Journal 2 about ESD

--->The online version of the journal

Educators generally accept that the first goal of learning is to impart knowledge and the second is to teach skills such as problem solving, conflict resolution, consensus building, information management, interpersonal expression, and critical and creative thinking. Education encompassing the concepts of sustainability offers an exemplary vehicle for developing and exercising many of these skills which are increasingly being sought by employers. Increasingly, these are the skills that employers are seeking in a world of complex problems requiring integrative solutions.

Educators also need to be aware that they should not spoon feed the students, but to encourage the students to think for themselves. Many a times, students depend fully on teachers and thus, they are not improving in their learning. The importance of systems thinking cannot be ignored. Any concept, including sustainability should be open to informed debate and sustainable development should not be taught as an ideology or as a goal, but rather as an ongoing process, not as a set of irrevocable answers, but as a way of continually asking better questions.

The educators should also be aware that they should not impose any questions that require only memorising of facts among the students, but to create critical questions that require thinking and application skills. This will help the students to understand the concepts better instead of memorising them without even understanding them. This is really very important to improve the education system in Malaysia.

Journal 1 about ESD

--->The online version of the journal

The summary and main gist:

Education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process that leads to an informed and involved citizenry having the creative problem-solving skills, scientific and social literacy, and commitment to engage in responsible individual and cooperative actions. These actions will help ensure an environmentally sound and economically prosperous future. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Lifelong learning, a concept which our country is trying to apply and something we all feel is very meaningful. No one is this world can ever be too smart to learn nothing. So unless a person is too ignorant or arrogant (which will be costly), learning is something one does until the final moments. Therefore, learning is an on- going process.

Diversity, Sustainability and Environment is exploring cultural and practical diversity for environmental learning. Our diverse community of scholars and educators endeavours to promote innovation in the way teachers teach and learners learn. Our faculty members are recognised for their work in developing, advancing, and enacting knowledge that makes a difference in public education. We have grown and evolved in response to the ever-changing challenges and needs of our constituencies.

Many educators are helping society achieve sustainability by teaching the three "e's"-- environment, economics, and equity-- along with the traditional three "r's"-- reading, writing, and arithmetic. In so doing, they are fostering awareness of sustainability among individuals, communities, institutions, and governments. In coming decades, education for sustainability has the potential to serve as a tool for building stronger bridges between the classroom and business, and between schools and communities. This is to ensure for a better education in the future.

Introduction to our ESD scrapbook

Hello dear readers and followers alike,

Welcome to our scrapbook themed

 Education for Sustainable Development.

You must be wondering what is it all about since many have never heard of this term before.

Well, through this blog we ( 4 unique English teachers hence the name Smart-ties which stand for smart teachers) aim to educate, enlighten and spread the meaning and impact of education for sustainable development through updates, photos and articles which we find useful.

Lets start with the definition of this term:

According to UNESCO;

Sustainable development is seeking to meet the needs of the present without compromising those of future generations. We have to learn our way out of current social and environmental problems and learn to live sustainably.

Sustainable development is a vision of development that encompasses populations, animal and plant species, ecosystems, natural resources and that integrates concerns such as the fight against poverty, gender equality, human rights, education for all, health, human security, intercultural dialogue, etc.

Education for sustainable development aims to help people to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to make informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decisions.