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Ethical
: “how should this relate to that?”, “what is wise
action?”, “how can we work towards the inclusive
well-being of the whole system – social, economic and
ecological?”
Practical
: “how do we take this forward with sustain-
ability in mind as our guiding principle?”
Such learning will ideally be reflexive, experiential, inquir-
ing, experimental, participative, iterative, real-world and
action-oriented. The sustainability learner will be char-
acterized by such qualities as resilience, resourcefulness,
creativity, systemic and critical thinking, enterprise, coop-
eration and care. What is required is ‘learning as change’
in the active pursuit of sustainability and in the design,
development and maintenance of ecologically sustainable
economic and social systems through changed lifestyles
and innovation. Such engaged learning goes beyond mere
‘learning about change’ or preparative ‘learning for change’
whichmay be seen as rather more passive steps on the way
to a deeper learning response.
This may sound far from the realities of everyday
educational practice, but experience in the UK, for
example, shows a rapid increase in interest and activity
around sustainability education and learning in recent
years. Thus, while there is still a long way to go in the
higher education sector, many universities – spurred
on by funding council policies (not least relating to
carbon management) and increasing demand from
an engaged student body – are recognizing sustain-
ability as an imperative that needs a whole-institution
response. This has been supported strongly by such
organizations as the Higher Education Academy
6
and the Environmental Association for Universities
and Colleges,
7
which play an important facilitative
role in developing and energizing networks of key
institutions and individuals, undertaking research
and spreading good practice. At the the same time,
lead institutions are pushing the pace of change for
the sector as a whole. This includes the University of
Plymouth, where the whole-institution programme
working on Campus, Curriculum, Community and
Culture over the last five years now sees sustainability
linked strongly to enterprise as the touchstones of the
university’s identity and work.
8
Last chance to make a difference
The UK Future Leaders Survey 2007/08, which inter-
viewed some 25,000 young people in the UK, makes
it clear that they are “intensely aware of the big chal-
lenges facing the planet”, but also notes that they are
the last generation with a chance to put things on
a more sustainable course. Given this critical chal-
lenge, learning for sustainable development now
needs to be absolutely central to educational policy
and practice and enmeshed with all other agendas.
As a recent UK report on education for sustainable
development in the UK shows,
9
at this point, we can
be cautiously optimistic – but the unsustainability
clock is still ticking.
and learning over recent years. Yet there is potential for confusion
amongst those coming to it for the first time, given all the lists of key
concepts, values and skills that various writers and bodies suggest
are essential in learning for sustainable development.
5
I would suggest that the newly interested policymaker or prac-
titioner look for commonality between the various frameworks,
regarding them as indicative rather than prescriptive. They are there
to be used, edited, critically discussed and adapted as part of the
learning process, rather than adopted wholesale.
Whilst lists of sustainability-related concepts, skills and values are
beneficial, at a more fundamental level, it is the change of perspec-
tive and learning culture which is key in order to move us away from
the perspectives and culture that have supported unsustainability.
In terms of educational practices, it means that curriculum design-
ers and teachers develop learning situations where the potential for
transformative learning experiences, both for themselves and their
students, is made more likely. In essence, this shift can be expressed
in terms of eight key questions that can help unlock thinking when
considering any issue:
Holistic
: “how does this relate to that?”, “what is the larger context here?”
Critical
: “why are things this way, in whose interests?”
Appreciative
: “what’s good, and what already works well here?”
Inclusive
: “who/what is being heard, listened to and engaged?”
Systemic
: “what are or might be the consequences of this?”
Creative
: “what innovation might be required?”
Gardens at the University of Plymouth are being opened for environmental teaching
Image: University of Plymouth