One man's trash is another man's treasure.

The ingenuity and creativity of this group of people will delight and amaze you.  From hopelessness and despair to the transformation of rubbish to fit a higher purpose.  This beautiful music will transport you and give those in the orchestra hope for the future.

Promoting sustainable behaviour

Week 7 :-Promoting sustainable behaviour in ourselves and those over whom we have influence

Reflect on how your learning activity enhances sustainability and question whether your ideas fit within Otago Polytechnic’s aims of Inspiring Capability.

My learning activity (critiquing the EfS course) will reflect on features of the current course content and delivery and, from my own experience and the experience of classmates in this course, seek to make recommendations for improvements.  This is normal practice for all courses but is particularly significant in this course as it exemplifies blended delivery.

Since blended delivery is the new model for Otago Polytechnic courses it is wise to reflect on the efficacy of this modality to ensure we adopt ‘best practice’ that will serve students needs well and make this institutions courses stand out from others.  Evaluation of this course through reflective practice will make it more sustainable in terms of those all important factors student retention and success.  It will also guide blended delivery courses that I will develop in the future and thereby heighten their effectiveness.  Reflective practice is an endeavour that we all need to engage in for every part of our lives since the decisions we make as individuals have a flow on effect to everything and everyone around us.

Individuals need to reflect on their behaviour in terms of the many hats that they wear (for myself these could be:- teacher, student, parent, consumer, friend..and so on) to judge whether or not the decisions that are made in each situation are sustainable.  This same reflective practice is an activity that would be rolled out to the students and included in the courses that I facilitate.  Insights gained on the EfS course would be brought into play and passed on to others.

For example:-

1. Students would be asked to diarise a day of their life to critique the choices and decisions they made over the day wearing “various hats” to see if they were acting in a sustainable manner and to consider whether or not they might be able to make more sustainable choices.
2. Students are asked to do a unit of work that requires them to think about some of the resources that they control or have an impact on such as time, money and the environment. They look at a number of scenarios related to use of these resources, extrapolate on what the outcome will be from continuing this behaviour, and consider changes that might be desirable/possible.  For example- We find ourselves buying things we don’t really need, to be fashionable or feel excited/good /happy for a short time (retail therapy).  These things often just clutter up our lives and may be just a cover up for a more deep seated need that can’t be easily satisfied.
3. Students as consumers….

• Students are asked to categorise a number of items in a list and decide if they are needs or wants
• Students are shown examples of rampant spending from the sustainability blog and then asked to write about what they think they need in their life to make them happy.
•  Students are asked to imagine how life would be if they only focussed on what they needed instead of wanting the latest ‘this and that’ and always wanting more of everything (keeping up with the Jonses).

4. Students are asked to consider an issue that affects them personally and take action to do something about it.  E.g. write to the paper to complain about the removal of seats in public bus shelters.  They could start a petition about this issue and present it to the local city council to try and effect change.
5. Students could explore other issues at a national level that they feel strongly about and find out what different political parties say they will do about this issue e.g. the rise in unemployment.
6. Students could join a community group such as Transition Valley 473 and engage in activities that interested them  or that others might benefit from such as working in a community garden or volunteering their skills to repair bicycles etc.

All of these ideas fit well with Otago Polytechnic’s goal to produce graduates (and employees) that are focussed, forward thinking able to solve problems and conduct their lives in sustainable ways.

Otago Polytechnic:Inspiring capability the world over

Otago Polytechnic:Inspiring capability the world over
Otago Polytechnic has a long tradition of producing exceptional graduates,

beginning with the Dunedin Technical School, established in 1889, and the

Art School that opened in 1870.

Today, our campuses in the city of Dunedin and the region of Central

Otago attest to our heritage, while looking ahead by producing exceptional

graduates, who are second-to-none and possess qualities that are highly

desired both in New Zealand and internationally. They are focused,

resourceful and forward thinking. Their ideas solve problems and foster

industries. A qualification from Otago Polytechnic is an exceptional hands -on foundation for an international career.

Sustainability at Otago

Welcome to Sustainability @ Otago, a portal for all information relating to sustainable management of the University’s land, buildings, energy, transport, waste and all matters related to the day-to-day running of one of the largest universities in New Zealand.

