Characteristics of Sustainable Changes for Schools

Abstract

Characteristics of Sustainable Changes for SchoolsThe article discusses some aspects of the concept of sustainable development and its educational manifestation - education for sustainable development. The concept of education for sustainable development is broadly accepted, but less attention has been paid to the extent to which innovations or changes are sustained over time, what characteristics or factors support their sustainability. The article introduces a model of six characteristics of sustainable changes in schools and changes concerning sustainable development in Estonian schools have been analyzed using qualitative research methods. The model consists of the following characteristics: depth, endurance, justice, diversity, conservation, and capital. According to the model, the positive changes in Estonian schools have been about the national curriculum, internal evaluation system as the basis for autonomy and self-management. The areas requiring greater change are justice or interdependence, diversity - respect for other people and the connections between formal and non-formal education as well as between schools and teacher training institutions.

Opportunities and challenges for integrating sustainability education into k-12 schools: case study Phoenix, AZ

“…Unfortunately, many education programmes and teacher training programmes focus on declarative knowledge (information, scientific facts) (Cutts, Saltz, & Elser, 2008), while neglecting the social components of change and action (Lukk, Veisson, & Ots, 2008). Teachers attempting to move away from didactic, information-intensive approaches face barriers associated with the long and entrenched history of presenting knowledge as ìimmutable information held by expertsî (DuPuis & Ball, 2013, p. 74) as well as the top-down requirements of standards and standardised tests that reinforce lecture and assess modes of education (Lukk et al, 2008).…”

Sustainable Development and ICT in Slovenian Primary and Secondary Schools: Media-Ecological Perspective

“…There are many reasons for the above defined lags, but the main ones are obviously unsatisfying and belated programmes, missing usage instructions and guidelines for pedagogical use, lack of educated teachers and not least the massive financial costs connected with new technologies. Beyond this, the principals also stated that there is a problem with sustaining the activities of ESD over longer periods of time, which obviously corresponds to the problems in other similar countries (for instance, Estonia as described by Lukk, Veisson, & Ots, 2008).…”

An Exploration into the Pedagogy of Sustainable Lifesty

“…A model of six characteristics of sustainable changes in schools was recognized to describe sustainable development in schools. These characteristics are: depth, endurance, justice, diversity, conservation, and capital which served as indicators to the attainment of sustainability [28].…”