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Attitudes, values and pedagogic praxis -
sustainable development in focus
Eva Ärlemalm-Hagsér and Anette Sandberg Mälardalen
University Department of Social Science
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• Students apprehension about the concept
  sustainable development and analyzing pedagogic
  praxis

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Sustainable development

• Brundtland Commission report Our common
• future (1987)
• Sustainable development is development that
  meets the need of the present without
  compromising the ability of future generations to
  meet their own needs.
• Declaration on Environment and Development in
  Rio de Janeiro in 1992, Agenda 21, economic,
  social and ecological dimensions
• Johannesburg 2002, plan of implementation
• economic, social and ecological dimensions
• In December 2002 the United Nations General
• Assembly proclaimed the decade of Education
  for
• Sustainable Development 2005-2014.

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• Children not only will inherit the responsibility
  of looking after the Earth, but in many
  developing countries they comprise nearly half
  the population. Furthermore, children in both
  developing and industrialized countries are
  highly vulnerable to the effects of environmental
  degradation. They are also highly aware
  supporters of environmental thinking. The
  specific interests of children need to be taken
  fully into account in the participatory process
  on environment and development in order to
  safeguard the future sustainability of any
  actions taken to improve the environment.
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  (Agenda 21, 1991, chapter 25)

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• Education as an important agent and key role was
  identified inspire belief that its possible to
  change, action competence, foster values,
  behaviour and lifestyles, learning democratic
  processes, future oriented thinking.
• (Draft UNECE
  strategy for education for sustainable
  development, 2004)

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Sustainable development an ambiguous concept

• criticized as a normative approach
• different understanding of the concept
• political issue

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Education for sustainable development (ESD)

• To foster citizens who can actively participate
  in democratic discussions regarding and develop
  ability to critically appraise environmental and
  developmental problems.
• (Sundell, Öhman
  Östman, 2005)

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Teachers understanding

• Knowledge of environmental problems and
  sustainable development
• Environmental ethical values
• Educational philosophy and teaching skills
• (Sandell,
  Öhman Östman, 2005)
• As a an ethical project
• Building a culture
• Childrens individual sustainability.
• 
  (Björneloo, 2007)

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Method
Subjects 32 students studying half the time and
the rest of their time they work within 30
different preschools in 5 average Swedish
municipalities Empirical data Written degree
project activities for sustainable development
(spring 2007) Analysis four steps of repeated
categorizations based on a latent content
analysis approach (Graneheim Lundman, 2003)

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Results

• The participants defined the concept of
  sustainable development as both conscious
  thinking and attitude for both children and
  preschool staff, now and in the future,
  international and national, in everyday life. It
  is about the relationship between people, but
  also about the relationship between people and
  nature.

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Themes Fundamental values Nature Learning Physical needs
Categories Childrens views Outdoor play Developmental pedagogic Physical play
Social relations The cycle of nature Play Health promotion
Gender equality Seasonal changes Pedagogic documentation Nutrition and food
Cultural diversity Animals and Plants Children as co- researchers
Cultivation and gardening
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• Holistic approach permeated in all situations
  and activities.
• Environmental issue and describe different
  activities in and with the nature and natural
  science.
• Democratic issue were human rights, democracy,
  gender equality, moral and ethic was on the
  agenda.
• A minority of the preschools had never heard
  about the concept.

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Tricky concept

• Everybody can agree because no one wishes an
  unsustainable development
• Panacea for safeguarding the human existence
• Multi-faceted topic that requires special
  features of methods and alternative paths of
  learning

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Conclusion

• To permeate ESD in teaching (children and
  students) as an essential parts of everyday
  activities and practices involves some serious
  thought about
• Attitudes and values - the basis for assertions,
  opinions, ethical discernment and ideas needs to
  be elucidated
• Environmental ethical values, choice of content
  and educational philosophy and re - structuring
  didactical arrangements
• Active citizenship demands critical thinking and
  possibilities to listen to a range of arguments
  and different opinions and to decide on
  standpoints and on further action as well as
  participation and political literacy

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