Our changing world- This is one video you need to see

With aerial footage from 54 countries, Home is a depiction of how the Earth's problems are all interlinked.

Director: Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Writers: Isabelle Delannoy, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, and 5 more credits »
Stars: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Glenn Close and Jacques Gamblin

A local model of Sustainabile Practice - Transition Valley 473

So how might a sustainable community look? Transition Valley 473 is a local community sub - group of the national group Transition Towns New Zealand Aotearoa.  They run a number of sustainable initiatives such as:- community gardens and orchards, free home energy audits, fruit tree planting and pruning, help with bike repairs and retrofitting of home insulation.

A bike library is another initiative that is being considered.  Two third year Occupational Therapy students, Georgina and Grace, are currently working on a community project assisting North East Valley and the DCC in determining the need and potential success for a bike library in the North East Valley Community.

A Bike library is a nonprofit organization that will allow members of the community to loan or hire recycled bikes, which have been donated and done up within the community. The main idea of the bike library is increase accessibility and usage of bicycles. There are already bike libraries established in New Zealand and overseas, and they are investigating whether a similar project would work for Dunedin.

They have a short survey to ascertain the level of interest. Please fill out the survey if you are interested.

 

 

 

Here is a message from the organisers of Transition Valley 473

Hi. We're a group of residents from North East Valley, Opoho, Dalmore, Liberton, Pine Hill, Normanby and Mt Mera in North Dunedin. We've got together to help the Valley on our transition journey - coping with the climate, energy and economic changes that are coming. We welcome local residents to join us - turn up at an event and introduce yourself, or you can email us at transitionvalley@king.net.nz for more information.

 

 

How much is too much?

Can shopaholics ever be satisfied?  What is it that makes people in this consumer driven economy always want more, even if that means going into debt and sometimes even into bankruptcy.  This video clip takes a look at Paris Hilton's wardrobe.

Is it possible these days to be content with sufficient for our needs rather than our wants.  What is enough?  The magazines television and other media make their livelihoods our of getting us to buy buy buy. 


This next clip takes you on a shopping trip in Las Vegas with Michael Jackson where his stated goal is to spend some serious money and below one of Michaels mansions.  






Rampant consumerism as shown in this video clip is not just an issue for the rich and famous.  People from all walks of life get caught up in the thrill of the hunt for that next bargain. 
This next video clip shows what happens when compulsive shopping is taken to the extreme and counselling and behavioural change is needed for the family to survive.  It is all about how it makes you feel and has litle to do with whether the item is needed or can be afforded.  Debt was once a thing to be avoided  or paid off as soon as possible.  Many people today however want it all now and are happy to live with "affordable debt" as an ongoing and normal part of life.  This, rather than doing without in the short term, and SAVING for  for things that are wanted as was the custom in the past.                                                                       

What sustainability means

This video illustrates man's ever increasing dependence on non renewable resources. It shows, to our cost, how a lack of concern for sustainability as a guiding part of the everyday lives of everyone on the planet will ultimately have ramifications for us all.

DOC Community Engagement: Otago

Each year thousands of people from the community -- be they businesses, iwi, motivated individuals, trusts, landowners, schools -- help in conservation efforts around New Zealand. This year, as part of Conservation Week, Otago decided to recognise many of those individuals by recording their stories on film. This 8.5 minute video highlights the work of groups as diverse as the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust, Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Air New Zealand, Ngai Tahu, Mitre 10 Mega, and many more. We hope that many more people become involved, so that DOC can achieve its vision of doubling conservation efforts in our beautiful country in the next 20 years.

Preparing for climate change

Set aside the politics: Data shows that climate change is happening, measurably, now. And as Vicki Arroyo says, it's time to prepare our homes and cities for the new climate, with its increased risk of flooding, drought and uncertainty. She illustrates this inspiring talk with bold projects from cities all over the world -- local examples of thinking ahead.Vicki Arroyo uses environmental law and her background in biology and ecology to help prepare for global climate change The climate is quickly changing. Scientists increasingly talk of a new period in the Earth's history, the "anthropocene", in which human impact on the planet has become dominant. Yet we remain unprepared to deal with the consequences: specifically, the disruption and cost. Lawyer Vicki Arroyo, the executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center, works on climate mitigation and adaptation policies as viable solutions to climate change’s inevitable disruptions to current practices. Using the best available science, Arroyo collaborates with US policymakers at both the state and federal level to develop "planetary management" strategies. For a through (and constantly updated) toolkit of adaptation resources, visit the Georgetown Climate Center >>

About

The purposes of this blog are twofold.  One, to fulfill the requirements for the "Education for Sustainability" course in OP's GCTLT qualification and two, to act as a repository for useful sites and materials that concern themselves with sustainable  practice.

