Mapping the sustainable Mapping the sustainable development curriculadevelopment curricula

Jenny ElliottJenny Elliott

Principal Lecturer in GeographyPrincipal Lecturer in Geography

School of the Environment and School of the Environment and Technology (from August 1Technology (from August 1stst))

What am I doing here?What am I doing here?

Chambers (1988) Pre-Chambers (1988) Pre-requisites for sustainable requisites for sustainable rural livelihoods rural livelihoods

A learning process-A learning process-approach to development approach to development planningplanning

Peoples priorities are put Peoples priorities are put firstfirst

Secure rights and gainsSecure rights and gains Sustainability through Sustainability through

self-helpself-help Staff calibre, commitment Staff calibre, commitment

and continuityand continuity

How to conserve resources and meet human development needs?

Education Education aboutabout sustainable sustainable developmentdevelopment

Ten years of Level 2 module Ten years of Level 2 module ‘Sustainable Development’ ‘Sustainable Development’ becoming harder and harder becoming harder and harder ‘to teach’‘to teach’

What things should students What things should students know about SD?know about SD?

What weight should I be giving What weight should I be giving to the skills being developed to the skills being developed through this education?through this education?

How important is the way that How important is the way that students are learning?students are learning?

Does the module have any Does the module have any impact on how students impact on how students engage in SD beyond the engage in SD beyond the classroom?classroom?

ESD: Education for Sustainable ESD: Education for Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

‘‘Whether we view sustainable development as our greatest challenge Whether we view sustainable development as our greatest challenge or a subversive litany, every phase of our education system is being or a subversive litany, every phase of our education system is being urged to declare its support for education for sustainable urged to declare its support for education for sustainable development’ (Vare & Scott, 2007: 1)development’ (Vare & Scott, 2007: 1)

Educational and learning processes that lead towards the Educational and learning processes that lead towards the development of,development of,• the values and awarenessthe values and awareness• the knowledge and understanding and the knowledge and understanding and • the skills and competencies the skills and competencies

required for achieving a more sustainable societyrequired for achieving a more sustainable society

Addressing the sustainability agenda through the curriculum the Addressing the sustainability agenda through the curriculum the most important contribution HEIs can make but also the least most important contribution HEIs can make but also the least developed? (Martin & Jucker, 2005)developed? (Martin & Jucker, 2005)

GEES disciplines as natural home GEES disciplines as natural home for ESD?for ESD?

Society-environment interrelationships at Society-environment interrelationships at corecore

Historically a place in which students Historically a place in which students become educated become educated aboutabout the environment the environment and develop graduate skills and and develop graduate skills and competencies competencies throughthrough the environment the environment

But what about education But what about education forfor sustainable sustainable development, what does this look like and development, what does this look like and how best to advance this agenda?how best to advance this agenda?

Embedding SD in Geography and Embedding SD in Geography and Environmental Sciences at BrightonEnvironmental Sciences at Brighton

2005-06 small research grant from Subject 2005-06 small research grant from Subject CentreCentre

3 principal activities3 principal activities• Audit of existing curriculaAudit of existing curricula• Focus group work with studentsFocus group work with students• Extending work with CUPP and the Extending work with CUPP and the

‘Community and Personal Development’ ‘Community and Personal Development’ module in particularmodule in particular

The curricula auditThe curricula auditKey ‘ESD terms’Key ‘ESD terms’

Civil societyCivil societyCitizenshipCitizenshipCommunity participationCommunity participationCorporate social responsibilityCorporate social responsibilityNatural resource managementNatural resource managementEnvironmental conservationEnvironmental conservationEnvironmental managementEnvironmental managementEnergy conservationEnergy conservationHeritage managementHeritage managementEcosystem Ecosystem GovernanceGovernanceEquityEquitySocial justiceSocial justiceImpact assessmentImpact assessmentInequality/povertyInequality/povertyGreen/greeningGreen/greeningSustainableSustainable

SD

Economic objectives

Ecological

objectivesSocial objectives

Principles of SD: Living within environmental limitsUsing sound science responsiblyAchieving a sustainable economyPromoting good governanceEnsuring healthy and just society

Geography Biology Built Environment Plumpton

Impact assessment Ecosystem Impact assessment Environmental conservation

Civil society Environmental management

Energy conservation Environmental management

Governance Environmental conservation

Governance Impact assessment

Natural resource management

Natural resource management

Environmental conservation

Ecosystem

Inequality Civil society Civil society Sustainability

Environmental conservation

Governance Life cycle analysis Governance

Sustainability Citizenship Natural resource management

Greening

Poverty Climate change Citizenship Natural resource management

Environmental management

Equity Civil society

Equity Community participation

Corporate social responsibility

Ecosystem Environmental management

Biodiversity

What we were doing…What we were doing…

Why?Why?

ESD Thrust Geography Biology Built Environment

Plumpton

To gain knowledge about

42 74 41 76

To acquire useful skill/technique

16 17 32 24

To encourage adoption of a different value/attitude towards others/future

42 9 27 0

Broad findingsBroad findings

Extensive teaching related to ESD going on in Extensive teaching related to ESD going on in the Facultythe Faculty

No programmes as yet that explicitly identify No programmes as yet that explicitly identify ESD in course aimsESD in course aims• Underplayed resource?Underplayed resource?• New course development?New course development?• institutional support now at ‘highest level’?institutional support now at ‘highest level’?

Different areas have varied emphasesDifferent areas have varied emphases• Do we have the right fit for our disciplines, Do we have the right fit for our disciplines,

professions, student employment?professions, student employment?

Next steps in Geography DivisionNext steps in Geography Division

How far do we want the purpose and learning outcomes How far do we want the purpose and learning outcomes of our courses to be about preparing students for of our courses to be about preparing students for tackling sustainable development?tackling sustainable development?• Time/inclination for heated debate?Time/inclination for heated debate?• Staff development needs?Staff development needs?

Do we have a coherent and comprehensive programme Do we have a coherent and comprehensive programme for SD?for SD?• Back to the auditBack to the audit• Linkages between content, holistic understandings, academic Linkages between content, holistic understandings, academic

rigour, progression in learning?rigour, progression in learning?• Which skills are learnt, where that enable students to make use Which skills are learnt, where that enable students to make use

of that understanding now and as graduates?of that understanding now and as graduates?

What I am learningWhat I am learning Didactic approaches to teaching not best suited to learning about Didactic approaches to teaching not best suited to learning about

the complexities and uncertainties inherent in SD or for encouraging the complexities and uncertainties inherent in SD or for encouraging open-ended, reflective learning required of us allopen-ended, reflective learning required of us all - nor will curricula change come from ‘the top’!- nor will curricula change come from ‘the top’!

Back to Robert Chambers:Back to Robert Chambers:• ‘‘handing over the stick’handing over the stick’• Participatory learning and actionParticipatory learning and action• Relevance to own contextsRelevance to own contexts• Real difficulties of understanding and valuing other people’s knowledges Real difficulties of understanding and valuing other people’s knowledges

and viewsand views• Choices and trade-offs requiredChoices and trade-offs required

No blueprints! Curriculum change – if it is going to happen, is going No blueprints! Curriculum change – if it is going to happen, is going to be a learning process just like sustainable developmentto be a learning process just like sustainable development