Department of Education, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
ED50313: Environmental education: learning and change |
 Credits:
| 12 |
| Level:
| Masters |
| Period: | Modular (no specific semester) |
| Assessment:
| CW 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description: | Aims: The aims of this unit are to develop within students a critical understanding of: * the range of theoretical positions and perspectives about the relationship between learning, sustainable development, and social and environmental change; * the different contributions that different strategies (e.g., information provision, communication and mediation) make to learning programmes; * how learning can be stimulated to help achieve educational goals related to environmental/ sustainable development; * appropriate learning outcomes and success criteria in relation to sustainable development education. Learning Outcomes: At the end of this unit students will be able to: * analyse (environmental) educational and organizational contexts in terms of their readiness for change and development; * identify and use a range of strategies to promote and develop learning in relation to sustainable development in both formal and non-formal educational contexts; * plan, carry out and evaluate an effective enquiry into their own - or an institution's - practice in relation to learning and environmental / sustainable development education. Skills: Self-directed learning (F) Problem analysis, research and reflection (T/F/A) Problem-solving (F/A) Oral presentation (F) (where appropriate) Written communication (A) Integrated, cross-discipline understanding of issues relating to learning and environmental / social change (F/A) Appreciation of the complex, multifaceted nature of learning in relation to sustainable development and social /environmental change (F/A) Ability to research, synthesise and decide on the relevancy of knowledge and ideas to issues of learning and sustainable development (F/A) Key Skills 1. Make critical use of the literature of the field of Education (T/F/A). 2. Make critical use of professional experience in the field of Education (T/F/A). 4. Analyse, interpret and critique findings and arguments (T/F/A). 9. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems (T/F). 10. Evaluate research and variety of types of information and evidence critically, also making informed judgements in the absence of complete data (T/F/A) 12. Contribute to professional debate in the field of education (F). 13. Act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level (F). 14. Communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences (T/F). 15. Evaluate their own academic and professional performance (T/F/A). 16. Manage change effectively and respond to changing demands (F). 17. Manage time, prioritise workloads and recognise and manage personal emotions and stress (F). 18. Develop new or higher level skill, for example in information technology (F). Content: The unit will address a number of issues relating to: * Curriculum design and pedagogy: - how can sustainable development be promoted through learning? * Economic, environmental and moral behaviour: values and value: - how might the relationship between humans and non-human nature be conceptualised? what implications in these relationships are there for how people live? * Effecting learning and change through action research: - how can action research support both learning and professional development? * Building capacity, developing agency: evolving a theory of change: - what relationships are possible between learning and sustainable development? |