Stimulus information

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What sort of teaching and learning do we need for ESD?

Over the years we’ve been privileged to work with schools throughout the UK as they explore joined-up approaches to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Many of them have focused on teaching and learning – part of the core business of schools.

The experience of these schools – and of others who have worked in and researched this area – shows the importance of teaching and learning that:

• puts learners at the heart of the process;
• supports learners in taking charge of their own learning, encouraging them to become lifelong learners;
• shows a logical progression which is appropriate and meaningful to learners’ age, ability and developmental needs;
• offers stimulating learning resources and rich learning environments;
• makes the links, eg between subjects, issues, other places, past, present and future;
• develops thinking skills including critical thinking, systems thinking and futures thinking;
• encourages informed values and attitudes that support respect and care for both people and planet;
• inspires through doing and through direct experiences with the environment;
• helps learners to see that they have a role to play in building a better future and that they can make a difference.

All these elements help to make up what we call a Learning for Sustainability approach to teaching and learning. For an introduction to these approaches, click on the following link: Planning a Learning for Sustainability classroom topic: A guide to quality teaching and learning.