| 1. |
- Nordén, Birgitta
(författare)
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Learning and teaching sustainable development in global-local contexts
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis is to develop knowledge of teachingand learning sustainable development in global–local contexts. Theresearch field is global learning for sustainable development (GLSD).Phenomenographic approach and contextual analysis were used asmethods of analysis, and data was collected by Semi-structuredinterviews at secondary and upper secondary schools in Sweden.In Study I, a strategic and systematic literature review was conductedof recent trends and critique to the dominating rhetoric on policy levelconcerning global education and global learning on sustainabilityissues. The complexity represented in GLSD is of global interest toface current challenges. The global–local context and the process forglobal learning were characterised by the learner’s perspective andself-efficacy. The variation of ways in which contextual features wererevealed, affected how participants experienced their own learningglobal learning space. In Study II, empirical investigations were conducted of students’,teachers’, and head teachers’ conceptions of implementation of GLSD.Results indicate that critical knowledge capabilities were needed toact towards sustainability globally. Critical knowledge capabilitiesdeveloped in the processes were to take command and collaborateas a team. Capabilities that were identified as necessary but whichhad not been sufficiently developed were to be prepared, act in atransdisciplinary manner and lead for holistic understanding in thelearning process. Critical knowledge capabilities to handle complexknowledge were characterised by volition, self-directed learning, andknowledge formation. In Study III, a re-analysis was conducted of the data from StudyII. The results shed light on pertinent transition skills in GLSD:(I) transdisciplinary action via knowledge formation in actualpractices, (II) democratic collaborative action via processes ofunderstanding, respectively (III) self-directed learning and independentinitiative. These transition skills, enabling young people to beprepared for unpredictable changes, were perceived as key featuresin developing young people’s capability in an uncertain world. Theydeveloped worldview understanding, and advanced transformationcompetencies including critical reflections upon questions of currentnormativity. In Study IV, collaborative and transdisciplinary teaching with aglobal–local perspective was investigated in a study with teacherscommitted to global learning and sustainable development at anupper secondary school. Two main transdisciplinary teachingapproaches of GLSD were distinguished: Contributing: Assist andTake Part respectively Ownership: Possess and Reconceptualise.The contributing approach was divided into the sub-categories: (I)Disheartened, (II) Supportive, and (III) Complementing teachingapproaches; while the ownership approach comprised (IV) Decisive,and (V) Multi-dimensional teaching approaches. Various dimensions of the results appeared to be relevant forsustainability teaching and learning in global–local contexts, whenconnections between the studies were analysed in relation to the contextand the overarching aims of the thesis. Through transdisciplinaryteaching deep approaches to learning can be developed and Globalteaching for sustainable development (GTSD) could be advanced.Individual and collaborative learning characterised by selfdetermination,responsibility, and social readiness leading to actionemerged as key aspects At a global–local level, there is a growing need to develop competenciesand capabilities for transitions towards sustainability. Conflicts andclimate change are drastically increasing the number of displacedpeople who need transnational education on proactive preventivestrategies, as well as develop to critical knowledge capabilities that can be useful across numerous contexts and in the face of changingcircumstances. Increasingly, also young people need to manage theirown learning processes in self-directed learning, regardless of wherethey are physically or may move in their lifetimes. As established socialstructures struggle to address global challenges, people across theplanet need to be able to organise themselves and to take initiatives.
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| 2. |
- Nordén, Birgitta
(författare)
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Global Knowledge Formation in the Extended Classroom : Transdisciplinary Network for Global Learning Towards Sustainability
- 2015
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Ingår i: ECER 2015. - : EERA.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Young Masters Program (YMP) online about sustainable development and preventive environmental management strategies has reached out to more than 10 000 students in 120 countries since 1999, when the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) atLundUniversitystarted the education for young students between 14 and 18 years (Nordén, 2005a; Nordén, 2005b). Youth from different countries and cultures are working with a common content interactively and problem-oriented in an extended classroom (Hansson and Nordén, 2005). The YMP course is free of charge and supervised by the IIIEE. The teenagers work in interactions across the globe to learn about sustainable development through exploring a learning environment with new ICT-mediated ways of communication including global interaction with ideas and descriptions, and a transdisciplinary approach focusing on social, economic and ecological dimensions of the students’ daily lives (Laurillard, 2002; Nordén, 2006). Focus is in particular on the ways in which the meeting between the course content, the intercultural discussions and the students’ own life-experiences constitute a context for knowledge formation, with emphasis on the extended classroom that is supported by the course. The context of learning is particularly interesting in the diverse situations that distance learners are in and the diversity that the course itself incorporates. The purpose of this research, using a phenomenographic approach (Marton, 1981; Marton & Booth, 1997), is to analyze and describe the ways in which these students have experienced their learning process in the field of sustainable development within the YMP. The data are collected from the students’ assignments and follow-up discussions where they reflect on the assignments in the course’s online meeting place. There are also data collected from the questionnaire about the students’ learning process. This material from the first part of the YMP online autumn of 2005 was analyzed (Marton and Booth, 1997; Booth and Hultén, 2003). Different conceptions and differentmeanings of what are apparently similar concepts have to become the object of reflection, and this gives rise to knowledge formation (Pierce, 1934; Bateson, 1972; Hansson, 2000; Hansson, 2004). In the YMP its value in linking distant partners internationally for information sharing, awareness raising and knowledge formation activities is shown. The varying meetings encourage the youth to reflect more on attitudes, to realize how their own actions and the actions of other people affect the environment. In front of all the students are young people meeting one another as young people do, living in a single world of youth with environmental, social and economic challenges; besides that they are meeting in the course, around the common issues concerning sustainable development as it is problemized in the course; and finally they are meeting as representatives of different cultures with different assumptions and values (Hansson & Nordén, 2005). Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The purpose of our research is to analyze and describe the ways in which these students have experienced their learning process in the field of sustainable development within the ICT-mediated course YMP (Young Masters Program). We are focusing in particular on the ways in which the meeting between the course content, the intercultural discussions and the students´ own life-experiences constitute a context for knowledge formation, with emphasis on the extended room that is supported by the course. The context of learning is particularly interesting in the diverse situations that distance learners are in and the diversity that the course itself incorporates. The aim of the analysis was to find qualitative differences in the experiences of knowledge formation. The study has been influenced by a phenomenographic approach to the research (Marton, 1981, Marton & Booth, 1997; Marton, Hounsell & Entwistle, 1997; Booth & Hultén, 2003), where the goal is to capture the ways in which learning is experienced by the students, taking a second-order perspective on the object of study. Twelve study groups form a team hosted in a virtual course room. Each of the virtual course rooms have a representation of different countries and different continents, e.g. in our study Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Mauritius, South Africa and Sweden. The data are collected from the students’ assignments and follow-up discussions where they reflect on the assignments in the course’s online meeting place. The three modules What are the Environmental Challenges?, What are the Social Challenges? and What are the Economic Challenges? were analyzed. Data was also collected and analyzed from the questionnaire on the students’ learning process. All data are from Part 1 of the YMP online taking place during the autumn 2005. The YMP course online consists of two parts. Part 1 compromises eight modules of studies about sustainability. The students learn about biodiversity, gaining an understanding of the complexity of ecosystems and their natural balance, as well as social, economic and environmental challenges. They begin looking at their world from the perspective of sustainable development. By learning about Agenda 21, they join international efforts in planning improvements and will be able to take a stand on sustainability issues. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The young people take part in the extended classroom and learn by reading their assignments´ content in a critical way and by being obvious of different interpretations. This material in the extended classroom is a great asset to students. The students become more aware of different aspects and ways of seeing problems. They are conscious – as well – of people having different interpretations of the same phenomenon. Experts are also very important persons in the process of forming knowledge. The students stand for two domains of knowledge – ”science-based” knowledge as well as ”reality-based” knowledge. Being in two domains could be seen as beneficial for their understanding of the phenomenon which are important for sustainable development. But, the ”reality-based” knowledge could of course be questioned – is it a contribution? This knowledge may not be believable? The opinion hold by the students, when they are reflecting upon their shaped process for formation and transformation of knowledge, is that their “reality-based” knowledge is believable. Through new combinations different forms of knowledge is formed and become parts of new contexts of meaning. Thanks to the critical view – included in the collaboration, negotiations and exchange in the YMP students´ discussions – a transforming learning process contributes to a solid foundation of a “reality-based” knowledge. The processes of knowledge transformation for sustainable development occur in the diverse educational settings of the YMP. The extended room in the YMP online shows its value in linking distant partners internationally for information sharing, awareness raising and activities for knowledge formation. The varying meetings engage the youth, in different processes of knowledge appropriation in relation to their social and cultural identities and interests. They start reflecting more on their attitudes, realizing how their own actions and the actions of other people affect the environment References Ally, M. (2004). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In: Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca University. Retrieved September 10, 2006, from http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch1.html Bateson, G. (1972) Steps to an ecology of mind. St Albans: Paladin Fromore Booth, S. & Hultén, M. (2003). Opening dimensions of variation: An empirical study of learning. Instructional Science 31:65 -86. Gough, N. (1987). Learning with environments: Towards an ecological paradigm for education. In Robottom, I. (ed) Environmental Education: Practice and possibility. Deakin: Deakin University Hansson, B. (2000). Förutsättningar för gymnasielevers kunskapsbildning och för undervisning inom miljöområdet. Dissertation. Lund: Department of Education, University of Lund Hansson, B. (2004). Formation of environmental knowledge. In Wickenberg, P. et al (eds)(2004) Learning to change our world. Lund: Studentlitteratur Hansson, B. & Nordén, B. (2005). Building an extended community for sustainable development. Paper at 3rd World Environmental Educator Congress, Turin, Italy, October 2-6, 2005 Laurillard, D. (2002). Rethinking University Teaching : a framework for the effective use of educational technology. London: Routledge Marton , F.(1981). Phenomenography - describing conceptions of the world around us. Instructional Science 10: 177-200. Marton, F., Hounsell, D. & Entwistle, N. (1997) The Experience of Learning (2nd edn.). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. Marton, F. & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and awareness. Mahwah, NJ: LEA Moore, J. (2005). Barriers and pathways to creating sustainability education programs: policy, rhetoric and reality. Environmental Education Research. Vol 11, No 5, 537-555. Nordén, B. (2005a). Young Masters Program - Learning in the ICT-extended University. Paper at Committing Universities to Sustainable Development Conference on the International Launch in Higher Education, Graz, Austria, April 20-23, 2005 Nordén, B. (2006). Online learning: Analysis of experiences of youth education for Sustainable Development. Paper at International Conference on Distance Education 2006, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman, March 27–29, 2006 Nordén, B. & Hansson, B. (2006a). Meeting over cultural bound
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| 3. |
- Nordén, Birgitta
(författare)
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Key Opportunities For Global Learning In Schools To Develop Competences : Transition Of Knowledge Formation Into Global Action Towards Sustainability
- 2015
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Ingår i: ECER 2015. - : EERA.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Towards sustainability the implementation of Global Learning for Sustainable Development (GLSD) is crucial in education (Scheunpflug and Asbrant, 2006). A better understanding of how to – from a global didactic angle – establish globally genuine dialogues (Biesta, 1994; Roth, 2006) forming nuanced conceptions of sustainable development (SD) is necessary (Scott and Gough, 2004; Tatoo, 2007; Jickling and Wals, 2008). Global teaching as well as global learning has to identify the challenges in various contexts for transdisciplinary knowledge formation (Wals, 2010). Aiming to reach established and new target groups; higher education and secondary school as well as informal learning situations demands a holistic understanding (Pierce, 1934; Hansson, 2000). The challenges take their main point of departure in the particular global perspective (Anderberg, Norden & Hansson, 2009), and concerns ways to see the whole and the parts, on the one hand, while on the other learning how to relate the parts to one another, and to the whole (Svensson, 1986), respectively. Students in a globalized setting could also achieve intercultural qualities of learning outcomes, in terms of competencies and capabilities (Bowden, 2004; Anderberg, Haggstrom & Nordquist, 2007) needed for constructive intercultural encounters and interaction. According to Svensson and Wihlborg (2010), intercultural learning could lead to a development of ‘global consciousness’ and support global citizenship, capabilities and competencies. On a global level, an ‘emergent holistic consciousness’, through the connection of cultures to a complex collective whole, would form a collective consciousness. Because of the complex demands underlying the discourse of GLSD and related topics, a curriculum dimension is also needed, for learning and teaching SD in a globalized context. Emphasizing that ‘globalization and the need for curricula change will become the great challenge. . Though, the global perspective (Svensson & Wihlborg, 2010) has to be integrated in curriculum to achieve a competence-driven global curriculum. Thereby, capabilities through constructive interaction for various qualities of global learning and knowledge formation for sustainable development will be a central part