Education for Sustainable Development: The Choice of Pedagogical Approaches and Methods for the Implementation of Pedagogical Tasks in the Anthropocene Age

Abstract

Sustainable education and education for sustainable development (ESD) have witnessed a deserved number of research studies in the recent years. The present article proposes a holistic research framework for the research on sustainable education and education for sustainable development in the 21st century. The article aims to choose a more holistic research perspective by avoiding a piecemeal approach in education research. Moreover, it proposes some strategically important ideas about the use of approaches and methods for sustaining the generational readiness for sustainable development. The paper proposes a general framework for pedagogy and practice for ESD research which is open, holistic, strategic, sustainable, and integrated. A broader perspective has been developed as the relation of the ecological–cultural–social environment aspects seen in a broader adaptive evolutionary sense as a condition necessary for the development of a human species and the development of these conditions in the evolutionary process. The choice of a broader perspective is proposed by relating it to an observational study on Generation Z that many educators, social scientists and the populations have already started recognising as one of the participants in the intergenerational process. The phenomenon of Generation Z is new; its features have not fully revealed in their apparent form, yet. Furthermore, the generation has not reached its maturity yet, but the development of this phenomenon is inextricably related to the issue of generational commitment, which is also related to the evolutionary development. The observational study has been carried out by involving participants from VECC Daugavpils Vocational School. The evaluation of the participants’ real experience in a wider and broader framework has been used to draw strategic conclusions, which will help keep focus on the need to sustain generational readiness for sustainable development in the harmonisation of the choice of pedagogical approaches and methods.

Changes in Thoughts and Actions as Requirements for a Sustainable Future: A Review of Recent Research on the Finnish Educational System and Sustainable Development

“…Teacher education in Finland is based on separate academic disciplines and a traditional school curriculum. This is problematic regarding the importance of a holistic understanding of sustainability in order to develop new perspectives in education (Fedosejeva et al, 2018). The traditional curricula will need reorganization if sustainability is to be seen more as a process rather than a content.…”

“…That is why it is of great importance to further evaluate education, educational systems and education for sustainable development and deepen the discussions around the problems and possible solutions. As Fedosejeva, BoËe, Romanova, Iliko, and Ivanova (2018) argue, there is a need for a holistic understanding of the sustainability phenomenon in order to develop new perspectives in education.…”

Impact of Reading Frequencies and Attitudes on Early Childhood Teachers’š Teaching Efficacy for Sustainable Development

“…Life-long learning and development are compatible with sustainable teacher development because teachers should be able to meet the needs of todaysí students as well as prospective students. Teachers can achieve the professional development through sustainable teacher development (Hiller & Reichart, 2017;Fedosejeva et. al.…”

“…Teaching efficacy has a direct impact on teachersí motivation, resilience, and performance and an indirect impact on students through their teachers. Studies have shown that teachers with a higher teaching efficacy belief than their colleagues display a higher commitment to teaching (Ware & Kitsantas, 2007, Fedosejeva et. al, 2018 and they experience higher job satisfaction in teaching, experiencing less stress (Tschannen-Moran, Hoy & Hoy, 1998) and less teacher burnout (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007) during teaching.…”

Sustainability Education Using ICT-Supported Dialogue – Towards Transforming Adolescents’ Perceptions of Alcohol in the Punjab, India

“…TL challenges learnerís existing assumptions; induces far-reaching shifts in a learnerís perspective; produces significant impact or even paradigm shifts; changes the learnerís personality; and affects learnerís subsequent experiences (Clark, 1993). Through TL, the learners adopt more inclusive perspectives and world-views (Mezirow,1991;Fedosejeva, et al, 2018). Sterling (2011) has conceptualized the ëthree orders of learningí to clarify pedagogical qualities of TL.…”