People and the Planet. A report by the Royal Society

Here is a report produced by the Royal Society that you might like to read.   
Rapid and widespread changes in the world’s human population, coupled with unprecedented levels of consumption present profound challenges to human health and well being, and the natural environment. The report (above) gives an overview of how global population and consumption are linked, and the implications for a finite planet.

Key recommendations include:

1.  The international community must bring the 1.3 billion people living on less than $1.25 per day out of absolute poverty, and reduce the inequality that persists in the world today. This will require focused efforts in key policy areas including economic development, education, family planning and health.

2.  The most developed and the emerging economies must stabilise and then reduce material consumption levels through: dramatic improvements in resource use efficiency, including: reducing waste; investment in sustainable resources, technologies and infrastructures; and systematically decoupling economic activity from environmental impact.

3.  Reproductive health and voluntary family planning programmes urgently require political leadership and financial commitment, both nationally and internationally. This is needed to continue the downward trajectory of fertility rates, especially in countries where the unmet need for contraception is high.

4.  Population and the environment should not be considered as two separate issues. Demographic changes, and the influences on them, should be factored into economic and environmental debate and planning at international meetings, such as the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development and subsequent meetings.

Other recommendations made in the report focus on: the potential for urbanisation to reduce material consumption, removing barriers to achieve high-quality primary and secondary education for all, undertaking more research into the interactions between consumption, demographic change and environmental impact, implementing comprehensive wealth measures, developing new socio-economic systems.

 The 21^st century is a critical period for people and the planet.  The global population reached 7 billion during 2011 and United Nations projections indicate that it will reach between 8 and 11 billion by 2050.  Human impact on the earth raises serious concerns, and in the richest parts of the world per capita material consumption is far above the level that can be sustained for everyone in a population of 7 billion or more.  This is in stark contrast to the world’s 1.3 billion poorest people, who need to consume more to be raised out of extreme poverty.

The report goes on to say that the highest fertility rates are now seen primarily in the least developed countries while the lowest fertility rates are seen in the more developed countries. This fact has a significant flow-on effect in the poorer areas, in the ability of families to feed, educate and provide the basic necessities of life for their off spring.

Developing countries will be building the equivalent of a city of a million people every five days from now to 2050. The continuing and rapid growth of the urban population is having a marked bearing on lifestyle and behaviour: how and what they consume, how many children they have and the type of employment they undertake.  Urban planning is essential to avoid the spread of slums, which are highly deleterious to the welfare of individuals and societies.

The Royal Society, a fellowship of the worlds most eminent scientists,  seek a more equitable future for humanity where consumption levels between developed and developing nations is rebalanced alongside a stabilisation of the worlds population by voluntary methods.

The great Kiwi ...'know how can do' attitude

For those of you that have the desire to look to your own resources to get the job done Mitre 10 have a site here that give instructional videos showing how to do all of those little jobs around the house that need attention.  There is a two-fold benefit...One you will save money and get more bangs for bucks and two you will learn more DIY skills.

5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

This site gives

x 5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

Beat burnout by discovering ways to devote more time to the activities and people that matter most to you. 

By Jen Uscher
WebMD Feature

Stress management

Stress management: Tips to reduce stress and improve productivity

This site gives tips for effective stress management.

Effective time management is a primary means to a less stressful life. These practices can help you reduce your stress and reclaim your personal life.

By Mayo Clinic staff

 

Top 48 most motivational and inspirational websites

Procrastinators lament:

Procrastination is a sin,

It brings me endless sorrow,

I really must stop doing it,

In fact I'll start tomorrow.

Need a boost to get you off the couch, setting goals, and moving towards them. This site is a one stop shop for motivational tools. Here you will find the 48 of the most motivational and inspirational websites on the Internet.

