Overview of Potentials for Education for Sustainable Development and Education for an Integral Age in Slovenia
Dr. Darja Piciga Citizens’ Initiative for an Integral Green Slovenia darja.piciga@gmail.com integralnaslovenija@gmail.com
Prof. Emer. Barica Marentič Požarnik Slovenia barica.marentic@guest.arnes.si
Saša Kregar Dr. Zora Rutar Ilc National Education Institute Slovenia sasa.kregar@zrss.si www.zrss.si zora.rutar-ilc@zrss.si
The paper presents a historic perspective on the emergence of education for sustainable development (ESD) in Slovenia and an overview of potentials for ESD as depicted in Piciga et al., 2017. This elaboration is complemented with key findings of the recent evaluation study conducted by National Education Institute (Kregar, 2016). Main conclusions of the study are illustrated with practice cases and the role of teacher and his/her competences for ESD is stressed. The Integral model of ESD proposed by Piciga et al. (2017) enables construction of proposals to overcome the weaknesses on the levels of national curricula and syllabi as well as implementing curricula.
The weaknesses detected in evaluation studies of ESD in Slovenia and addresses with the help of the integral model relate to basic principles of this educational concept, such as:
– SD is not yet thought as a broad and comprehensive concept, encompassing interrelated environmental, economic and social issues. Environmental categories are more frequently represented compared to the economic and social ones, while the latter also generate problems in the first field, i.e. environmental.
– (Eco)system thinking and holistic approach are not sufficiently promoted.
– The principles of the principle of partnership at local, regional, national and international level and of intercultural dialogue are poorly elaborated.
Key References
Kregar, S. (2016). Vmesno poročilo za 1. fazo projektne naloge »Znanja in kompetence, pomembne za uresničevanje ciljev zelenega gospodarstva v povezavi s podnebnimi spremembami za ravni predšolska vzgoja-osnovna šola-gimnazija«. Ljubljana: Zavod RS za šolstvo.
Marentič Požarnik, B., Vzgoja in izobraževanje za trajnostni razvoj – kje smo ob koncu desetletja VITR. Vzgoja in izobraževanje, letn. 45, št. 4, str. 5-13
Piciga, D., Schieffer, A., & Lessem, R. (2016). Integral Green Slovenia: Towards a Social,
Knowledge- and Value-Based Economy and Society at the Heart of Europe. Oxon: Routledge.
Piciga, D., Schieffer, A., Marentič-Požarnik, B. (2017). Holistic Education for Sustainable Development: Education as a Key Catalyst for an Integral Green Slovenia and a New European Renaissance. Background Paper to the Integral Green Economy Conference, 31 January 2017.
https://integralna-zelena-slovenija.si/IGE2017%20Conference%20Concept%20&%20Prelim.%20Agenda-1.pdf