Member Profile
Stephanie Hodge
| Screen Name | shodge1 | Activities | 1 |
| Member Since | Aug 8, 2013 | CoLab Points (actual) | 0 |
| Country | Canada | CoLab Points (max. potential) | 0 |
Mrs. Stephanie Hodge has MPA-Major Focus in Environmental Science for Policy and Ecosystem Management, Harvard University (2006), MA in International and Comparative Education, University of East Anglia (1997) - major applied research methods and International Basic Education. Hodge completed full time postgraduate studies in economics and politics at Carleton University (1989-1990), and holds two undergraduate degrees from Canada’ s Memorial University concentration in education, physical education and geography studies. She studied Environmental Leadership at Berkeley 2002 and Natural Resource Management/ Environmental Economics at the World Bank and CIHEAM, Spain 2003. She completed Certificate in theFuture of Learning @HARVARD ED 2013. Ms. Hodge academic interests include the synergies and inter -linkages between human rights, children’s rights to education including the rights of children with disabilities to education in particular, climate change, education, environment and development, democratic governance, conflict prevention and disaster risk reduction.
https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/342413
Summary Report: Education for Sustainable Development Discussion
Facilitator's note: Find attached and below the synthesis report from the Education for Sustainable Development Discussion, compiled by discussion moderators, Stephanie Hodge, UNICEF & Yoko Mochizuki, UNESCO
1. Introduction
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them" - Albert Einstein
The Global Thematic Consultation on Environmental Sustainability and specifically Education for Sustainable Development in the post-2015 Development Agenda ran from April 29th – May 17th 2013, and was co-led by Stephanie Hodge with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Yoko Mochizuki with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). There were 158 contributions to the discussion, from individuals, NGOs, consultants, policy centers, researchers and educators. Discussants participated from diverse geographical locations, with contributions from: Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, Estonia, France, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
There was overall general consensus that education, be it formal, non-formal or informal, is the key to sustainable development. However, the greatest challenge to sustainable development, environmental sustainability and education for sustainable development (ESD) is the current socioeconomic system in place. Ultimately, the discourse on education and sustainable development needs to induce a paradigm shift, in terms of political ideologies, global economic structures and our global cultural dynamics. The post-2015 development agenda needs to first and foremost address the socioeconomic system, as ESD is only a means to developing a more effective education model, and not the solution to sustainability challenges.
Having said this, ESD is still a critical lever for sustainable development. Sustainable development cannot be achieved by political agreements, financial incentives and technological solutions alone. We need to change how we think and act, and that is where ESD has a critical role to play. No doubt education is shaped by society, but education also shapes society in profound ways. ESD can contribute to making education systems not only responsive to, and prepared for, current and emerging challenges, but also a truly proactive force in triggering market and political pressures to move the sustainable development agenda forward by empowering us all to make informed decisions as citizens, workers and consumers.
2. Moderators Key Points
Schooling is currently inequitable and ineffective (27 posts). Schooling in many parts of the world has failed to be inclusive and relevant, often reproducing socio-economic inequalities (based on gender, class, ethnicity and other ascribed attributes), driving people to pursue material prosperity rather than human and ecological well-being. Additionally, considering the cross-cutting nature of education, this reinforcement of inequalities will hinder not only the education goals but also the overall development goals.
ESD has focus on issues of equity in and through education (39 posts). Therefore post-2015 education goals and initiatives need to focus on rights-based, quality, inclusive and transformative education — the main tenets of ESD. Moreover, ESD needs to be integrated in other development sectors, as this will strengthen capabilities and capacities and overall resilience, especially within vulnerable populations.
Redefine “quality” education (31 posts) to one that is inclusive of both Western and local knowledge, and draws on learners cognitive (thinking and reasoning), affective (emotional) and practical (action) potentials and capacities in and out of classroom, and imparts values of ecological integrity and equitable prosperity.
Children’s participation (11 posts) is a vital component to ESD and sustainable development. Through their inclusion in the democratic and participatory process to planning, children will first better understand what a democratic process entails, and through their involvement in the decision making process will be empowered to take action in their communities — the ultimate goal of ESD.
Current education system reinforces a hegemonic production and control of knowledge (6 posts), which are based on the interests of dominant groups — both nationally and internationally. Therefore there is a need for the reorientation of education, which is the foundation of ESD. This reorientation steers away from the current western dominant unstable education model, and equips all learners with knowledge (scientific and traditional), skills and values needed for shaping a sustainable world. Moreover, ESD calls for the reorientation of current practices in all sectors of the society, not only within education and academia.
Education planning needs to be participatory and cross-sectoral (12 posts), where all groups’ learning needs are respected and incorporated within the curricula and pedagogy that is principle and value based. It is also imper iative that leaders at all levels and within all sectors are engaged in the environmental sustainability discussions and planning.
