scholarly journals School Leadership for Sustainable Development: A Scoping Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Idowu Mary Mogaji ◽  
Paul Newton

Sustainable development within educational institutions encompasses an array of objectives as outlined in Agenda 21 (United Nations [UN], 1992). We recognize in this paper that there are cognate terminologies in the field of sustainable development: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Education for Sustainability (EfS), Development Education (DE), and Sustainability Education (SE). As stated in the Education for Sustainable Development toolkit (McKeown, 2002), ESD is the terminology most often employed within UN documents; hence, we also employ ESD because it is the term utilized by UNESCO and at the international level. Thus, we avoid the many debates about these terminologies in this paper. The fundamental interest of this review is to assess the current status of school leadership for sustainable development in the K-12 context. With the help of a scoping review, three literature databases were combed to achieve this purpose. The findings reveal school leaders’ perceptions of sustainable development as well as their motives for engaging in ESD. Our analysis indicates that school leaders vaguely understand the term ‘sustainable development,’ and they interpret ESD from the lens of the environment and society. Thus, the economy component of ESD may be de-emphasized in implementation efforts.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Hallinger ◽  
Vien-Thong Nguyen

This systematic review of research used science mapping as a means of analyzing the knowledge base on education for sustainable development (ESD) in K-12 schooling. The review documented the size, growth trajectory and geographic distribution of this literature, identified high impact scholars and documents, and visualized the “intellectual structure” of the field. The database examined in this review consisted of 1842 English language, Scopus-indexed documents published between 1990 and 2018. The review found that the knowledge base on ESD has grown dramatically over the past 30 years, with a rapidly accelerating rate of publication in the past decade. Although the field has been dominated by scholarship from Anglo-American_European nations, there is evidence of increasing geographic diversification of the ESD knowledge base over the past 15 years. Citation analyses identified authors who have had a significant influence on the development of this literature. Author co-citation analysis revealed three “schools of thought” that comprise the “intellectual structure” of this knowledge base: Education for Sustainable Development, Developing a Sustainability Mindset, Teaching and Learning for Sustainability. Document content analyses led to the conclusion that the current knowledge base is heavily weighted towards critical, descriptive and prescriptive papers, with an insufficient body of analytical empirical studies. Several recommendations are offered for strengthening this literature.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-22
Author(s):  
Bernhard Ohlmeier

Abstract Education for sustainable development (ESD) often fails to consider the political dimension. To address this gap, this paper focuses on a specific political approach to ESD. The model presented is derived from the four sustainable growth targets of German Development Policy. Instead of relying on a neo-classical or neo-liberal economic paradigm, however, the goals of social justice, environmental sustainability, economic productivity and good governance are interpreted using a sustainability model. This model is anchored in a steady-state economy that has overcome the myth of unlimited material growth and seeks to stay within the limits of the planet's resources. The preconditions of good governance are outlined, and it is described how the state and civil society can contribute to this normative goal. In addition to social, ecological, economic and political components, the presented model for civic education for sustainability considers conflicts between different development components and the need for horizontal and vertical coherence. In conclusion, the paper shows that civic education for sustainability must aim to produce informed and empowered global citizens. Citizens should have the ability to employ their knowledge and skills responsibly through local and global civic involvement while also remaining aware of their own interests. Furthermore, it falls to educational policy makers to create national as well as international organisational structures that facilitate civic ESD.


Author(s):  
Mohamed Jama Madar ◽  
Mustafa Din Bin Subari ◽  
Shadiya Mohamed Saleh Baqutayan

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a global initiative towards transforming education for sustainability. The integration of SD into the education portfolio is considered to be an important approach that ensures strategic alignment of higher education with SDGs. A document review was used to identify and discuss the difference between transmissive and transformative education in relation to SDGs and in the context of Somali education. In this trajectory, it is expected that the concept of ‘‘transformative education is likely to become more common to meet the emerging social, economic and environmental issues, yet practical challenges remain in Somaliland HE sector. The roadmap towards addressing transformative education for sustainability is not included in the Somaliland national portfolios; particularly ESD has not been presented. In this regard, this paper proposed a generic framework that spotlights the integration of HEIs and the national development goals (NDGs) in Somaliland. Meanwhile, developed and developing countries are prioritizing structural transformation in their HEIs that are tailored to national and regional development programs. Consistent with the Rio + 20 outcomes, the authors analyzed the concept of the ‘‘sustainable university’’ and identified the fact that it is practically divided into three interrelated and complementary categories, namely social-, environmental-, and economic-oriented university in pursuit of actualizing SD. The paper recommends major reforms in the education sector including availing investment portfolios for R&D, renovation of education goals and transforming universities for sustainability


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-202
Author(s):  
Mafalda Franco Leitão ◽  
Albino Cunha ◽  
Manuela Malheiro Ferreira