of the outcome. Global learning encourages self-determination (Rauch and Steiner, 2006). Though, repeatingly since 1972 (Agenda 21, chapter 36) proclaims for initiating the process of global teaching and learning about sustainability issues in global–local settings, reviews of literature show a dominance of rethoric (Anderberg, Norden & Hansson, 2009). Few implementation attempts have led to continuity in the didactic steps to developing global teaching. By capturing some of the experiences of the many stakeholders in a recent research project on the process of initiating implementation teaching and learning in global settings, Lund Calling (Norden & Anderberg, 2010), a framework for the further development of the implementation processes was recognised. To be of practical use, the process of developing global teaching for sustainable development has to be understood more carefully. This paper describes an empirical follow-up research of the implementation process, concerning how teachers at an upper secondary school develop their common planning and conduct teaching for sustainable development with a global focus transdisciplinarily. A phenomenographic approach and semi-structured interview questions are used for analysing and describing the teacher competence development in relation to the global learning process. In the result will be presented; the participating teachers´ concrete practice and challenges for global learning, while transition via knowledge formation supports competence development for global action. The findings show among other things the importance of awareness raising dialogues among teachers, who from their various subject matter expertises were heading for a common development of education in teaching of sustainable development with a global focus. This research clearly points to a link between transdisciplinary and global teaching within the field of global learning for sustainable development (GLSD). Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used Global learning presupposes competencies, which individuals need to acquire if they want to actively shape the development of world society. The purpose is to highlight some crucial elements of the global dimension in teaching and learning towards sustainability in the context of competence and professional teacher development and i.e. their development of systems thinking and interpersonal teaching strategies (Scheunpflug, 2014; Wiek, Withycombe & Redman, 2011; Reid, 2009; Cole, 2006). Within this framework, global learning for sustainable development (GLSD) has been recognized as a productive concept (Anderberg, Norden & Hansson, 2009). The approach addresses the challenge of teaching about the complex field of sustainable development (SD) in a number of contexts, including higher education (HE), secondary school education, informal or life-long learning situations, as well as in outreach from university or enterprises, aiming to reach new target groups. The understanding of learning, which underpins most of this research studies of the context for learning, is that which has emerged from phenomenographic studies, now known as variation theory (Marton and Booth, 1997). Learning is characterised above all as coming to see things in qualitatively new ways. This involves the learner (i.e. the “learning” teacher) becoming able to discern new qualities in some focal phenomenon or aspects of that phenomenon, which demands opening dimensions of variation in awareness, becoming able to see that that which has been taken for granted could be otherwise (Åkerlind, 2007; Runesson, 2006). With a phenomenographic approach, semi-structured interview questions are used for analysing and describing the process of teacher experiencing, teacher thinking and teacher reflection concerning global teaching and learning of SD. Upper secondary school teachers (n=13), who have competence in different subject matters and are working together in teams educating SD transdisciplinarily in a global context, are interviewed three times (before, in the middle of, and after a specific course moment of SD with a global focus) in a longitudinal study during 2010-2011. According to the theoretical foundation of the research questions, we will through the phenomenographic approach (Marton & Booth, 1997) focus on (1) the content that is the transdisciplinary subject matter of SD within a global focus; (2) the individual learning within awareness raising dialogues with a global focus, and (3) the knowledge formation and the development of capability, competence and skills (Scheunpflug, 2014; Wiek, Withycombe & Redman, 2011; Booth & Anderberg, 2005; Bowden, 2004). Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The result, presented at the EERA 2015 conference, will be related to the main challenges for global learning in schools, where global action competences transition and develop through knowledge formation. The findings show that in any educational context – and in this teaching practice, particularly, how – the concept of GLSD continuously needs to be renegotiated by participating teachers in every concrete learning situation (Dahlin, 1999). While Rauch and Steiner (2006) see SD mainly as a narrowing idea, providing a heuristic format for reflection, the complexities of SD also provide a bearing for processes of global research and learning. Due to the complexity of SD issues, it is necessary to bring in an open-minded elucidation of the globalization factors actually present, already in the foundation of the SD concept. The findings clearly point to a link between transdisciplinary and global teaching within the field of global learning for sustainable development (Nordén and Anderberg, 2010). References Anderberg, E., Nordén, B. & Hansson, B. (2009). Global learning for sustainable development in higher education: recent trends and critique. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 10(4), pp. 368–378. Bowden, John A. (2004 ): Capabilities–driven curriculum design. In Caroline Baillie & Ivan Moore eds: Effective learning and teaching in engineering, pp. 36–48. New York: RoutledgeFalmer, Taylor & Francis Group. Bowden, John A. & Marton, Ference (1998): The university of learning: beyond quality and competence. London: Kogan Page. Brunold, Andreas Otto (2005): Global Learning and Education for Sustainable Development. Higher Education in Europe, 30(3–4), pp. 295–306. Hansson, Birgit (2000): Förutsättningar för gymnasieelevers kunskapsbildning och för undervisning inom miljöområdet. [Conditions to promote students´ knowledge and education about environment]. Dissertation. Department of Education, Lund University. Hansson, Birgit (2004): Formation of environmental knowledge. In Per Wickenberg, Harriet Axelsson, Lena Fritzen, Gunnar Helldén & Johan Öhman eds: Learning To Change Our World, pp. 59–73. Lund: Studentlitteratur Nordén, B. & Anderberg, E. (2009). Research of the pilot project Lund Calling: learning and teaching in global settings. Local challenges. (EU as a global actor). Nordén, B. & Anderberg, E. (2012). Sustainable development through global learning and teaching. In Madu, C. N. & Kuei, C–H (Eds.) Handbook of Sustainability Management. London: Imperial College Press. ISBN: 978–981–4354–81–3. Nordén, B. & Hansson, B. (2006). To form and transform knowledge in the extended classroom; Networked learning for sustainable development. Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), September 13-16, in Geneva, Switzerland. Peirce, Charles. S. (1934): Collected Papers V of Charles Sanders Peirce. In Charles Hartshorne & P
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| 4. |
- Nordén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Nyanlända studenters behov av utbildning : möjligheter och hinder
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nordisk forskningskonferens om miljö- och hållbarhetsutbildning 27 – 28 oktober 2016 Abstracts.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Fram till nu har högre utbildning för nyanlända främst betraktats utifrån möjligheter att komplettera tidigare utbildningar och snabbt få invandrade akademiker i arbete i Sverige. Men frågorna om hur man kan få in nyanlända i högre utbildning är även centrala utifrån ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. För att möta globala utmaningar kommer det att behövas kraftfulla dialogutrymmen mellan den globala norden och södern. Ur detta perspektiv blir de nyanlända oerhört värdefulla som framtida brobyggare i det globala arbetet för övergångar mot hållbarhet. En rad initiativ har påbörjats i Europa för att undersöka vilka åtgärder som behövs för att bättre möta utbildningsbehovet på högskolenivå bland nytillkomna flyktingar. Förslag omfattar bland annat särskilda stipendier, ändringar i formuleringen av inträdeskrav, eller upprättandet av ett kursutbud på engelska. I Sverige avser flera initiativ att påskynda inträdet i arbetslivet för de nyanlända. Validering i högre utbildning är en fråga som kräver särskild uppmärksamhet, liksom frågan om hur kvalificerade flyktingar kan få sin yrkeskompetens erkänd och anpassad till svenska krav. Bedömning av meriter och erkännandet av tidigare studier är också en nyckelfråga för antagning av studenter baserat på diplom erhållna i deras ursprungsland. Projektet Nyanlända studenter undersöker förutsättningarna vid Malmö Högskola både avseende antagningen och avseende möjligheterna att erbjuda skräddarsydda kurser, anpassade till behoven hos flyktingar i regionen. Såväl pedagogiska som administrativa konsekvenser av tänkbara åtgärder och insatser kommer att undersökas.
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| 5. |
- Nordén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Student-centered learning for extended learning processes in HE : assessing international students on global challenges in "Teaching for sustainability"
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Without a sense of adventure and an awareness that we all - students, teachers and educational developers - are on an endless journey of discovery, the good learning assessment (Sonesson & Nordén, 2015) or the good teaching does not take place. At the beginning of their teaching careers Prosser & Trigwell (2001) thought, as well as many teachers in science do, that the essence of good teaching was about to get knowledge in a scientifically correct manner and develop their teaching skills in presenting subject knowledge for the students. As teachers, they searched reliable ways to measure student learning, rather than trying to find valuable indications of the students´ understanding. No attempt was made to help students see how the topic they introduced related to the students´ previous subject studies. They did not about to sensitize students about their preconceptions or previous experiences, which might be needed again (Prosser & Trigwell, 2001). In-depth learning (with a deep learning approach) the learner searches meaningfulness and want to understand the behind-lying ideas (Marton & Booth, 1997). Enthusiastically and curiously integrating and relating the learning in a strategic manner to all the individual experiences, besides theorizing and being fully aware of that the words just are carriers of meanings. The meaning of the arguments is focused. On the contrary, with surface learning approaches, the learner focuses - without any reflection on the purpose or strategy of life-long learning - on the least possible effort to root memorize information (Tsui, 2004) only for the knowledge exam without any thought of enhanced meaning-making or understanding (Lundström et al, 2016). The focus is then on the text, formulas or words, actual data and they represent purely symbolically knowledge formation (Prosser & Trigwell, 2001). Anderberg (1999) argues that the expression of intent is of great importance regarding the student´s opportunities to develop meaningful theoretical conclusions and deep learning approaches. Thereby, the importance of experienced knowledge formation situations is emphasized. By activating students' experiences of word meanings and understanding, as during an assessing literature seminar, promotes access to their prior knowledge and could develop extended learning processes and deeper understanding within in higher education. Thus, for their upcoming teaching they are offered new opportunities heading for deep learning approaches based on the theoretical part (Anderberg, 1999). Teacher education is of particular importance for developing competences and knowledge capabilities (Nordén, 2016) required for societal changes towards sustainability (Mochizuki & Yarime, 2016; UE4SD, 2015; Wals 2014; Rauch & Steiner 2013). This research is based on international teacher students´ learning experiences. In the campus course Teaching for sustainability (15 credits) at Malmö university,the perspective is learner focused with a holistic approach on education of the environmental and sustainability challenges in local-global contexts (Avery & Nordén, 2017). The heterogeneous group of students has a variety of knowledge on sustainability issues, different experiences of learning activities and examination forms, since attending the course in Sweden from different continents, cultures and countries worldwide. Consequently, a common foundation for further progression of knowledge formation among the students is valuable to achieve at the course start. One initial learning activity is to read World on the Edge (Brown, 2011) and thereafter construct three questions on environmental and sustainability challenges that the student considers urgent and of particular interest. These questions are sent to the lecturer, who chooses one question from each student. The student that raised it prepares and directs a discussion in the teacher student group with 5-7 students in a student-driven literature seminar. The student thereby introduces the topic, has the responsibility for actively chairing the discussion through the seminar, and sums up the shared thoughts, opinions and knowledge for meaning-making afterwards. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The learning outcome is that the student will be able to describe what effect humans have upon their environment, actively discuss the scope of environmental problems and challenges in sustainable development in the participants´ respective home country and worldwide. The aim of this research is to investigate how heterogeneous groups of teacher students experience a student-driven, non-traditional literature seminar for learning assessment purposes within the extended learning process in higher education, and offered for meaning-making within environmental and sustainability learning and teaching (Anderberg, Nordén & Hansson, 2009; Lundström et al, 2016). Qualitative group interviews with semi-structural questions and analysis were conducted by a phenomenographic approach. Previous experiences of assessments, ways of reading the course literature and formulating questions, expectations and reflections, and student-centered learning processes were focused. The group interviews with the international teacher students (n=63) in 2012, 2014 and 2016 took place in 11 group meetings. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically categorised from the reflected experiences made visible through the analysis of the qualitative data gathered. (P.M. This is work in progress and when analysis has been carried out more details will be avilable, which could be presented if accepted for the ECER 2017...) Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The analysis of the assessment seminars suggests that for many students this form of assessment was a new learning experience. While reading the book students were mainly concentrating on bigger concepts. A few students were afraid as they were unfamiliar with planning and taking responsibility for a discussion. However, the participatory and collaborative learning assessment with sharing of experiences among the students resulted in a rewarding challenge based learning process. After the assessment students continued to reflect and talk about the questions raised. According to them, it generated a deep learning opportunity compared to written examination. This meant that they had a deeper understanding of the questions at hand, and they could draw on richer contextualised resources from their own experience to develop school oriented subject matters through the discussion. A tentative result shows some categories of the students’ experiences of meaning-making: developing critical thinking, focusing on learning and understanding, learning by collaboration, seeing a bigger picture, and taking responsibility in learning for understanding. Besides assessing the learning outcome, the learning needs are identified through the learning activity to be promoted for continued learning in the course. When students share their knowledge and experiences of global environmental and sustainability challenges, extended learning processes for sustainability enhanced literacy seems to develop. The students describe their learning processes as consistent and progressively on-going also after the closing of the seminar (Sonesson & Nordén, 2015).
