes because you can't afford new ones.
Poverty is more than not having the money for material things. It can also mean that you don't have the money for social activities like going to the cinema or having a meal out with friends or to have a holiday. This can lead to people feeling cut off from the rest of society because they don't have the money to participate.
Types of Poverty
In Ireland, data on poverty is collected and published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Two measures of poverty are used by the CSO to calculate the rate of poverty in Ireland: at risk of poverty and consistent poverty.
At Risk of Poverty
This type of poverty is also known as relative poverty. This means having an income that is below 60% of the median income (the median is the mid-point on the scale of incomes in Ireland). In 2010, that was an income of below € a week for an adult2.
Consistent Poverty
This means having an income below 60% of the median and also experiencing enforced deprivation. This means being on a low income and not being able to afford basic necessities such as new clothes, not having the money to buy food such as meat or fish, not being able to heat your home, or having to go into debt to pay ordinary household bills.
See the Measuring Poverty page for more information on the different ways poverty can be measured.
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Causes of Poverty
There are a number of structural factors that contribute to the existence of poverty. The uneven distribution of economic resources such as wealth, employment and infrastructure, and of social resources like health services, education, transport and housing, means that not all people have the same opportunities.
There are also other factors that make people more likely to be poor. One single factor might not be significant on its own, but when these factors are combined they increase the risk of poverty. Factors contributing to poverty include:
Work: being unemployed or in a low-paid job makes people more likely to be poor.
Age: many older people and children whose parents are poor are at greater risk of poverty than the general population.
Health: people with long-term illnesses or who are disabled are at greater risk of poverty.
Education: people who left school early or without qualifications are more likely to experience poverty.
Family: one-parent families are more likely to be poor than two-parent families or single people.
Location: living in a disadvantaged community or in an area with few employment opportunities increases the risk of poverty.
The Effects of Poverty
Poverty has a negative effect on people's quality of life, on the opportunities open to them, and on their ability to participate fully in society. It can be difficult to break out of the cycle of poverty, as poor children are more likely to become poor adults. Poverty impacts on every aspect of a person's life:
Money and Debt: many people who work in low-paid or insecure employment earn a wage that is not adequate to cover the basic costs of living for themselves and their families. Others are dependent on social welfare payments, whether because they are elderly, unemployed, a carer, a lone parent, or have a disability or long-term illness. When people find themselves unable to make ends meet on a low income, they often get into debt. For many people in poverty, access to mainstream financial services can be difficult, so they are more likely to borrow from moneylenders who charge a far higher rate of interest than banks or credit unions3.
Education: growing up in poverty can affect people's future: children who grow up in poor families are more likely to leave school early and without qualifications, and to end up unemployed or in low-paid jobs - which means that they are more likely to be poor as adults4.
Health: people who live in poverty are at greater risk of poor mental and physical health: they get sick more often and die younger than people who are better-off. Factors such as an inadequate diet, a higher rate of chronic illness, a lower level of participation in sport and leisure activities5, and a generally lower quality of life all contribute to lower levels of health and well-being among people who experience poverty6.
Housing: people in poverty are more likely to be dependent on the State to meet their housing needs, whether through subsidised private-rented accommodation or social housing. They are also at greater risk of living in sub-standard accommodation and of becoming homeless.
Social Exclusion: poverty can prevent people from participating as equals in society, from feeling part of their community and from developing their skills and talents. This process is often called social exclusion.
For children growing up in poor families, poverty can mean not having the things their friends have, not being able to go on school trips, or having to get a part-time job to support the family. This can often lead to problems like bullying because poverty makes it harder to fit in7.
References
National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (Government of Ireland, 2007) - available at
EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2009 (Central Statistics Office, November 2010) - available at
Financial Exclusion in Ireland: an exploratory study and policy review (Combat Poverty Agency, 2006) - available at
EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions: intergenerational transmission of poverty 2005 (Central Statistics Office, August 2007) - available at
Fair Play? Sport and social disadvantage in Ireland (Economic and Social Research Institute, 2006) - summary available at
Poor Prescriptions: poverty and access to community health services (Combat Poverty Agency, 2007) - summary available at
Against All Odds: family life on a low income (Combat Poverty Agency, 2002) 11

12. Vaccines without needles
FIRE raced through a small garment factory in the Bangladesh capital today, killing at least six employees and injuring 10.
It comes only two months after the country's worst factory blaze killed 112 workers. Fire service officials said the fire at Smart Fashions, housed in the upper floor of a two-storey building in the suburb of Mohammadpur, appeared to start in a tyre repair and welding shop downstairs. But the exact cause was still to be determined. 12

13. world population = 7 billion
3,000,000,000
People live on less than $2.50 a day
33,000,000
displaced people in over 110 countries
world population = 7 billion
783,000,000
do not have access to safe drinking water
$106,000,000,000
Overseas Development Aid was given in 2005

15. Linking it to the curriculum, e.g. new JC framework?

16. New Junior Cert Framework
8 educational principles, 6 key skills
24 statements of learning
Values of equality & inclusion, justice & fairness, freedom & democracy, respect for human dignity & identity.
Principles: quality, wellbeing, creativity and innovation, choice and flexibility, engagement, relevance and enjoyment, inclusive education, continuity, lifelong learning.

17. Principles: quality, wellbeing, creativity and innovation, choice and flexibility, engagement, relevance and enjoyment, inclusive education, continuity, lifelong learning.

18. Task 3: Choose a statement of learning that links your subject to DE?

19. Recommended Websites

20. Recommended Readings
Book Title: Learning to Read the World , Authors: Audrey Bryan, Meliosa Bracken, Published: 2011, Available to download at:
Book Title: 80:20 Development in an Unequal World, (6th Edition) Colm Regan (ed.) Purchase from
Journal Title: Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review. Available to download at:
Paper: Soft versus Critical Global Citizenship Education, Author: Vanessa Andreotti. Available to download from: