SDL M6 - Activities
Sustainability Literacy
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A transdisciplinary approach to sustainable development (education) Proper education is at the core of the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Education for sustainable development requires an interdisciplinary approach which is necessary in order to acknowledge different perspectives on sustainability and social responsibility. Teachers should talk to each other and agree on the principle objectives of sustainable development education and achieve these objectives within each particular discipline: natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, mathematics, physical education, languages, and arts. A systemic approach to education for sustainable development is based on three main principles: disciplinary issues, juxtaposition, and association. This means that every sustainable development project requires the synthesis of knowledge from various complementary disciplines to provide students with a new view of the world and sustainability problems. One of the main requirements is reflexivity of the education which means that an individual should integrate himself into the object of the study and participate in different activities within his or her cultural framework.
Activity 1
Watch an introductory video about the need for a transdisciplinary approach to solving relevant sustainable development issues.
Francine Pellaud. (13 October 2022). Multi, inter or transdisciplinarity? YouTube. Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)
Answer the question below and analyze the comments for each answer, both the correct ones and those that are not correct.
What are the three main principles of the transdisciplinary approach to SDG?
Activity 2
Read (at least the marked parts of) the provided article on the practical approach to advancing education by introducing interdisciplinarity and doing the following tasks.
3. Choose a random sustainable development issue and search online sources for various
approaches to solving the problem from the perspective of different scientific disciplines.
Gender equality
One of the most relevant issues related to sustainable development is reducing various aspects of discrimination. Gender-based discrimination is still present across all cultures and undermines the universal respect for human rights and the full realization of human potential. Unequal access to and control over economic resources as well as access to quality education lie at the root of this problem. Another relevant issue is aging. The number of older people is constantly growing at the global level, and it would be impossible to achieve sustainable development if this social group was left aside. Population aging must include discussion on universal human rights and ensure that older people have equal conditions and are included as active agents of changes in the environment and society. UN’s SDG goal number 10 states that all agents involved in the process of ensuring sustainability should empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or another status.
Activity 3
Watch an introductory video about sustainable gender equality and fill in the missing words in the list of six targets related to SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Reducing ageism
Apart from gender inequalities, there are many more different forms of discrimination or the so-called “isms” such as ageism. Worldwide in 2018, for the first time in history, people aged 65 years and older outnumbered children younger than 5 years. By 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to nearly double. Fifty-seven percent of people 60 years and older live in towns and cities. Globally, the total number of people over 60 is set to double by 2050, rising from 1 billion to 2 billion, with 80% living in low- and middle-income countries. An increase in life expectancy and subsequent population growth will fundamentally affect sustainable development efforts to eradicate poverty, achieve food security, ensure sustainable water supplies, build inclusive and resilient communities, and ensure sustainable consumption (Mavrodaris, Mattocks, & Brayne, 2021). However, even the so-called youngism is a relevant issue. For example, many young people encounter a different form of criticism from their older colleagues in the workplace where they also have significantly lower wages than adults. Most importantly, young people are often treated as passive actors in the educational process and get no right to express their opinion regarding the curriculum.
Activity 4
Read the Background section and examples of good practices given in blue boxes of the document The Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities. Try to think of ways to create an age-friendly environment in order to fulfill some of the sustainable development goals. Use the flipping cards to view some of the possible solutions.
Lifelong learning
The realization of all UN sustainable development goals highly relies on continuous, inclusive, and equitable education for people of all ages. This issue is specifically covered by SDG 4 (Quality education). Learning has transformative potential both during the period of formal education, but also through other forms (formal, non-formal, and informal) and various levels (from early childhood to adulthood and into old age) (LLLPlatform, 2020). Educators across all sectors should adopt approaches suited to sustainable development education, that include active, participatory, deliberative, and learner-centered methods. SDG4 explicitly says that all relevant stakeholders should ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. Lifelong learning is not only about being job-oriented but also about mastering the skills and knowledge needed to become a competent member of a sustainable and healthy society.
Activity 5
Watch the video on the idea behind SDG 4 and answer the quiz questions.