Sustainable practice begins at home

To live sustainably and inspire others to do the same we need to lead by example. This site has all sorts of useful links for household management:-Schedules and routines, cleaning tips, homemade cleaners, food tips, finances, health and safety, 'how to' videos, home storage solutions, stain removal, homemade cleaners, laundry tips and much much more.

Definitions of sustainability

Anna Hughes has compiled a comprehensive slide show Definitions of sustainability

.

When "waste not want not" goes horribly wrong.

Using posessions sustainably by reusing and recycling is laudible but there are limits. Surround yourself with things that you need and a limited quantity of things you just like and want. Excessive clutter has the ability to affect our mood and the way we function as individuals socially, at home and at work.

Our ability to function effectively at work is important. This site gives ideas for being organised and minimising clutter at work.

This site has many tips and ideas for getting organised around the home and avoiding clutter.

For some people collecting useful items has become such an obsessive activity that is no longer sustainable, and has had damaging and serious effects on peoples lives.

How to survive the world around us.

"All stress isn’t bad. Stress can initiate change, help us focus on the task at hand, and in some cases even save our lives. Yet, when stress builds up, it can result in the opposite— and cause us to spin our wheels, keep us from concentrating, and cause bodily injury and even loss of life. "
At the end of the day we want to be able to look back at a life that has been fulfilling, enjoyable and happy. In our busy lives it is important to manage stress levels and look after ourselves to work towards this end goal. This site has some tips for stress management.

Sustainability an essential part of every course.

Week 8

Reflect on your process of designing an experiential learning activity that enhances sustainability awareness for your students and provides them with the tools to add social, environmental and economic value to your industry.

The idea of ‘The project’ was at first daunting but on-going discussions with the course convenor helped clarify my ideas and set me on my current course. 

Reflective practice

It seemed to me that the key to it all was for us all to examine our behaviour at all levels and engage in reflective practice.  To consider how continuing with business as usual would play out in the future for myself and those around me.  And to think about how changing that behaviour could lead to greater sustainability for both myself and for those whose lives I touch ‘when wearing my various hats.’

How do we get buy-in to sustainability at all levels of society?

What is the connection between experiential learning and sustainability?

Te Kete Ipurangi (the basket of knowledge).

This site is run by the Ministry of Education and gives guidelines and information about Education for Sustainability in the New Zealand curriculum
Experiential learning in education for sustainability is developed through personal experience, guided reflection and learning conversations. It places the student at the centre of teaching and learning to explore sustainability issues in authentic contexts using active personal experience combined with reflection and feedback to develop deeper understanding.Experiential learning activities vary in length, complexity and contexts addressed. When exploring sustainability issues teachers are encouraged to provide a range of experiential learning opportunities including experiences in the environment. To see case studies of learning experiences outside of the classroom click here.

Education for Sustainability

Week 6

For week 6, the course out line called for students of this course to: -

 Plan an experiential learning activity that can enhance sustainability awareness for your students and provide them with tools to add social environmental and economic value to your industry.

The problem with this requirement is that it pre-supposes all students of this course are lecturers.  As non-lecturers are accepted into the course, the tasks need to be couched in more inclusive language, since every person on the planet has a part to play in moving our world towards improved sustainability. The behaviour of every Otago Polytechnic employee has an impact on the people (academic staff, students, service and admin staff, visitors, stakeholders, management etc.) they come into contact with each day. We have a responsibility as individuals to act in a sustainable manner, in as far as we are able, to act as positive role models for others.  When enough people engage in “doing the right thing” on a regular basis the behaviour comes to be seen as normal and will. Over time, be adopted by others.  ‘Small things done by many can change the world.’

My project will capture the insights gained as I experienced the rolling out of this course.  Careful reflection will highlight those elements that contributed to a successful blended delivery course, identify issues that caused some difficulties and make recommendations for change to improve the course.  In carrying out this exercise a blueprint of successful strategies will be revealed and serve to inform  my own future blended delivery courses.

Tilbury (2004) referred to the terms   ‘critical reflection,’  ‘values clarification,’ and ‘participative action’ as being core components for Environmental Education for Sustainability.  And it is these terms that will be brought into play as I develop my project. 