Global citizenship (7 posts) is one of the main thematic issues within ESD. Current mainstream education is focusing on national curricula content to meet the economic and identity needs of the nation states. Given our interconnectedness in this globalized world, however, education needs to foster the understanding that our actions today have implications for people living in other parts of the world as well as for future generations. Fostering global citizenship in the context of ESD, therefore, is not primarily about producing human resources marketable in the global labor market. Rather it is about fostering citizens who understand not only the importance of intercultural dialogue, democracy and respect for cultural diversity (the question of how we relate to each other) but also the need to change how w! e relate to our ecosystems that support our lives, livelihoods and life. ESD is not only calling for behavior modification in a pre-determined direction but also new understandings, dispositions, attitudes and values that reflect the local, national and global needs in order to ensure environmental sustainability through social and environmental justice. Moreover, education should remain relevant to the global knowledge economy, incorporating new knowledge and skills that will allow for the work force to compete globally, while respecting cultural diversity.
3. Envisioning the post-2015 agenda: Key messages from contributors
Contributors are hopeful that the post 2015 discussions will influence global institutions, policy makers with the United Nations and other global development organizations. However, a large concern was that the e-discussions, much like education planning, did not capture the knowledge and voices of those on the grassroots, and therefore there is danger that the current status quo will remain when only leaders and Ministries are lobbied to participate in the planning process.
Education for behavior change (19 posts) is two-fold within ESD; on the one hand it can be used as a tool to change behavior, on the other hand education must also be operationalized to shape new behavior. The behavior to be shaped is one that reflects a value and conservation of the environment, as well as resilience to climate change and environmental risks. ESD as quality, inclusive and transformative education will contribute to creating equitable, sustainable and resilient societies. Contributors noted the importance of training teachers on how to be role models, as well as encouraging them to employ experiential and participatory learning. As a contributor from the Center for Environment Education (CEE) in India observes, successful behavior change programming is a consequence of a flexible learning process highlighted with practical activities and coupled with mentoring from teachers, parents and other adults.
Education for poverty reduction (12 posts) in order for the poor and vulnerable to escape intergenerational poverty, education needs to increase access to all and encourage resiliency and local innovation to ensure productivity and upward social and economic mobility. However, in order for this to occur, there needs to be a change in the current economic policies. Discussants debated on the notions and values underpinning capitalist, socialist and communist economic systems, and which system would bring about greater equality. Although there was no consensus, what all discussants agreed upon was the disconnect in the current dominant system of thought, which is both western and capitalistic, and unsustainable. Moreover, there is an overemphasis on economic growth, however as the past 50 years have proven, economic growth does not equal development. Although an alternative to the capitalist model was not agreed upon, discussants agree! ed that both economic and education models need to be based on ethics and values which will ensure sustainability. They also called for a model that would foster creativity and respond quickly to existing and emerging challenges.
Instilling the values and ethics for sustainable societies (13 posts) is the cornerstone of ESD and sustainable development. The education system should not only focus on intellectual and technological growth, but should be rooted in principles, ethics, and values of a society which embodies the importance of the environment, promotes collaboration and is free of elitism, classism, sexism and other forms of exclusion and oppression. To have an education system that is based on a moral philosophy and promotes moral education will ultimately lead to sustainable development. Broad values—with ethical, ideological, socio-cultural and aesthetic dimensions—that lead to sustainable societies will need to be agreed upon, and should be the foundation of the education framework. However, how these values are determined and transferred through education needs to be part of the continued discourse on ESD and environmental sustainability.
ESD is lifelong learning and cross sectoral (10 posts), and in order to truly affect behavior change towards sustainable development, ESD needs to be mainstreamed in the education system from early childhood education through to tertiary education, within adult education, and in non-formal education programming. Moreover, as environmental sustainability challenges are complex and interconnected, an interdisciplinary approach is needed to tackle them. It is therefore crucial to including ESD within other sectors such as economics, business, politics, health, etc. Additionally, recognizing that parents and communities are a large influence on children, ESD programming and principles should be transmitted to these stakeholders.
Curricula and pedagogy (23 posts) are the most vital component of ESD. Discussant agreed that the curricula should not only be limited to environmental education and environmental awareness, such as through mainstreaming climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into the education sector, but students should also learn about the political and economic context of environmental issues. Deeping students’ understanding of ecological, economic and socio cultural systems that impact their lives, livelihoods and living directly will motivate them to take informed decisions and responsible actions, for example taking initiatives for reducing inequalities within their communities, nations or globally or for sustainable consumption and lifestyles. Curricula and pedagogy should be context specific in order for it to be effective and relevant. It should also be based on child-centered learning and promote an ability to think critically and creatively. Practices that may promote these skills are peer-to-peer learning, and self-directed learning as suggested by the student organization “Healthy Planet” from the United! Kingdom. Discussants called for an intergenerational collaboration on curricula in order for it to be relevant, give students the ownership and agency of their learning, and a chance to explore their learning passions, under the assumption that education should empower and not oppress the students.
