An Exploration of Patterns in the Practice of Education for Sustainable Development in China: Experience and Reflection
Author(s)
Wei Wang*
Affiliation(s)
Department of Preschool Education, Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Department of Preschool Education, Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
ABSTRACT
China began to promote the project on Education for Environment Population and Sustainable Development (EPD) in 1998 and obtained significant gains. After that, in response to the global-scale implementation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), China, on the basis of a local concept interpretation of education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as its specific national condition, continually explored education practice models for more than ten years. The main features of ESD innovative practice in China are as follows: exploring and forming an ESD development model based on the Chinese native experiences, creating an organization mechanism for the continuous improvement of ESD projects, and building a school curriculum system with the concept of ESD. However, ESD in China has many problems such as funding deficiency, lack of teacher training, and other support system issues.
China began to promote the project on Education for Environment Population and Sustainable Development (EPD) in 1998 and obtained significant gains. After that, in response to the global-scale implementation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), China, on the basis of a local concept interpretation of education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as its specific national condition, continually explored education practice models for more than ten years. The main features of ESD innovative practice in China are as follows: exploring and forming an ESD development model based on the Chinese native experiences, creating an organization mechanism for the continuous improvement of ESD projects, and building a school curriculum system with the concept of ESD. However, ESD in China has many problems such as funding deficiency, lack of teacher training, and other support system issues.
KEYWORDS
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Practice Exploration, Educational Development Mode, China
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Practice Exploration, Educational Development Mode, China
Cite this paper
Wang, W. (2015) An Exploration of Patterns in the Practice of Education for Sustainable Development in China: Experience and Reflection. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 64-75. doi: 10.4236/jss.2015.35010.
Wang, W. (2015) An Exploration of Patterns in the Practice of Education for Sustainable Development in China: Experience and Reflection. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 64-75. doi: 10.4236/jss.2015.35010.
References
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http://www.esdinchina.org/_d271028622.htm [14] Samuelsson, I.P. (2011) Why We Should Begin Early with ESD: The Role of Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 43, 103-118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13158-011-0034-x [15] The Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (2010) National Plan for Medium and Long-Term Education Reform and Development (2010-2020). http://www.moe.edu.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/moe/moe_838/201008/93704.html [16] Shi, G.D. (2014) The 10th China ESD National Workshops Work Report. http://www.esdinchina.org/_d271091443.htm [17] Liu, L.M. (2011) To Promote ESD and Improve Education Quality. Education Science Publishing House, Beijing, 25- 26. [18] Wang, M. (2006) Introduction to ESD. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, 52-56. [19] McKeown, R. (2014) Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit. http://www.esdtoolkit.org/discussion/reorient.htm [20] Tilbury, D. (2014) Education for Sustainable Development: An Expert Review of Processes and Learning. http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/927unesco10.pdf [21] Wang, M. (2005) Practice of ESD. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, 76-81. [22] UNESCO Project on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in China. http://223.4.149.29/11jxb/cxc.pdf [23] Wals, A.E.J. (2014) Shaping the Education of Tomorrow: 2012 Full-Length Report on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002166/216606e.pdf [24] ARIES (2014) Whole-School Approaches to Sustainability. http://aries.mq.edu.au/projects/whole_school/files/international_review.pdf [25] Mathar, R. (2014) The Concept of Whole School Approach—A Platform for School Development with Focus on Sustainable Development. http://esd-expert.net/assets/130314-Concept-paper-ESD-Whole-school-approach-general-introduction.pdf [26] Tao, X.P. (2005) EPD Education Project Is One Success Experiment to Promote Education Innovation. In: Qian, L., Ed., Education Promotes ESD: International Research and Practice Trend, Education Science Publishing House, Beijing, 1-2. [27] Wang, M. (2005) Practice of ESD. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, 20-30. [28] Zhang, X.S. (2006) Guided by a Scientific Outlook on Development and Promoting ESD. Education Science Publishing House, Beijing, 33-43. [29] UNESCO (2012) Shaping the Education of Tomorrow: 2012 Full-Length Report on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Simplified Chinese Version, 20. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/ 002166/216606c.pdf [30] Velasco, I. and Harder, M.K. (2014) From Attitude Change to Behavior Change: Institutional Mediators of Education for Sustainable Development Effectiveness. Sustainability, 6, 6553-6575. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su6106553