This EfS course is probably one of the most important courses being conducted by Otago Polytechnic (in terms of the end goal of turning out sustainable practitioners in every graduating student) since it moulds conditions and instils notions of sustainability in the educators and other Polytechnic employees (engaged in the EfS course) who will all ultimately play their part in passing on notions of and modelling sustainable practice behaviours. 

Since Otago Polytechnic is moving more and more towards blended delivery of courses because of its cost effectiveness, flexibility and perceived enhanced benefit to students it is most important to examine such courses routinely and carefully to see if they perform in the manner expected, to look for any problems or issues that may need tweaking and (since all learning is dynamic and ever changing) to look for ways to make improvements.   

My plan is to critique the EfS (Education for Sustainability) course wearing my student hat.  The rationale for this is to try to find the best fit for content and delivery of this course both from my perspective and from the perspective of my classmates.  I gathered informal feedback from classmates in on-going discussions with them throughout the course, and by having them complete a course evaluation at the end. 

This project is important not only for examining this course but for also using it as a background source of ideas for creating my own blended delivery courses of English for foreign nationals.  These courses are supposed to be moving to more of a blended model but it is all new territory so it is change that needs to be managed very carefully.  The challenges (that I will go into more fully later) that my classmates encountered would be much more significant for the students that I teach since English may be their 2^nd or 3^rd  (or more) language.

Education for Sustainability – Course critique

The pros:-

• This course is well constructed from a content point of view.  It links to many excellent and useful resources which have served to open my eyes to a much more holistic view of what exactly sustainable practice equals.  Coming from a starting point of sustainability being all about recycling and looking after the environment to now understanding its much broader application as it relates to the economy, society and ecology and recognising that we all have a part to play in moving towards a sustainable future. 
• The course has raised my awareness of what is being done in my local community, highlighted opportunities to become involved in various sustainable activities and given me insights as to how I might change my own behaviour at a personal level and incorporate notions of sustainability into my own courses.
• The face to face sessions were extremely valuable and exposed me to a wide range of ideas from the course convenor and fellow students. The student cohort came from widely varied backgrounds and had a wealth of experiences and ideas to share.
• As the course materials were online I was able to engage with them whenever it suited me.

The cons:-

• No fixed deadlines were set for completion of assessable work.  This sounds very accommodating but meant that students did not give coursework the timely priority it should have had. This resulted in the equivalent of a terms work still not being completed by the end of the year for all but one student.  This comes about largely because of the policy of open enrolment.  Students can begin the course whenever they want to and complete within a timeframe that suits them within a year period.
• There were multiple platforms for course materials.  This was confusing.  Both Moodle and Wiki educator were used.
• Feedback was not routinely given for all completed work in any regularised manner. Sometimes it was comments to a blog posting, sometimes an email, sometimes oral and sometimes nothing at all.  With the course being linear in nature I found myself waiting to have one piece of work Ok’d before launching on the next bit in case I had not done a satisfactory job of the current piece of submitted work.
• There was no clear line of communication was it supposed to be by blog comments or email or both.
• Open enrolment allows maximum flexibility but when this can occur at any time over the course of a year for an 8 week course it does not allow for a sense of learning community to develop ( a necessary component for the sharing of ideas at face to face meetings).
• The course at present has been designed for lecturers and project tasks are supposed to be delivered to our students.  The course has value in being offered to all staff (academic, administrative, management, service etc.). Because of this it needs to be re-designed to be more inclusive. 
• The course was supposed to represent 50 hours of work.  I found I spend a lot more time than that. I feel that the content should not be cut back as it was valuable, but 10 points should be awarded rather than the present 5 credit points.