Education, training and capacity building (4 posts): ESD encompasses education, public awareness and training for all sectors. Education and training systems need to focus on building human capacities to cope with existing and emerging sustainability challenges. Training institutions such as agricultural colleges, engineering schools, and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions should be used as vehicles for building “green skills” such as ecosystem management and other human capacities for a green economy. Moreover, through capacity building, barriers to north-south technology transfer will be diminished. To this end, as a discussant suggested, creating a platform for more communication and exchange of knowledge internationally would be beneficial to the ESD and education agenda. Within the theme of capacity building, discussants also spoke about using universal education to contribute to strengthened capacity and capabilities of societies. With the mainstreaming of ESD and environmental sustainability in all sectors, more sustainable practices would be applied to all professions and sectors.
4. Suggestions & Recommendations
Prioritize ESD and education (2 posts) in environmental sustainability and sustainable development goals.
Investments in development initiatives should be redirected to sustainable technologies and carbon technologies (7 posts), using education institutions and learning initiatives to encourage more local innovation and the improvement of a broken system of technology transfer.
Involve private sector (4 posts) in discussion and education planning for environmental sustainability. It is imperative that businesses integrate developmental plans into their business models in order to ensure sustainability. Moreover, as financing education is costly, this sector can be involved in financing. A more knowledgeable business sector, practicing environmentally sound practices will also lead to the development of sustainable societies. Within this sector, the media and advertising houses can also be leveraged to increase awareness and sensitization on environmental issues. Moreover, as media has a significant effect on consumerism, a reorientation of media is also needed in order to achieve sustainability. Additionally, ESD and environmental sustainability goals should target business schools and management related academic institutions in order to transform business and economy.
Engage leaders (3 posts) at all levels, as well as educators and students in the education planning process, as ESD and environmental sustainability goals are fragmented and piecemeal.
5. Further Dialogue
"Education either functions as an instrument...to bring about conformity, or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women...discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." -Paulo Freire
A prominent theme within the e-discussion was the political context in which the current education model exists, and who benefits from this current system (24 posts). The consensus was that the global standardized tests did not respect diversity, diversity in learning needs or cultural experience. The risks to learning outcomes due to the lack of relevance of the curricula and pedagogy (due to teachers having to teach to the test) are detrimental on an individual, societal and global level. A primary principle of ESD is that education must be relevant; therefore it must be based on cultural identity and cultural environment. Local and traditional knowledge needs to be infused in the curricula; however the current notion of traditional knowledge makes this challenging. The global education framework and agenda tends to undermine indigenous social and intellectual legitimacy. Moreover, western hegemonic control of global educational assessments has reinforced the binary perspective that Eurocentric knowledge is modern (with a focus on science and technology) while traditional knowledge is irrational or primitive, despite the need for interdisciplinary and cross-boundary thinking and strategies to solve the complex sustainability issues. It will be important to link ESD to cultural diversity and individual freedom.
Secondly, discussants raised the need to define what the general goal of education is. By defining the goal of education, ESD and the learning outcomes will also be well defined. Discussants believe that ESD needs to focus more broadly on knowledge and life skills needed for sustainable development, and indicators to measure these learning outcomes, as learning is a proxy measure of quality. They also agreed that learning goes beyond literacy and numeracy, and should include skills such as creativity, problem solving, civic values, critical thinking and technological literacy (Learning Metrics Task Force, Brookings Institution). Further discussion on the goals of education would be beneficial. Additionally, research and/or discourse on effective pedagogy and practices, especially within the informal and non-formal learning domain, are needed, to inform the post-2015 agenda.
It was noted (4 posts) that the draft Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network captured issues of equity, inclusion, innovation and citizenship. However, the goals seemed to be limiting as the main focus for the proposed education SDG is amongst the children and youth. As noted in this e-discussion, ESD is a lifelong learning process. In addition, the knowledge and skills definition may be narrow, as the important topic of values has not been captured within the goals. Moreover, through standardization as suggested by the goals, one runs the risk of reinforcing inequities. Fostering knowledge, skills and dispositions should be done within a holistic approach with a focus on participatory and solutions-oriented learning. Reframing these goals with consideration to these critiques is imperative to the post-2015 agenda on environmental sustainability and sustainable development.
"The Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone's needs, but not for everyone's greed." – Mahatma Gandhi
