Creating Social Change: The Ultimate Goal of Education for Sustainability

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Authors
Sharma, Rashika
Monteiro, Sylila
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Grantor
Date
2016-01
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Type
Journal Article
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
education for sustainability
project based learning
social change
transformative learning.
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Sharma, R and Monteiro, S.R.,(2016). Creating Social Change: The Ultimate Goal of Education for Sustainability. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 6 (1) January (p. 72-76)
Abstract
Education is the vital link that brings about social change and generates synergies to address the interconnectedness between sustainability, society and the environment. Education empowers society to assume responsibility for sustainable living. This implies that educational processes and systems can transform perspectives and behaviour patterns, which in turn inculcates sustainable practices in all aspects of human life. Education is a precursor of change therefore educators are responsible for transforming communities and initiating social change. Developing and encouraging an awareness of sustainability in local communities further establishes patterns globally in communities' worldwide. Consequently ‘glocal' synergies are created that ensure future graduates become citizens of the world with an ingrained consciousness of guardianship of the finite world. Contemporary education ought to embed core principles of sustainability which incorporates environmental, economic as well as social literacy into the curriculum. Through education, learners are creatively and critically stimulated into exploring the role of sustainable practice in all areas of human activity in society. This paper expounds the current sustainability strategy developed within a course at an institute of technology based in New Zealand. The course is designed to introduce the concepts and application of sustainability at entry level for a Bachelor's degree. In this paper an attempt is made to showcase the effectiveness of education in re-orienting student thinking to engage and instigate social change for our globalized world.
Publisher
IACSIT Press
Link to ePress publication
DOI
DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2016.V6.621
Copyright holder
International Journal of Social Science and Humanity
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