Recommendatons:-

1. Increase the points allocation for the course to better reflect the amount of work required.
2. Have clear deadlines for assessed work (and make special provision for those needing more time on a case by case basis).
3. Conduct a needs analysis at the start of the course to ensure that the course will deliver what students want/expect.  Sometimes the course can be modified slightly to accommodate what the students ask for (so long as it fits within the perceived parameters of the course). Some students commented to me that they would have liked a practical aspect like time spent volunteering perhaps on a community garden or the like.  Others said they would have liked a more political focus (perhaps involving some kind of action to effect desirable change on some issue).
4. Students need to know how and when to expect feedback.
5. Some students expressed a desire for more face to face sessions although this can be difficult to arrange when people have different availability for sessions.
6. The course could be tweaked to make it more inclusive for non-academic staff taking the course.
7. One person expressed a desire for more technical support, particularly with the creation of blogs.  This could have been arranged amongst the students themselves with more able students helping less able.
8. And lastly a physical hand-out could be given out at the first face to face session that outlined:-

• the course outline
• what was to be done for assessment.
• Where the course materials were to be found and an explanation of the purpose of multiple platforms if more than one was to be used.

What does education for sustainability mean at an international level?

 

It is argued that "Education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability. People around the world recognize that current economic development trends are not sustainable and that public awareness, education and training are key to moving society toward sustainability" (Hopkins & McKeown 2000).

CHAPTER 2 provides a thought provoking article on sustainability and education in a global playing field.

Reference: Hopkins, Charles and McKeown, Rosalyn. (2000). Chapter 2, Education for sustainable development: an international perspective in Tilbury, D., Fien, J., Stevenson, R.B., and Schreuder, D. (2000). Education and Sustainability: Responding to the Global Challenge

 Week 5.  Reflection: How the reorientation of education (according to Hopkins and McKeown’s article) and the extra knowledge and skills needed to educate for sustainability, fit with Otago Polytechnics aims visions and policies.

I have extracted a number of key ideas from this reading to explore further.

What is EfS?
A difficulty in moving forward with new standardised courses for EfS courses is that, while we can readily describe current practices that are unsustainable, there are many and varied visions about what a sustainable society would look like.
Otago Polytechnic policy now requires teachers to intertwine aspects of EfS into all courses. While this approach is laudable the idea is not without its problems. There is no ‘one course’ or approach that is to be rolled out to all courses. Practitioners have the freedom to create learning experiences that best fit their individual courses.
Before this can happen effectively however in-service training needs to be provided for teachers to adequately teach them what EfS is, to decide what kind of skills and values might need to be instilled in students and what kind of learner centred activities could employed to involve the students in critical thinking and reflection around issues to do with sustainable practice.
Illustration through modelling of courses delivering EfS at other institutions would also help educators in their quest for ideas for incorporating EfS into their courses.
There is a paper in the Graduate Certificate for Tertiary Learning and Teaching (GCTLT) that would serve as training for teachers, ‘Education for Sustainability’ (EfS) but this course is not compulsory. This leaves room for huge variation in interpretation as to what EfS means and how it will be incorporated in any given course. There are some educators whose simplistic view of EfS might have them deliver one 50 minute class in a course, about recycling, and this is their obligation met. Perhaps this is a matter of ‘lip service.’

EfS needs to have a much broader application than this however if it is to create sustainable practitioners of our graduands. Perhaps educators could be required at their annual performance review to state how EfS was incorporated into their course. Also at school level there should be collegial sharing of ideas for the incorporation of EfS into courses.

Several themes have emerged at world conferences concerning themselves with ESD (Education for sustainable development) that serve to broaden the scope of ESD. Each conference:-
*stressed the need for social and human development along with economic development and environmental concern;
*called for the advancement and empowerment of women;
*demanded basic social services for all;
* recognized the critical importance of sustainable livelihoods;
*cited the necessity of broad enabling environments for social and   economic development;
*sought to sustain the environment and natural resources on which all people depend;
*underlined the importance of human rights; and
* identified the role of education as critical to achieving sustainability goals.
While there is a great deal of variance in the descriptors for what a sustainable future might look like these themes mentioned above are hugely significant and actually need to be taught so that educators are informed by the same ideas. For sustainable practice to result however education must have at its core, the fundamental values that will protect and sustain the environment, society and the economy both now and in the future.
A first step in moving towards EfS is to improve basic education. Nations with high illiteracy rates and unskilled workforces have fewer development options and currently find themselves, of necessity, exploiting natural resources in unsustainable ways just to survive now; without having the luxury of being able to look to the future and consider the flow on effects of their actions. Provision of basic literacy and numeracy allows the development of sustainable targets, improves agricultural productivity, the status of women, the education and health of children, environmental protection, reduces the population, and in general raises the standard of living. Improving basic literacy and numeracy alone however will not in itself support a sustainable society. To the contrary, “the most educated nations have the highest per capita rates of consumption and currently leave the deepest ecological footprints.”