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| 6. |
- Nordén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Heading Towards an Unknown Future : Non-Formal Learning Communities for Sustainable Societies – a Possible Pedagogy in Refugee Education?
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There is a wide consensus that radically different pedagogies are needed to deal with the challenges of our times (Reid &Scott, 2013). Barnett (2012) argues that preparing for the unknown should be a central principal in education. Not only do young people need to independently evaluate highly complex situations that will arise, but they also need to be prepared to take appropriate action, solve major social and environmental problems and organise their own learning throughout the life course (Öhman, 2008; Almers, 2009). School cannot provide a set of ready-made recipes, nor can education be limited to narrow national objectives. Increased mobility over the life course involves quickly getting our bearings in new surroundings, and learning to cooperate with people who may not share our culture, our language or our values. The challenge that transnational mobility poses to education is even more salient with respect to refugees and displaced populations. With the latest wave of refugees, this has become one of the most pressing questions on the European agenda (European Parliament, 2016). European Commissioner for Education Tibor Navracsics underlined in his speech of 29 September 2015 that education will play a key role in integrating refugees. A future rise in forced migration is a major concern also globally (British Council, 2016). Refugee education may be interrupted or altogether suspended at several points. Education systems differ across national borders, and validation of prior education is very limited. On each step of the journey, requirements and goals will differ. Language-in-education policies constitute a serious obstacle. Importantly also, refugees have a low status in the host countries, and young people are disempowered. Depriving this generation of access to education and preventing them from realising their dreams will have serious consequences. This paper argues that some of the pedagogies we find in transnational non-formal education networks can help to address these issues, building the competencies and capabilities young people need, more urgently than ever (Nordén & Anderberg, 2012). Such non-formal learning environments also have the potential of complementing formal schooling, which are focused on transmitting an existing body of knowledge, rather than learning to autonomously transform societies and shape the future. This case study analyses the development of learning processes among international network representatives meeting annually within Caretakers of the Environment International, CEI (Global Forum, 2013). What does it take to enable students to see the planet as one interdependent environment? CEI believes this occur through having students meet and work together. By organizing annual international conferences, making available a periodical for – and by – teachers and students, establishing national branches and organizing regional workshops, CEI tries to establish a worldwide network of actively concerned secondary school teachers and students, willing to prioritise challenging issues through their education and their action-taking. The network intends to be a podium for teachers and students to exchange concerns, ideas, strategies, actions and projects in the field of ESD. Teachers and Mentors have an important role in guiding the students in their project. Development of capabilities and competences has been researched in general and on the meta-level (Scheunpflug, 2014; Cotton & Winter, 2010; Rauch & Steiner, 2006). Communities of learning across borders considering projects and learning agendas not limited to national interests, but matching the different circumstances people are facing across the globe. Several characteristics of GLSD could be compared with what Dawe et al (2005) have called sustainability literacy. Nordén, Avery & Anderberg (2012) summarised the characteristics for transition skill competences, stressing that they involved by learners needed critical knowledge capabilities in (1) organising themselves and making decisions independently; (2) developing transnational learning communities and (3) democratic collaborative action. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used: It is common in educational research to focus on learning outcomes that are easily measured. By contrast, many of the learning outcomes relevant in Global Learning for Sustainable Development are highly complex (Scheunpflug, 2011), and do not easily lend themselves to measurement. The capability to work with multi-dimensional and changing sustainability challenges is by definition a moving target. Additionally, self-organisation and democratic deliberation (Biesta, 2004; Roth, 2006) are a question of setting goals independently, and outcomes of such projects are not measurable against standardised goal criteria. Similar arguments can be made concerning the ability to effect social change for sustainbility, which includes changing agendas in education systems. Rather than focusing on learning targets specified in advance, we have therefore found it preferable here to look at the possibilities offered by these non-formal learning environments in terms of learning affordances for developing and practicing competencies and capabilities for sustainable futures. The notion of learning affordances (Caldwell, Bilandzic & Foth, 2012) has mostly been used to discuss the opportunities various digital environments provide for learning. We will use it here to describe different characteristics of the transnational network studied in this case study, in terms of providing advanced learning opportunities for young people with different backgrounds. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings: Findings suggest that the overall challenge in trying to enable this learning of those involved is keeping momentum between network structures and network processes. These informal settings teach awareness about how, not what, to think. The learning continuum advances as youth and their educators attain a sense of community and find their place within the local-global context by engaging in network activities. The results show similarities among examples of activities found in the CEI projects with those suggested by Cotton and Winter (2010), which are; stimulus activities, critical incidents, reflexive accounts, personal development planning, critical reading and writing, debates, group discussions, case studies, role plays and simulations, beside problem based learning. The ability to: think creatively and holistically and to make critical judgements; develop a high level of self-reflection; understand, evaluate and adopt values conducive to sustainability; bridge the gap between theory and practice; in sustainable development, only transformational action counts; participate creatively in inter-disciplinary teams; besides the ability to initiate and manage change. At a global level, there is a growing need to develop competencies and capabilities for transitions towards sustainability. Conflicts and climate change are drastically increasing the number of refugees and displaced people who need proactive preventive strategies, as well as skills that can be used across numerous contexts and in the face of changing circumstances. Increasingly, also young people need to manage their own learning processes in self-directed learning, regardless of where they are physically and where they may move in their lifetimes. As established social structures struggle to address global challenges, people across the planet need to be able to organise themselves and to take initiatives. Against this background, several aspects of the GLSD approaches investigated in this study appear highly relevant. References Anderberg, E., Nordén, B., and Hansson, B. (2009). Global learning for sustainable development in higher education : recent trends and critique. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 10(4), 368–378. Barnett, R. (2012). Learning for an unknown future. Higher Education Research & Development, 31(1), 65-77. European Parliament (2016). “The situation is getting worse.” by Avramopoulos, Dimitris, EU Migration Commissioner. Visited at January 21, 2016 at: http://www.euronews.com/2016/01/21/imf-proposes-prickly-solutions-for-europe-s-refugee-challenges/ British Council (2016-01-21). “Beyond aid: educating Syria's refugees.” By Bubbers, Joel, British Council Director Syria. Visited January 21, 2016, at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/policy-insight-research/insight/beyond-aid-educating-Syrias-refugees Cotton, D.R.E and Winter, J. (2010) 'It's not just bits of paper and light bulbs': A review of sustainability pedagogies and their potential for use in Higher Education. In Sustainability Education: Perspectives and Practice Across Higher Education.(Editors: Jones, P., Selby, D. and Sterling, S.) Dawe, G., Jucker, R. and Martin, S. (2005) Sustainable development in higher education: current practice and future developments. A report for the Higher Education Academy. Global Forum for Enviromental Education (2013). Caretakers of the Environment International (CEI).A Global Network of Secondary School Teachers and Students Active in Environmental Education. Visited at 2016-01-20: http://www.caretakers4all.org Nordén, B., and Anderberg, E. (2012). Sustainable development through global learning and teaching. In (Eds.) Madu, Christian N. and Kuei, Chu-Hua. World Scientific Publishing.. Nordén, B., Avery, H., and Anderberg, E.(2012). Learning in global settings : developing transitions for meaning-making. Research in Comparative and Iinternational Education (7)4, pp. 514-529, Symposium Journals. Rauch, F. & Steiner, R. (2006): School development through education for sustainable development in Austria, Environmental Education Research, 12(1), pp. 115–127. Reid, A. and Scott, W. (2013). Identifying Needs in Environmental Education Research. In (Eds) St
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| 7. |
- Nordén, Birgitta
(författare)
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Deepening Approaches to Teaching, Learning and Curriculum in Environmental and Sustainability Education : Transdisciplinary Teaching for Global Learning of Sustainable Development in a Whole School Project
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Deepening Approaches To Teaching, Learning and Curriculum In Environmental And Sustainability Education Chair: Alan Reid (Monash University) Symposium: 3 Papers in Symposium - 3 National Perspectives. National perspective: Sweden This paper reports on a study of transdisciplinary teaching of education for sustainable development (ESD) with a global dimension at an upper secondary school in Sweden. The paper examines the argument that in these contexts, content and teaching forms are not established in advance, making it possible for students to develop critical knowledge capability. Knowledge capability goes beyond simply holding a competence for acting in a defined and foreseeable situation that can be practiced in advance. Instead, knowledge capabilities allow students to take adequate decisions in the future, as new situations occur and demand action-taking. A total of 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 teachers and analysed using phenomenographic and contextual analysis (Åkerlind, 2005). Two main approaches to transdisciplinary teaching were identified: one where they contributed but struggled with transdisciplinarity, and the other where teachers displayed ownership and were able to reconceptualise the project as a whole. Overall, teachers worked in the project with deep-level processing for learning ESD in an integrated manner in a transdisciplinary framework. However, they experienced tensions between their resources and capabilities, and the challenges they faced in the project. Working with ESD is shown to be a highly challenging and complex task for teachers, in devising learning activities and support structures for students that involve these various dimensions. Despite their aspirations to achieve ESD learning goals expressed in the national curriculum, teacher teams frequently experience that they do not have full capability to cover a complex knowledge field (Öhman & Öhman, 2012). Teachers are challenged to work with their own professional development, exchanging experiences and knowledge simultaneously. This also involves coping with deep questions of their inner (re)orientation, and developing extended external teaching forms corresponding to transdisciplinary learning processes (Sund & Wickman, 2008). The paper concludes by arguing that by enhancing the ability to deal with global processes, involving critical thinking, skills and values, ESD inevitably attempts to foster students becoming responsible citizens (Scheunpflug & Asbrant, 2006; Anderberg, Nordén, & Hansson 2009). This is facilitated by approaches that, from the outset, integrate global and transdisciplinary dimensions, and thereby address the challenge of teaching about complexities (Sund 2015), with considerations of local situations, and diverse values or cultures. Importantly, working with the global dimension allows students to better understand conflicts of interest underlying different suggestions for dealing with sustainability issues and making decisions in the future (Biesta 2009; Howie & Bagnall, 2012; Gough 2012). Bibliography: Åkerlind, G. (2005). Variation and Commonality in Phenomenographic Research Methods. Higher Education Research and Development, 24: 321-334. Anderberg, E., B. Nordén, & B. Hansson. (2009). Global Learning for Sustainable Development in Higher Education: Recent Trends and Critique. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 10(4): 368-378. Biesta, G. (2009). Good Education in an Age of Measurement: On the Need to Reconnect with the Question of Purpose in Education. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability 21(1): 33-46. Gough. N. (2012). Thinking Globally in Environmental Education. In (Eds) R. Stevenson et al. International Handbook of Research on Environmental Education. Routledge. pp. 33-44. Howie, P. & R. Bagnall. (2012). A Critique of the Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning Model. Teaching in Higher Education, 18(4): 389-400. Öhman. M. & J. Öhman. (2012). Harmony or Conflict? A Case Study of Meaning Content in ESD. NORDINA 8(1): 59-71. Scheunpflug, A. & B. Asbrand. (2006). Global Education and ESD. Environmental Education Research, 12(1): 33-46. Sund. P. (2015). Experienced ESD-School Teachers’ Teaching – An Issue of Complexity. Environmental Education Research, 21(1): 24-44. Sund, P. & P-O. Wickman. (2008). Teachers’ Objects of Responsibility: Something to Care about in ESD? Environmental Education Research, 14(2): 145-163.
