Nada Pavšer(nada.pavser@guest.arnes.si)

Slovenia

UNECE Strategy for implementation of ESD – RWL

case study Eco-schools

Recall the Strategy :

Strategy for ESD (Vilnius, March 2005):To facilitate the introduction and promotion of education for sustainable development (ESD) in the UNECE region to the realization of our common vision.

The Aim of the Strategy:To encourage UNECE member States to develop and incorporate ESD into their formal education systems, in all relevant subjects, and in non-formal and informal education.

policy driven process, focus on member states

Setting up a “framework”

Translating objectives into questions:

what do we need to know, what do we want to know, which data are available,

what methodology is available

Visions on Education:

Different approaches on education.ESD is seen as a ‘tool’ for policy, used as an

instrument, information and skills to achieve ‘predetermined’ behavioural change

ESD is seen as building capacity for critical reflection, the capacity to ‘learn’ and enhance more participatory approach

ESD : has concrete goals but does not forget to use critical reflection!

MMain approach ain approach

ESD should be addressed in two waysESD should be addressed in two ways::

•through the integration of ESD themes across all through the integration of ESD themes across all relevant subjects, programmes and coursesrelevant subjects, programmes and courses

•through the provision of specific programmes and through the provision of specific programmes and coursescourses (Real World Learning – outdoor classroom, (Real World Learning – outdoor classroom, best practice of eco-schools, best practice of eco-schools, ))

KKey themes of SDey themes of SD in the Strategy of ESD in the Strategy of ESD

poverty alleviation, peace, ethics, democracy, poverty alleviation, peace, ethics, democracy,

justice, security, human rights, health, equity, justice, security, human rights, health, equity,

cultural diversity, economy, production and cultural diversity, economy, production and

consumptionconsumption, , climate changeclimate change, , environmental environmental protection, natural resource management and protection, natural resource management and biological and landscape diversitybiological and landscape diversity

Seven steps to Eco-schools

1. Establishment of the Eco-School Committee:

The core of the Eco-Schools process is that the Committee organizes and directs the school activities and consists of the stakeholders of the school environment, namely pupils, teachers, custodial staff, caretakers, parents and even

representatives of the municipality or local authority.

2. Environmental Review: Work commences with a review or assessment

of the environmental impact of the school. Pupils are involved in this work, ranging from assessing the level of litter on school grounds to checking infrastructure for inefficiencies.

3. Action Plan:

The information from the review is used to identify priority areas and create an action plan, setting achievable and realistic targets and deadlines to

improve environmental performance on specific issues.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

- Following progress tovords targets- Making potential changes of the action plan- Celebrating achievements

It further ensures that environmental education and care are an on-going process in the school.

5. Curriculum Work:

Topics:Climate change, energy, water and waste manegement, biodiversity, …

practical initiatives: saving water, recycling materials and diminishing litter.

Environment, sustainable education and RWL have to be a part of the national and regional curriculum.

6. Informing and Involving:

•ESD directly brings Local Agenda 21 into schools: (parents, local authorities, businesses and the wider community) •ties with external organisations are supposed to be made (mountaineers, hunters, fishermen, scouts,…) in order to benefit from their experience and expertise. •encouragement to consider the wider community when preparing action plans.

7. Eco-code :

Vision of ESD school : Each school produces its own ‘Eco-code’, a statement of values and objectives, outlining what the students are striving to achieve.

It has to be signed by students, principal, teacher –co-ordinators of eco-schools or ESD-schools, parents, local authorities and the mayor .

Evaluation - Awarding Schools

•The National management team that is in charge of ESD school evaluates the programme and awards all the ESD schools that have met the requirements.

•Successful schools are awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag.

•The Green Flag is an eco-label of high school performance in the Eco-Schools programme - it is awarded by FEE through the National Programme Manager.

1. Case study2. Eco document on the ecological awareness of

natureAll the employees are fully aware of the fact that only

positive examples and actions contribute to the education of students into ecologically aware adults.

We solemnly promise that we will:·        work on the SUSTAINABLE awareness of all the

school participants through different activities, ·        strengthen our cooperation with the parents, ·        make new contacts and strengthen the old ones,

community, institutions…

2. Case studyEco code Primary school “Dobje”

 The long-term aims are:•to educate children with a sense of love towards nature and to act responsibly in the environment •to develop positive relationship with the nature which should become pupils' way of life •to emphasize the ENVIRONMENTAL responsibility of the municipality by means of education at school•to stimulate pupils to criticaly observe nature, notice the negative influences and help to solve the problems in the environment 

3. Case study

A solemn promise of our pupils, teachers and parents to nature:

•To respect all living beings since each is a part of a life chain;

•To take care of cleanliness in our classrooms, school and its surroundings;

•To collect used paper and help our parents with recycling rubbish;

•To help birds and pets whenever they need us;

· To be tolerant with everybody who is different from us since diversity makes us rich;

PPerspectives in implementationerspectives in implementation

Development of National Action Plans for ESDDevelopment of National Action Plans for ESD (outdoor classroms programmes have to be a part (outdoor classroms programmes have to be a part of National Action Plans for ESDof National Action Plans for ESD))

Developing competencDeveloping competenciieess in ESD in the education in ESD in the education sectorsector – green competencies – green competencies

Coordination, capacity-building, sharing of Coordination, capacity-building, sharing of experienceexperiencess and raising and raising awarenessawareness

The competencies are clustered around three essential characteristics of ESD:

• a holistic approach; (integrative thinking and practice)

•envisioning change;(learns from the past, doing in the present for the

future);

•and achieving transformation(changing the way of learning and the systems that

support learning).

The competencies are inspired by the report of the International Commission on Education to UNESCO, Learning: the Treasure Within (Paris, 1996)

4. Working group RWL and Developing Career Competencies

(a) Learning to know; to understand the challenges facing society both locally

and globally (The educator understands....);(b) Learning to do; to develop practical skills and action competency in

relation to education for SD (The educator is able to....);

(c) Learning to live together; partnerships, pluralism, mutual understanding and

peace (The educator works with others in ways that....);

(d) Learning to be; personal abilities, judgement and personal responsibility

in relation to SD (The educator is someone who....).

4. RWL and Developing Career CompetenciesHOLISTIC APPROACHIntegrative thinking and practice

ENVISIONING CHANGEPast, present and future

ACHIEVING TRANSFORMATION People, pedagogy and education systems

Learningto know

The basic system thinking

Change from unsustainable practies towards advancing quality of life

Why there is need to transform the education systemthat suport learning

Ways in which natural systems function and how they may be interrelated

Creative thinking and planing the future

How engagement in real world issues enhances learning outcomes and helps learners to make a difference in practice

RWL CAN REALIZE A GREAT

DEAL OF GOALS OF EDUCATION FOR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ESD ESD with RLW and other projects with RLW and other projects would would promote a shift in people's mindsets and in promote a shift in people's mindsets and in doingdoing so enable us to make this world safer, so enable us to make this world safer, healthier and more prosperous…healthier and more prosperous…

THANK YOU !THANK YOU !

For more information For more information Strategy of ESD Strategy of ESD visit: http://www.unece.org/env/esdvisit: http://www.unece.org/env/esd