Thursday, 6 April 2017

Week 5: Education for Sustainability

            A project has been designed for children in a child care context, in a 4 – 5 year old age group, to encourage children to preserve their environment for other children who move into the room as they get older.


            The project aims to encourage children to follow sustainable practice in their daily routines, and care for managed and constructed features of the environment. By participating in this project, children are making considerations to benefit the environment and other community members.

            Education for Sustainability (EfS) extends, enhances and has explicit links to Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE). Students learn the importance of maintaining the environment for the future and become active and informed citizens, making considerations to benefit future generations (Brett, 2017).  Gilbert and Hoepper (2014) state that Education for Sustainability leads to students developing an overall capacity to contribute to “a more sustainable aim of the future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations”.

            This project has links to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Outcome 2.4: Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment (See Figure 1). As children begin to participate in group investigations, observe, notice and respond to change and develop an awareness of their human impact on the environment, children begin to show respect for the environment and become responsible for maintaining it (DEEWR, 2009).



            Figure 1: Outcome 2.4 Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009).

            The project also begins to move into the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, Geography – Year 1 (See Figure 2). As children in this Child Care context are several years away from Year 1, the selected Content Descriptor is only guiding possible pathways in the project.


Figure 2: Year 1 Geography Content Descriptor (ACARA, 2016).

            Children who are participating in this project will be documenting their learning through photos. They will communicate their developing understanding about the importance of caring for the environment publically by creating a display in their room. This makes links to Australian Curriculum General Capabilities, such as Literacy and Critical and Creative thinking (ACARA, 2016).           

            From participating in this project, children are taking ownership of sustainability and creating steps for a better future (Taylor, Fahey, Kriewaldt & Boon, 2012). Children will be encouraged to take to an inquiry approach to developing their knowledge about sustainable practice, and then apply their new knowledge to their environment.

            When participating in this project, students are also becoming active and informed citizens. They are beginning to understand and develop a role in their community that involves working with others, broadening their understanding of the world in which they live, and contributing to decision-making about matters that affect them and those around them (DEEWR, 2009). This links closely to Outcome 2.1 of the Early Years Learning Framework (See Figure 3).

 


Figure 3: Outcome 2.1 Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009).

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2016) F – 2 The Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 8.3). Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Brett, P, (2017). “Making Connections between Civics and Citizenship and Education for Sustainability”, In Peterson, A, & Tudball, L. (eds.) Civics and Citizenship in Australia: Challenges, Practices and International Perspectives, Bloomsbury Press, London (pp. 165-185).

Department of Education, Employment and workplace relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra, ACT: DEEWR

Gilbert, R. & Hoepper, B. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, geography, economics & citizenship (5th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia Pty. Ltd.

Taylor, T, Fahey, C., Kriewaldt, J., & Boon, D. (2012). Place and time: explorations in    teaching geography and history. NSW, Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia

3 comments:

  1. Hi Tiffany,
    Great job on this blog. I like how you have elaborated on the activity that students will be completing to give parents more of an idea of what their child is doing in the classroom.

    Could you suggest some ways parents could further their child's learning?

    I also really like how you have made connections to previous lessons and how you have presented the question that students will be examining and discussing.

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  2. Hi Tiffany,

    It is good to see sustainability actinides introduced at a young age, with links to the EYLF and also the Australian Curriculum. This shows parents reading this that the centre is developing their children's understanding of sustainability to not only prepare them with life skills but also school.
    Some examples of what the children will be doing as sustainable practices and what are some managed and constructed features they will be maintaining,would be beneficial for the reader. Also, using natural features such as real indoor plants and maybe a pond or aquarium for tadpoles would encourage sustainable practice.
    I really like you have chosen to take photos throughout the project, this gives the children a great opportunity to reflect on their learning.
    Well done.
    Sarah

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  3. Hi Tiffany,

    A great first paragraph linking EFs and CCE. You have used current literature to support your statements well. On the last sentence, you have used the quotation mark twice, easily enough deleted before final submission.
    The activity sounds like an authentic learning experience for the proposed age group. Will students be learning both in and out of the classroom as they investigate 'environments'? You could discuss the importance of students learning about their school environment, as it could prepare students for later curriculum learning in local/wider communities and global environments.
    Your EYLF outcomes have clear links with your project. The intended audience would be able to understand how the project meets curriculum goals. Great job with explaining this.
    Well done.
    Phoenix

    ReplyDelete