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| 8. |
- Nordén, Birgitta
(författare)
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Contemporary Sustainability Literacy Counting on Critical Knowledge Capability
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- "This paper reports on a study of transdisciplinary teaching of education for sustainable development (ESD) with a global dimension at an upper secondary school in Sweden. The paper examines the argument that in these contexts, content and teaching forms are not established in advance, making it possible for students to develop critical knowledge capability. Knowledge capability goes beyond simply holding a competence for acting in a defined and foreseeable situation that can be practiced in advance. Instead, knowledge capabilities allow students to take adequate decisions in the future, as new situations occur and demand action-taking. A total of 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 teachers and analysed using phenomenographic and contextual analysis (Åkerlind, 2005). Two main approaches to transdisciplinary teaching were identified: one where they contributed but struggled with transdisciplinarity, and the other where teachers displayed ownership and were able to reconceptualise the project as a whole. Overall, teachers worked in the project with deep-level processing for learning ESD in an integrated manner in a transdisciplinary framework. However, they experienced tensions between their resources and capabilities, and the challenges they faced in the project. Working with ESD is shown to be a highly challenging and complex task for teachers, in devising learning activities and support structures for students that involve these various dimensions. Despite their aspirations to achieve ESD learning goals expressed in the national curriculum, teacher teams frequently experience that they do not have full capability to cover a complex knowledge field (Öhman & Öhman, 2012). Teachers are challenged to work with their own professional development, exchanging experiences and knowledge simultaneously. This also involves coping with deep questions of their inner (re)orientation, and developing extended external teaching forms corresponding to transdisciplinary learning processes (Sund & Wickman, 2008). The paper concludes by arguing that by enhancing the ability to deal with global processes, involving critical thinking, skills and values, ESD inevitably attempts to foster students becoming responsible citizens (Scheunpflug & Asbrant, 2006; Anderberg, Nordén, & Hansson 2009). This is facilitated by approaches that, from the outset, integrate global and transdisciplinary dimensions, and thereby address the challenge of teaching about complexities (Sund 2015), with considerations of local situations, and diverse values or cultures. Importantly, working with the global dimension allows students to better understand conflicts of interest underlying different suggestions for dealing with sustainability issues and making decisions in the future (Biesta 2009; Howie & Bagnall, 2012; Gough 2012).”
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| 9. |
- Nordén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Sustainability dilemmas in preschool teacher training : Engaging students' experience in the local place
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The European Commission has since 2012 been working on setting out the priorities for early childhood education and care, seen as an important condition for improving learning at school, reducing social inequity and supporting social inclusion. Provision of high quality preschool education and care is in turn linked to adequately trained staff, and the Council of the European Union has decided on ”supporting the professionalisation of ECEC staff, with an emphasis on the development of their competences, qualifications and working conditions” (European Council, 2011). Forms of preschool education differ widely across European countries today (European Commission, 2015), and the training of preschool teachers is also very diverse (Eurofound, 2015). In Sweden, preschool education is part of the general education system, with a national curriculum (Lpfö98). Swedish teacher training of preschool teachers is regulated, and is - just as teacher training for compulsory school - provided at universities and university colleges. The competence of preschool teachers is strategic for sustainability work in preschool settings. This study analyses the learning affordances of a task about conflicts of interest in sustainability issues. This task was given to students on a university preschool teacher programme, and aimed to develop their ability to reflect on values and interests in change towards sustainable societies, and to work with these issues in their practice as preschool teachers. The intention with the task was above all to challenge the student teachers’ reflection on dilemmas and conflicts (cf. Öhman & Öhman, 2012) in sustainability work. Teacher education is of particular interest in developing competences required for societal changes towards sustainability (Rauch & Steiner 2013; UNESCO 2005; Wals 2014). School reaches most children and contributes to shaping a foundation for their development as adults. It influences the way they see knowledge paradigms, values and expertise. While later years tend to be structured in separate school subjects, preschool and primary school can shape the basis for a more integrated transdisciplinary understanding of society and the world. The early years are decisive for children’s perception of self and the way they see their place in the world. Experiences in the early years affect the child’s relationship to other life forms (Askerlund & Almers, 2016). Among the aspects which determine to which extent teacher education can provide affordances for student teachers to develop competences in teaching for sustainabiity are: links to sustainabiity research environements; the ability to work across the divide between social and natural sciences; action-oriented knowledge (Avery & Nordén, 2015, 2017). Adequate teacher training in sustainability work for preschool teachers is not unproblematic, however, since preschool aims to strengthen the child’s development and socialisation through play-based pedagogy (Thulin, 2011; Edwards & Cutter-MacKenzie, 2013). It is not clear how preschool teachers can in practice satisfy the curriculum’s ambition to shape a foundation for understanding highly complex sustainability issues in preschool. Deep knowledge about causal relationships is needed if sustainability education is to form the basis for responsible democratic action (Lundholm, 2011). An additional problem is therefore that knowledge in preschool relating to the natural sciences is mediated by teachers who do not themselves have a strong basis in science (Nilsson, 2012). It will here be argued that a possible approach to deal with these challenges is to work on practical questions of local relevance, where preschool teachers can to a greater extent draw on their own experience. Contextualising learning by relating to place has been identified as a significant element to increase engagement for sustainabiity (Beery & Wolf-Watz, 2014). However, place-based education can also be limiting, unless connections are also made to global interrelationships (McInerney, Smyth & Down, 2011; Nordén, 2016). Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The investigated task took its point of departure in a local place, giving students the opportunity to use their experience and knowledge of local conditions to design pedagogical activities for preschool children that would be relevant to sustainability issues. The task relates to Swedish national curriculum aims (Lpfö98) concerning preschool children’s understanding of scientific phenomena and causalities, and also addresses the aim to familiarise chilldren with their surroundings and the locality (Curriculum for the Preschool, 2016). The curriculum notably states that preschool should ”develop their interest and understanding of the different cycles in nature, and how people, nature and society influence each other” and that preschool teachers should ”give children the opportunity of understanding how their own actions can have an effect on the environment”. Data for the study consisted of observations of students preparing , carrying out and discussing their projects for the task. Additionally, the student course evaluationis of the task were analysed, to gain a picture of the student teachers’ own perceptions of the learning affordancesthe task offered and its relevance for their future professional practice. The analysis used as a point of departure conclusions of University Educators for Sustainable Development mapping studies (UE4SD, 2015), and two critical axes (Avery & Nordén, 2015, 2017) with respect to offering spaces for transdisciplinary and integrating reflection for the student teachers on sustainability issues, and linking their theoretical training to practice oriented work. The task the students worked with was firstly considered with respect to the learning affordances (Caldwell, Bilandzic & Foth 2012) it offered, through different elements of its design, and secondly with respect to the students’ own perceptions and reflections on their learning, presented in the course evaluations. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Student course evaluations pointed to a perceived tension between the advanced content and working with preschool children. The course evaluations also displayed a tension between what students felt was useful scientific knowledge, and the social dimensions in sustainability. It thus appeared that working with dilemmas and place-based pedagogy was a promising approach to teach future preschool teachers ways of working with sustainability issues with young children. However, to achieve greater understanding and engagement, these approaches would require a more solidly established prior understanding among the preschool student teachers of transdisciplinarity (Mochizuki, Y. & Yarime, 2016) as well as of the significance of social dimensions of sustainability. The analysis of student presentations and observations suggests that the fact that students could choose the conflict of interests that they wanted to work with and that it was situated locally did in fact enable them to relate to issues they were familiar with. This meant that they had a deeper understanding of the questions, and they could draw on richer contextualised , emboided and emotionally engaging resources from their own experience to develop activities for the children. The fact that the task was placed in an outdoor environment and related to specific known places made it possible to connect the learning activities to concrete circumstances and lived experiences, thereby also making the scientific causalities and implications clearer than if they had only been represented verbally.
