Although there has been some recent scholarship looking at sustainability and social studies, education for sustainable development seems focused on science education.
But UNESCO, among others recommends a more holistic approach to sustainability education. They say:
The overall goal of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) is to integrate the principles, values and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society for present and future generations.
And their teacher education curriculum appears to follow these guidelines.1
But the former social studies teacher in me is curious. What does it look like on the ground? What attitudes to social studies teachers have towards sustainability education? What about those currently studying to become SS teachers? Are they being trained in how to incorporate ESD into history lessons? In my senior year of high school, I was lucky enough to be taught by a guy that pulled environmental concepts into the social studies classroom.2 I know that was rare 16 years ago, is it now more common?
Today’s idea: Survey and interview SS teachers and college of education students here and in Cambodia about sustainability education. Do their attitudes differ? What about their textbooks?
And does it relate to my previous ramblings about different reasons for sustainability education in the US and Cambodia? Do US SS teachers view ESD differently from teachers in Cambodia?
