The Researching Education for Sustainability SIG aims to:
- To share and critically interrogate research methodologies, pedagogies and philosophies pertaining to education for cultural, linguistic, ecological/environmental, social and economic sustainability
- To contribute to generating a body of recent, relevant, locally specific research that can inform teacher education for sustainability, in the context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities; and in response to global priorities
- To advocate for education policies, regulatory requirements and curriculum documents that are informed by the growing body of national and international research in the area of cultural, linguistic, ecological/environmental, social and economic sustainability
- To offer members a supportive arena for discussion and debate, and to foster future research collaborations across institutions and sectors, as well as mentor emerging researchers with interests in this area
- To explore opportunities for creative collaborations that seek new solutions by crossing philosophical, pedagogical, disciplinary, geographical and/or cultural boundaries
Rationale:
There are many issues related to sustainability, as espoused by the UNESCO Decade for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014. Current and worsening planetary economic and climate crises are hastening our awareness of the unsustainability of many current practices. The basic premise for the kaupapa of sustainability is the recognition that our planet is finite, and that we have a responsibility to consider the ways in which we currently live with regard to this premise.
The wide range of sustainability issues include: climate change and disaster management; biodiversity and ecocentric interdependence in a context of resource depletion and environmental degradation; cultural and linguistic diversity, traditional/Indigenous knowledges and languages; poverty and economic disparities along with over-consumption; gender equity, heteronormativity and anti-racism; health, food and water security as well as obesogenic environments; peace and social justice; and intergenerational equity.
All these issues relate to how we can sustain our ways of living on a long term basis and are, therefore, a focus for education. A creative response is needed. We, therefore, consider that this education work needs to be grounded in relevant, contextualised research.
This SIG will provide an arena for researchers to share, discuss and critique their research philosophies and methodologies across the intersections within this broad notion of sustainabilities.
Research Focus:
Research focusing on education and sustainability may consider:
- climate change and disaster management;
- biodiversity and ecocentric interdependence as well as resource depletion and environmental degradation;
- cultural and linguistic diversity, traditional/Indigenous knowledges and languages;
- poverty and economic disparities as well as over-consumption;
- gender equity, heteronormativity and anti-racism;
- health, food and water security as well as obesogenic environments;
- peace and social justice;
- intergenerational equity.
Jenny Ritchie