What is needed is a reorientation of education to a new model. One that has at its core the learning of knowledge, skills, values and perspectives that will guide and motivate people to lead sustainable lives, to participate in a democratic society and to live in a sustainable manner.

According to Hopkins and McKeown, students need to develop a range of
Knowledge and skills for ESD
*the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
*the ability to think about systems (both natural and social systems);
*the ability to think in time – to forecast, to think ahead, and to plan;
*the ability to think critically about value issues;
*the ability to comprehend quantity, quality, and value;
*the capacity to move from awareness to knowledge to action;
*the ability to work cooperatively with other people;
*the capacity to use various processes – knowing, inquiring, acting,
judging, imagining, connecting, valuing, questioning and choosing; and
*the capacity to develop an aesthetic response to the environment.
In addition, pupils will need to learn specific skills that will help them manage and interact with their local environment, economy and society. Regarding the environment, such skills may include:
*learning to prepare materials for recycling;
*learning to harvest wild plants without jeopardizing future natural
regeneration and production;
*learning to grow low-water-need crops; and
*learning to protect local water sources from contamination.

A number of assumptions underpin the values necessary for a sustainable future.

*a healthy environment is essential for sustainable development;
*sustainability is a global goal for the betterment of both humanity and the
planet;
*sustainability should be achieved through democratic processes;
*sustainability depends on peace, justice, and equity;
*the individual has basic human rights;
*no nation or people should prosper through the explicit impoverishment
of another nation;
*diversity, both biological and cultural, is intrinsically valuable;
*development is to be human-centred (i.e., for the betterment of humanity as a whole as opposed to empowerment of a few); and
*intergenerational respect and responsibility will safeguard the rights of
future generations.
Otago Polytechnic began moving toward ESD by looking at the knowledge and skills that would be necessary for its implementation, and then examined the perspectives and values that underpinned it. The next key consideration was to help society address the major issues that threatened the sustainability of the planet and mankind.
Our mission is to develop capable practitioners for Otago and New Zealand. Capable practitioners are people who have specialised knowledge and (technical) skill and also a range of personal qualities that enable them to be effective in the work place, i.e. to perform in their chosen vocational area.
Also, we develop our learners so that they may be “creatively capable”, i.e. so that they are open to new ways of thinking and doing, and can bring innovative solutions to the problems which they may face in work and life generally.
There are a number of key personal qualities which underpin capability. Our graduates will have the following attributes, consistent with their field of study and level of qualification obtained. They will be:-
1. Skilful communicators of ideas and information, both verbally and in writing and through the appropriate use of information and communication technologies
2. Creatively capable - Thinking creatively – able to explore innovative ideas and new ways and apply to decisions and judgements
3. Problem solving – able to identify and analyse problems and develop solutions
4. Literate,information and digitally literate and numerate o Literate – able to listen and read with understanding and to write with clarity and purpose
5. Numerate– able to use mathematical and numerical knowledge to meet the demand of study and work
6. Information literate – able to research, access, analyse and use information from a variety of sources (including contemporary information sources, repositories and modes)
7. Digitally literate– able to use, communicate with and learn through information technology.
8. Personally effective - Self-aware – have self-knowledge, be self-critical and able to take into account their feelings and intuition
9. Adaptable–prepared to learn and adapt; and to participate effectively in and respond to change. Open to new ways of thinking and acting; future focused
10. Reflective – able to assess the effectiveness of their actions and learn from experiences. Critical of and creative in their thinking and action

Students possessing these qualities mentioned above will, in combination, will give rise to graduates ready to take their part in creating a sustainable future. Number 7 creates something of a problem however. It calls for digital literacy and the ability to use, communicate with and learn through information technology. This is a fundamental skill needed for both staff and students. Otago Polytechnic in a recent cost saving measure closed many Community Learning Centres (CLC’s) and removed a number of computer suites.

This was no doubt done with the belief that students would have learned digital literacy through the state school system and so did not need this facility any more. And it was expected that the trend these days was for students to carry their own lap tops with them.

