Tomorrow Today

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Transformative learning

Moacir Gadotti, Director, Paulo Freire Institute, Brazil

ver the last few decades in particular, humankind

has developed at an extraordinary pace. Undoubtedly

a successful species in the fields of production and

technology, humans have followed a path of accelerated

economic growth that has had a direct effect on the way we

live. Unfortunately though, this way of life we have created for

ourselves is also having a directly negative impact on the Earth’s

ability to support us.

Human activity, and the impacts that our societies have had on the

Earth as a whole, has changed since the beginning of the Industrial

Revolution.

The variables include Northern hemisphere average

surface, population, CO

concentration, gross domestic profit, loss

of tropical rainforest and woodland, species extinctions, motor vehi-

cles, water use, paper consumption, fisheries exploitation, ozone

depletion and foreign investment – all of which have skyrocketed

in the last 50 years.

Because of the huge impact human activity has had, and continues

to have, on our planet, we are in a position where we need to find a

more sustainable way of living. Some preach that while our economy

continues to be built on the assumption of growth, sustainability

initiatives we adopt now are futile. While we cannot realistically

look to slow economic growth, there is a strong case for developing

a more sustainable economic model that allows for growth while

taking key environmental considerations into account. Today, we

cannot just continue to keep developing regardless. It is important

to grow with justice and respect for the environment.

So, what role do education and learning have in helping to achieve

this? If one accepts that the transformation of society and the trans-

formation of people are connected processes, then ultimately,

education and learning are fundamental to the creation of a more

sustainable future.

Modern education systems were born in Europe in the 19th

century at the height of industrial development and, despite the

real diversity between nations that adopted them later, these

systems are generally very similar. In the 20th century, educa-

tion systems were further strengthened by the expansion of the

right to education, enshrined in the 1947 Universal Declaration

of Human Rights. Despite this and the emergence of interna-

tional programmes for evaluating school performance, and the

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), we

begin the 21st century questioning our capacity to promote peace,

understanding and sustainability. Education is part of the problem

and part of the solution. We need to redefine it and we need to

promote transformative learning.

Essentially, the UN Decade of Education For Sustainable

Development (DESD) seeks to integrate the principles, values and

practices of sustainable development in all aspects of education

and learning to meet the needs of the present without

compromising those of future generations. This initia-

tive is, above all, a call for transformative action and

education to address planetary citizenship, and to create

a culture of peace and sustainability that promotes the

end of poverty and illiteracy in the world. It also aims

to promote education for emancipation: learning to

live sustainably, gender equality, human rights, educa-

tion for all, health, human security and intercultural

dialogue.

If we think in these terms, we can consider educa-

tion for sustainable development (ESD) as a great

opportunity to renew formal educational curricula

and align learning with environmental awareness.

Mathematics could involve working with data that

refers to the pollution of the environment or poverty

growth; linguistics could analyse the role played by

mass communication and publicity in consumption

habits; and history and social sciences could discuss

ethnic issues and gender inequality.

Regarding the impact of the concept of sustain-

ability on formal education, we need to consider

two levels. One, the legal level: educational reforms

(curriculum, contents). New behaviours can be

encouraged by the law. And two, the level of commit-

ment in society in general, especially among the

youth. In order to engage with young people and

gain their compliance in living sustainably, they need

to be not just taught, but motivated to think more

compassionately. After all, changing someone’s way

of life is not an entirely mechanical process.

On a policy level, governments need to establish links

between ESD and education for all; recognizing that the

purpose of education is not just to support economic

development, but to help individuals and societies meet

their full potential without undermining the health of

society and the environment at large. But at the grass-

roots level – schools – much can and must be done

by school leaders, teachers and students to integrate

sustainability into all aspects of school life and the

curriculum, drawing out the interconnections between

social, environmental, cultural and economic problems

and achievements. School-level initiatives can respond

best to the contexts, opportunities and needs of particu-

lar communities and the natural environment.

In order for educational programmes to achieve

this, sustainability needs to underline all principles,

values and attitudes taught. This requires the estab-