1. The New Generation of Environmental Education as ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) Examples from Denmark, Thailand and Hungary Presentation at 3rd World Environmental Education Congress - Torino, 2-6 October 2005

2. Presented by Soren Breiting, Danish University of Education, Copenhagen, In cooperation with Nicola Bedlington, HQ of ENSI, Switzerland. ENSI is a partner organization to UNESCO for DESD

3. Considering Primary and Lower secondary schools Rationale: Rationale: Developing a clear concept and practice of Environmental Education has been very stimulating Developing a clear concept and practice of Environmental Education has been very stimulating Called “The New Generation of EE” Called “The New Generation of EE” See http://www.uleth.ca/edu/research/ciccte/naceer.pgs/pubpro.pgs/Alternate/PubFiles/ 15.Breiting.rev.htm See http://www.uleth.ca/edu/research/ciccte/naceer.pgs/pubpro.pgs/Alternate/PubFiles/ 15.Breiting.rev.htm How far is NGEE toward ESD ? How far is NGEE toward ESD ?

4. Class work: Investigating the use of a local natural resource Preparation in class: Focus on a ‘natural resource’ e.g. WATER – prep for group work 1. Groups interview older people in the community about how the resource was used in older days and their feelings 2. Interview active people in the community about the same resource: How is it used today? Which problems are there etc. 3. Ask all for their expectations for the future related to this resource: What do people expect to happened? What would they LIKE to see happen? Back in class: Groups elaborate on their findings: Summarizing their interviews Groups elaborate on their own observations: Summarizing their own impressions Each student group prepares 4 big drawings / Posters Outdoor in the community: Back in class:

5. Back in class: Drawing the community concerning the selected resource through time BeforeNow Future 1 We fear Future 2 We expect Future 3 We hope (and might act for) Development Pictures showing The use of this resource in the community in old days The use and problems with the resource today Which future? Development

6. Advantages with this approach. 1 We are not telling students what to think, but how to dig into problems related to development and use of resources We are not telling students what to think, but how to dig into problems related to development and use of resources We help students to see the complexity of development issues We help students to see the complexity of development issues We help build students We help build students ACTION COMPETENCE ACTION COMPETENCE

7. Advantages with this approach. 2 The students will get a lot of personal experienced information from the people (old and younger) they meet – supporting their ‘episodic memory’ The students will get a lot of personal experienced information from the people (old and younger) they meet – supporting their ‘episodic memory’ They will be able to link short-term and long- term effects of change (essential dealing with sustainable development) They will be able to link short-term and long- term effects of change (essential dealing with sustainable development) The results from their investigation is visualized in such a way to make it easy for linking the concrete content to conceptual development The results from their investigation is visualized in such a way to make it easy for linking the concrete content to conceptual development

8. Advantages with this approach. 3 It generates plenty of possibilities for being in interaction with local people of different background and with different interests related to the natural resource in focus. It generates plenty of possibilities for being in interaction with local people of different background and with different interests related to the natural resource in focus. It is a good background for learning to be influential related to own ideas It is a good background for learning to be influential related to own ideas - supporting their action competence - supporting their action competence

9. Former versions of EE - New Generation of EE - ESD Former EE New Generation EE Education for SD Goal: Behaviour modification Goal: Action competence related to environmental problems Goal: Action competence related to developmental issues We (environmentalists + educators) know the solution to EE issues All people should be involved in decisions about the best solutions ? We must stop/delay development There are many possible ways of development ? Balancing the quality of human life and the quality of the environment Balancing the needs of present generations to the needs of the future generations ? The concept of human health isn’t prominent in EE The concept of human health is very prominent in EE ? Focussing on different values Focussing on conflicting interests related to the use of natural resources ? No emphasis between equality between people Much emphasis on equality between people ?

10. Denmark and other Nordic Countries: The MUVIN Project Focus on conflicting interests related to the use of natural resources Focus on conflicting interests related to the use of natural resources Issues in the community – no problems in nature Issues in the community – no problems in nature

11. Research results from MUVIN-DK Students’ real actions related to real environmental problems they have identified themselves are of immense importance Students’ real actions related to real environmental problems they have identified themselves are of immense importance They develop a higher level of interest in environmental problems They develop a higher level of interest in environmental problems They develop more belief in own influence They develop more belief in own influence

12. Results from EE development in Hungary When students work without being ‘behaviour modified’ they become When students work without being ‘behaviour modified’ they become More optimisticMore optimistic More concerned about their own possibilitiesMore concerned about their own possibilities More participatoryMore participatory From Breiting & Csobod

13. Sustainable development is essential about: That actions and activities are influencing our future and How other people's living conditions are now and in the future But we have alternatives and choices daily and political NowThe Past Different futures Which future do we want ? Sustainable development needs democratic participation So does Education for Sustainable Development

14. Quality Criteria for ESD schools Inspiration for schools that want to take sustainable development seriously Inspiration for schools that want to take sustainable development seriously Helping to avoid serious mistakes forgetting real participation Helping to avoid serious mistakes forgetting real participation Making a focus on ESD as a way to develop the whole school Making a focus on ESD as a way to develop the whole school

15. Useful web adresses Quality criteria for ESD schools : Quality criteria for ESD schools : http://seed.schule.at/uploads/QC_eng_2web.pdf http://seed.schule.at/uploads/QC_eng_2web.pdfhttp://seed.schule.at/uploads/QC_eng_2web.pdf From http://seed.schule.at From http://seed.schule.athttp://seed.schule.at ENSI.org ENSI.orgENSI.org ActionCompetence.com ActionCompetence.comActionCompetence.com Environmental-Education.net Environmental-Education.netEnvironmental-Education.net EducationForSustainableDevelopment.com EducationForSustainableDevelopment.comEducationForSustainableDevelopment.com