This is not the usually the case for refugees, immigrants and international students for whom English is a second language. Many do not have the means to buy their own lap top and may not have had any training in computer use. For these students the CLC’s were extremely important for computer training. In this way they were able catch up with main stream students and have computer access that they might otherwise not have had. There are also staff that are similarly disadvantaged now, through not having access to training in computer use. A short sighted move I would have thought for both teachers and students in an era of blended delivery where both groups need high levels of digital literacy. And this move certainly does not support the stated goal of digital literacy for all students and for teachers (possessing cutting edge literacy in computing and other educational technology). To remedy this apparent mismatch of ideas I would like to see goals for EfS matched to capital expenditure so that the goal is supported by appropriate expenditure.

These are just two areas where there is a mismatch between goal, and behaviour that will realise that goal. For most part Otago Polytechnic has made significant inroads in educating students in such a way as to create graduands that may be considered sustainable practitioners of the future. 

 

What does education for sustainability mean for New Zealand?

It has been stated that “New Zealand is currently very far from being sustainable and does not have policies and practices that can achieve sustainability” (SANZ, 2009).

Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand Inc (SANZ) and the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) outlines the notion of "strong sustainability" and what this means for New Zealand. PART 4 of the document focuses on "A scenario of a strong sustainable New Zealand".

Utopia  is an ideal community or society possessing highly desirable or perfect qualities.  That is state of being or living that we all seek to attain.....the problem is ..How will we recognise it when we get there.  It seems that individuals have quite different views as to what the perfect life or world would look like.  For some it is a matter of personal success and wealth, (this is measured by what we own or posses) and aligning ourselves to others who have similar trappings of prosperity.  The market driven economy that drives this way of thinking creates a society made up of haves and have-nots; with the gap between these two disparate groups widening over time.  Those with money and power are driven by an  insatiable desire for more, with  no concern for need.   One's wealth is measured in material terms and is highly visible.  This version of utopia is not sustainable as it is ideal only for some, at the expense of others who have nothing.  I wonder why we became so lost? When did we lose our humanity and become so selfish and self serving?

A utopia centred around strong sustainability would treasure values and people rather than material items.  Here all people would have equitable access to resources sufficient to their needs. The goal here would be to attain the basic necessities of life:- a safe place to live, sufficient food, access to clean water, health care and education.
The pros of a strong sustainability are the creation of a world:-

• that lives within it's ability to provide the basic necessities of life for all people.
• where forward planning and decision making at government level are based on values and need rather than want.
• whose behaviour uses valuable resources in such a way as to sustain all life both now and in the future.
• where we make the time to enjoy life, family and friends

The cons of strong sustainability are that:-

• strong sustainability requires those with power and money to relinquish those things in the interests of the greater good.
• there will be resistance from those whose greed and self interest have been well served under a market driven system.
• It may be that there will be no change of attitude from the efficacy of a market driven system until these systems begin to fail and these well served people begin to feel the effects personally.

What does strong sustainability mean for the School of Foundation Studies and for the subject I teach Certificate in Foundation Studies ESOL. 
At the school level, strong sustainability means:-

• adherence by staff to the shared values of caring, responsibility partnership learning and excellence. Our goal being to inspire learning as we develop capable practitioners for Otago and New Zealand.
• innovative educational practices and cutting edge learning experiences we will engender confidence in our courses and an expectation of success from students.
• teachers reflective practice on teaching content and methodology and needs analysis at the beginning of courses. Through this teachers will be able to fine tune courses over time to best meet the needs of particular student groups.
• maintenance of currency as educators by on going professional development, courses and attendance and presenting at conferences and using the latest technology in the classrooms.

Strong sustainability in the ESOL classroom involves:-

• pre course needs analysis
• learner centred learning
• student representatives (who are able to have input into every aspect of their educational experience).
• the interweaving of sustainability principles in every course (how to live lightly on the planet).

For strong sustainability to work it requires a major shift in the things we value........from success  in life  and  being linked to wealth, material possessions and power, to and success being linked to human capital.  To family, friends, a sense of community and belonging and to having sufficient for our needs. 
There is a Maori proverb that encapsulates this sentiment:
"Ask me what is the greatest thing in the world, I will reply, it is people, it is people, it is people."