WHOLE-SCHOOL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY: A REVIEW OF MODELS FOR
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION
Teacher education is widely recognised as a key strategy that has yet
to be effectively utilised to embed learning for sustainability
approaches in Australian schools. While a range of efforts have been
made, both nationally and internationally, to reorient teacher education
towards sustainability, these have resulted in pockets of good practice
rather than a mainstreaming of learning for sustainability approaches in
pre-service teacher education programs.
There is a need to investigate the most effective means though which
pre-service teacher education programs can be mobilised so that future
teachers are educated about and committed to whole-school approaches to
sustainability. This project seeks to understand which models of
professional development offer the greatest opportunity for the
mainstreaming of learning for sustainability approaches in pre-service
teacher education programs in Australia. It aims to do so by reviewing a
range of professional development initiatives to identify and assess the
relative effectiveness of the models that underpin these initiatives.
In particular, this study seeks to answer the following questions:
* What professional development models have been used in teacher
education and universities to bring about innovation and change both
nationally and internationally?
* What are the critical success factors of these different models?
* Which of these models best meets the goals of learning for
sustainability?
* What might an effective and wide-reaching pre-service teacher
education program that is seeking to develop whole-school approaches to
sustainability look like?
The goal of this research project is thus to identify and appraise the
critical success factors of a range of professional development
initiatives, strategies and models which could be utilised to mainstream
learning for sustainability approaches in pre-service teacher education
programs in Australia.
If you are aware of any relevant initiatives or documentation or would
like to contribute to the project in some way please contact Jo-Anne
Ferreira [log in to unmask] or Daniella Tilbury
[log in to unmask]
We also invite you to visit the ARIES website at
http://www.aries.mq.edu.au to find out more about other current
projects, past projects, news and events. ARIES undertakes research to
inform the development of national policy, practice and strategy in
Education for Sustainability. Education for Sustainability goes beyond
the dissemination of knowledge, seeking to also empower people and build
their capacity to take action. ARIES receives funding from the
Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage through
the Natural Heritage Trust.
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Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES)
Research Coordinator
Graduate School of the Environment
Macquarie University
North Ryde 2109
Phone +61 2 9850 8597
Fax +61 2 9850 7972
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.aries.mq.edu.au
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