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| 10. |
- Nordén, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Hållbarhetsdilemman och platsbaserat arbete i förskolelärarutbildningen (Sustainability dilemmas and place-based work in preschool teacher education)
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Förskolelärares kompetens är strategisk för hållbarhetsarbete i förskolan. En kursuppgift om intressekonflikter kring hållbarhet för studenter på förskolelärarprogrammet presenteras här. Uppgiften tar sin utgångspunkt i en plats i närområdet. Studenter får därigenom både problematisera och använda sin erfarenhet och kännedom om den lokala platsen i utformandet av relevanta pedagogiska aktiviteter. Utvidgat abstrakt: Hållbar utveckling i högre utbildning är ett brett fält som inbegriper såväl formuleringar i övergripande måldokument som konkreta handlingsplaner på institutionsnivå, gällande allt från miljöanpassning av universitetet som fysisk verksamhet, till frågan om hållbarhetsperspektiv i utbildningarnas eller forskningens innehåll (ue4sd outcomes). Bland de utbildningar som ges har lärarutbildningarna (Rauch & Steiner 2013; UNESCO 2005; Wals 2014) ett särskilt intresse avseende att utveckla kompetenser för samhällets övergång till hållbarhet. Skolan når de flesta medborgare och bildar grund för ungas fortsatta utveckling, men påverkar även deras syn på kunskapsparadigm, värderingar och expertis. Medan utbildning och yrkesutövning efter grundskolan delas upp i olika specialiseringar, kan elever i skola och förskola bilda grund för en integrerad transdisciplinär syn på samhället och den värld vi lever i. Avseende förskola och yngre barns introduktion till hållbarhetsfrågor har det argumenterats att de tidiga åren har stor betydelse för barnets syn på sig själv och på sin plats i världen. De tidiga åren är också viktiga för barnets relation till andra livsformer (Askerlund, Almers, Hyltse-Eckert & Avery, 2014). Samtidigt är det inte helt oproblematiskt att introducera högkomplexa hållbarhetsfrågor i förskolan, eftersom denna syftar att stärka barnets utveckling och socialisering genom lek-baserad pedagogik (Thulin, 2011; Edwards & Cutter-MacKenzie, 2013). Ytterligare problem är att naturvetenskaplig kunskap förmedlas genom lärare som inte själva har en stark utbildning inom naturvetenskaper (Nilsson, 2012). En möjlig ansats för att undvika några av dessa risker är att arbeta praktiskt med lokala frågeställningar, och därigenom koppla reflektioner till lärarstudenternas erfarenheter. Relaterade till plats har identifierats som väsentlig i engagemang för hållbarhet (Beery & Wolf-Watz, 2014), samtidigt som det är viktigt att knyta till förståelse av globala samband (McInerney, Smyth & Down, 2011). Avgörande för utsträckningen i vilken lärarutbildningar skapar utrymme för lärarstudenter att utveckla kompetens i utbildning mot hållbarhet är även: kopplingar till forskningsmiljöer som fokuserar hållbarhetsfrågor; möjligheter att arbeta på tvärs över samhälls- och naturvetenskaper; handlingsorienterad kunskap (Avery & Nordén, 2015). Som exempel presenteras här en uppgift som gavs till studenter på förskolelärarprogrammet inom kursen Naturvetenskap och teknik i förskolan. Uppgiften handlade om hållbar utveckling och intressekonflikter (Öhman & Öhman, 2012). Studenterna skulle utifrån en plats i närområdet med hjälp av omgivningen gestalta och problematisera en intressekonflikt kring hållbarhet. Uppgiften syftade att utmana studenternas och andras tänkande kring hållbarhetsperspektiv, eftersom värderingar av vad som ses som hållbart kan bero på vilket perspektiv som antas, och för vem det skall vara hållbart. Studenterna skulle också fråga sig vilka prioriteringar och bortprioriteringar vi kan bli tvungna att göra för att fatta beslut som på sikt kan ge ett mer hållbart sätt att leva för människa och miljö. Diskussion och problematisering var i fokus i uppgiften. Genom att studenterna kunde välja vilken intressekonflikt de ville arbeta med, hade de möjlighet att relatera till frågeställningar som de själva hade kunskap om. Övningen var placerad i en utomhusmiljö, vilket gjorde att syftningar och de naturvetenskapliga implikationerna blev konkreta och mer entydiga än om de hade enbart representerats verbalt. Flera element i uppgiftsupplägget skulle kunna användas för andra kurser för hållbarhet.
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