The present study is based on research in teacher self-training in Education for Sustainable Development (Leitão, 2012). Water was the motivating theme. The priority of a fair distribution of water, guaranteeing the consumption, in quality and quantity, to all mankind and living beings is urgent. To respond to water-related sustainability challenges, people worldwide need to acquire "water literacy" about various aspects of water use and management in order to ensure safer water consumption and to contribute to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Three case studies were carried out in schools in three African countries: Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique. A model of skills in education for sustainable development was applied (Sleurs, 2008). From the analysis of these case studies the theoretical assumptions of research were strengthened by the effective professional practice. But, on contrary, the results that the pillars of sustainable development presented in the basic research should be reviewed, placing the political dimension as transversal, thus strengthening education for sustainable development as fundamental for critical and responsible citizens of the present and of the future. This experience paves the way for future water-education and education for sustainable development projects; such as the follow-up of these three schools.  Keywords: Sustainable Development; Education for Sustainable Development; Water-education and Water Literacy; Case Study


Author(s):  
Hossam Mohamed Elhamy

This chapter describes ways sustainable development education can be integrated into media education on various levels: institutional or university level, program content, and teaching—learning arrangements. Several chapter topics relate to the relationship between sustainable development and media education, such as the role of communication in development, communication strategies for the implementation of sustainable development, education for sustainable development, and reorienting media education programs to address sustainability. The chapter also details a guideline for media education decision makers regarding planning and implementation of the integration of sustainability and sustainable development on macro levels (institutional) and micro levels (programs structure, content, teaching, and learning).


Via Latgalica ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Dzintra Ilisko ◽  
Astrida Skrinda ◽  
Anita Pipere

The report reveals the contribution of two international UNESCO/ UNITWIN Chair’s peer-reviewed journals – “Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education” (DCSE) and “Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability” (JTEFS) to sustainable development of Latgale. They are international, cross-disciplinary, scholarly and open access journals focusing on diverse aspects of environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability thus enabling one to constructively and creatively address present and future global challenges in creating more sustainable and resilient societies. Both journals aim to respond to the priorities set by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and the Global Action Programme as implemented in LATGALE and in the partner countries. The study reflects on the thematic scope of the two journals that centres on reorienting education towards the goal of sustainable education and sustainable community in Latgale, Latvia, Europe and beyond. In order to respond to the challenges of global community that we are facing today, the research published in both journals suggests how education can contribute to overcoming the current crises in education and community, as well as offers strategies and ways of dealing with it sustainably and responsibly in Latgale. Education for sustainable development (ESD) includes more than knowledge related to the environment, economy, culture and society. It also addresses learning perspectives, strategies and values that guide and motivate people to seek sustainable livelihoods, participate in a democratic society and live in a sustainable manner. ESD also involves studying both local and global issues. The research offers the study of JTEFS contribution to meeting different views, ideas and research to promote further development of studies and practice of teacher education in all areas of formal and non-formal education in relation to sustainability. DCSE is an international, peer-reviewed journal that provides a platform for examination of policies, theories and practices related to the discourse and communication for sustainable education. Since contemporary discourse study has extended its field to the study of multifaceted contexts of discourse, it integrates a broader study of the phenomena of communication in relation to sustainable education. The diversity of the journal is apparent in the variety of its theories, methods and approaches, thus avoiding the frequent limitation to one school, approach or academic branch.


Author(s):  
Anna Vintere

The author has identified different stakeholder cooperation opportunities to implement the strategy for education for sustainable development (ESD) in mathematics education. Particular attention should be paid to mathematics education. Measurement for the implementation of the ESD strategy in mathematics education at Latvia University of Agriculture made by four input indicators as determined by the objectives of the UNECE Strategy for ESD are promoting sustainable development through formal, non-formal and informal education, equipping educators with the competence to include ESD in their teaching, and teaching tools and materials and research on ESD. The measures have been described based on the experience in different cooperation networks: Baltic Network in AGROMETRICS, Latvia-Lithuania cross-border network for adapting mathematical competences for socio-economic development (MATNET) and cross-border network for raising competencies in data analysis technologies (LV-LT-BY DATA ANALYSIS), as well as in cooperation with study programme directors, professional associations, employers and authorities. Keywords: Sustainable development, education for sustainable development, mathematics education, competencies, stakeholder cooperation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Gough

AbstractThis article charts the history of environmental education over four decades - from the 1960s to 2006 - as a rocky road of determined chocolate with the possibilities of rocks (nuts) and easy passage (marshmallow). There were distractions such as suggestions of changing names and new directions (add fruit?) along the way but the road has continued to be well travelled. The article concludes that there is much in common with where we have come from (the 1975 Belgrade Charter) and where we stand now (in year 2 of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development). Where next?


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Ronghui (Kevin) Zhou

This study discusses the current status of ESD implementation in three primary schools and examines factors that have impacted the implementation of ESD in a district of an urban Chinese cities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three primary school principals and three school teachers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged that have impacted ESD implementation in this pilot study are discussed: the definition of ESD, lack of local education support, and exam pressures. The results suggested that ESD is underdeveloped in the selected context of urban China. Further investigation is required to capture the whole scope of ESD implementations in China’s primary education.  Keywords: Education for Sustainable Development; Primary Education; Case Study; Teacher and Principal; China 


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