Education for sustainable Development
Education is the fundamental part for sustainable development as a whole for humankind; it cultivates people’s values and thinking; it fosters a dramatic change in human behaviors and lifestyles. According to UNESCO, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) empowers people to change the way they think and work towards a sustainable future. An interdisciplinary curriculum with methodology of sustainable development shall be embedded to make sure students fully understand its concept: A ESD embedded curriculum helps equip students with the knowledge and understanding, skills and attributes needed to work and live in a way that safeguards environmental, social and economic well being, both in the present and for the future generations(UCL).
Research on Education for Sustainable Development
ESD Basic Philosophy
Three Aspects
Three Learning Objectives
Cosmopolitanism
There are many threatening global issues including climate change, global food crisis, water issue, economic crisis, human democracy, aging and other problems; these problems affect our generation in a great way, and they are also indicating what would happen to our next generation and the future earth. No nation can solve any of these matters alone but it needs human beings work together. In this circumstances, we shall bear the value of “cosmopolitanism” as advocated by Appiah: “we have obligations to others, obligations that stretch beyond those to whom we are related by the ties of kith and kind, or even the more formal ties of a shared citizenship; the other is that we take seriously the value not just of human life but of particular human lives, which means taking an interest in the practices and beliefs that lead them significance” (p xv).
What does Cosmopolitanism mean?
An Interview with Qin Jones: Being Cosmopolitan
Project-based learning
& Technology
As a student who grow up under the current China’s education system and now study at NCSU, I learnt that there is a big difference between eastern and western instructions. Students are supposed to be taught more “real” knowledge and trained in various programs that promote their inquiry skills, 4 Cs, global citizenship and their sense of sustainable development. My collaboration skills is practiced through a Project-based Learning of water with Technology. During the program, I worked together with two team members; each one research on different aspects of water including current water crisis, reasons for water shortage, facts of water collaboration and conflicts in continental and regional areas, and other water-related issues. Through the project, we all learned about water issue and other disciplines including equality, climate change, geography, an unbalanced economy development, poverty, health. I also built a sense of global citizenship in a way that whatever I do, I start to think of the influences it may have toward other people. The world doesn’t belong to anyone but everyone at the present and future. We just can not benefits ourselves and care nothing about future.
Technology and Multi-media
Tech Tools/Activities/Resources
A Team PBI Product with Technology and Multi-media
PBI GLOBAL
A Project Designed with ESD, Cosmopolitanism, PBI, Technology and Multi-media
This PBI is based on the crucial issue of Sustainable Development and the essential value of Cosmopolitanism with the assistance of technology and multi-medias. It will help the students understand more about the concepts of Cosmopolitanism and Sustainable Development Goals. With the teacher modeling on the definition, concepts, and contents of Cosmopolitanism and Sustainable Development, the unit begins with students learning, and proceeds through scaffolding inquiry questions and differentiated instructions by selecting and assigning learning materials ranging from reading, videos, and charts; students’ disciplinary inquiry skills are motivated and development during this process. For accomplishing the final products by Prezi/Piktochart/Poster and iMovie, students will form their original idea and creation to make the best product to showcase.
The topic could be quite inclusive and the design has lots of potentialities with compelling and supporting questions to cover many issues and extend to more life appliances. It also means the challenge would probably be assigned the appropriate learning materials to students. The teachers would need to be very engaged in searching materials. Another solution is seeking help from experienced teachers. Besides, having experts come and have a conversation with students is definitely helps broaden students view and attract their most interest in this project. Meanwhile, in order to make the conversation benefit students to the most extent, a close pre-talk with the experts, conveying the unit plan and goals is a must.
Throughout the whole unit learning, students would practice communication and collaboration skills, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and conflict management skills. By creating and exhibiting their products, the project helps learning and inquiry to connect more in the real life, which benefits students in developing a thorough understanding on society, economy and environment.
Though it’s my first time to design a study unit, I really enjoy it. I appreciate module 1 because it provides a comprehensive and inclusive theory which, I feel, is perfected incorporated in my module 3 on sustainable Development. Actually I am very interested in sustainability and did research on Education for Sustainable Development (module 2). These works greatly contribute to my NLGL synthesis. I like try new things and love to be challenged. For me, cosmopolitanism study and PBI design trigger many thoughts and reflections on how to instruct global education to benefit students to the most extent; and this is obviously a brand new learning experience for me too. As of now, I am not sure what the whole learning experience would shape me in my work as HR, but I know all the efforts are claimed fairly.
The topic could be quite inclusive and the design has lots of potentialities with compelling and supporting questions to cover many issues and extend to more life appliances. It also means the challenge would probably be assigned the appropriate learning materials to students. The teachers would need to be very engaged in searching materials. Another solution is seeking help from experienced teachers. Besides, having experts come and have a conversation with students is definitely helps broaden students view and attract their most interest in this project. Meanwhile, in order to make the conversation benefit students to the most extent, a close pre-talk with the experts, conveying the unit plan and goals is a must.
Throughout the whole unit learning, students would practice communication and collaboration skills, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and conflict management skills. By creating and exhibiting their products, the project helps learning and inquiry to connect more in the real life, which benefits students in developing a thorough understanding on society, economy and environment.
Though it’s my first time to design a study unit, I really enjoy it. I appreciate module 1 because it provides a comprehensive and inclusive theory which, I feel, is perfected incorporated in my module 3 on sustainable Development. Actually I am very interested in sustainability and did research on Education for Sustainable Development (module 2). These works greatly contribute to my NLGL synthesis. I like try new things and love to be challenged. For me, cosmopolitanism study and PBI design trigger many thoughts and reflections on how to instruct global education to benefit students to the most extent; and this is obviously a brand new learning experience for me too. As of now, I am not sure what the whole learning experience would shape me in my work as HR, but I know all the efforts are claimed fairly.
References
Appiah, K. A. (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethic in a World of Strangers. New York: W.W. Norton.
Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. UNESCO.
Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002474/247444e.pdf
PBI Global. New Literacies Collaborative. College of Education. NCSU. Retrieved from https://www.pbi-global.com/
Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (2015). United Nations.
Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld/publication
Appiah, K. A. (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethic in a World of Strangers. New York: W.W. Norton.
Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. UNESCO.
Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002474/247444e.pdf
PBI Global. New Literacies Collaborative. College of Education. NCSU. Retrieved from https://www.pbi-global.com/
Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (2015). United Nations.
Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld/publication