Pedagogical Approaches Video 4

Summary

This script explores the contrast between traditional education and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) pedagogies. It highlights ESD's holistic approach, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The script uses a project-based learning example, where middle school students design a sustainable community, integrating subjects like science, economics, and social studies. It underscores the importance of cultural practices, community engagement, and traditional knowledge in promoting sustainability. The role of governance, policies, and public participation in fostering sustainable practices is also discussed.

Takeaways

• 🌿 ESD pedagogies promote a holistic view of education, integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
• 🔍 ESD encourages interdisciplinary learning and understanding of complex global issues, unlike traditional pedagogies which often teach subjects in isolation.
• 🏫 An example of ESD is project-based learning on sustainable communities, which integrates subjects like science, social studies, economics, and language arts.
• 🔬 In science, students learn about ecosystems, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, and how human activities impact these systems.
• 💰 Economics teaches principles like sustainable business practices, circular economies, and the impact of consumer behavior on the environment.
• 🌐 Social studies explores different types of communities, cultural practices, governance, and social structures, and their impact on sustainability.
• 🤝 The importance of community engagement and strong social networks in driving grassroots sustainability initiatives is highlighted.
• 🧵 Traditional knowledge and practices, passed down through generations, offer valuable insights for contemporary sustainability efforts.
• 🎣 The script uses the example of fishing communities in India practicing a closed season to manage marine resources sustainably.
• 🛍️ Cultural norms and values influence consumption behaviors and lifestyles, which in turn affect resource use and waste generation.
• 🔄 Practices like jugaad, chindi, and kabad recycling contribute to a circular economy and promote sustainability by reusing and upcycling materials.
• 🏛️ Governance, policies, and regulations play a crucial role in setting standards and creating incentives for sustainable practices, with public participation and democratic processes fostering collective action.

Q & A

What is the main difference between ESD pedagogies and traditional pedagogies?

ESD pedagogies emphasize a holistic view of education, integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability, unlike traditional pedagogies which often teach subjects in isolation with less emphasis on their interconnectedness.

How does ESD pedagogy encourage interdisciplinary learning?

ESD pedagogies promote understanding of complex, interrelated global issues and encourage interdisciplinary learning by designing projects that integrate various subjects, such as science, social studies, economics, and languages.

Can you provide an example of a holistic approach in ESD pedagogies?

An example of a holistic approach in ESD is project-based learning on sustainable communities, where middle school students are asked to design a model sustainable community, integrating concepts from different subjects and emphasizing the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

What role does the science subject play in the sustainable community project?

In the science subject, students study ecosystems, renewable energy sources, and sustainable agriculture, researching how natural systems function and the impact of human activities on these systems.

How does the economics subject contribute to the understanding of sustainability in the project?

In economics, students study economic principles including sustainable business practices, the concept of circular economies, and the impact of consumer behavior on the environment.

What aspects of sustainability are covered in social studies?

In social studies, students focus on different types of communities, cultural practices, governance, and social structures, and how these impact sustainability, including the distribution of resources and the concept of equity and access.

Why are traditional Indian practices like 'jugaad' and 'chindi' considered sustainable?

'Jugaad' promotes creativity and resourcefulness with limited resources, encouraging the reuse of materials that might otherwise be discarded. 'Chindi' involves upcycling textile waste into useful products, reducing waste and supporting local artisans.

How does the cultural practice of a closed season for fishing contribute to sustainability?

The practice of a closed season for fishing allows marine resources to renew by preventing overexploitation during the breeding and multiplication period of fish species, ensuring sustainable use of the resource.

What is the significance of environmental education in promoting sustainability?

Environmental education is crucial as it produces citizens who actively participate in sustainability efforts, creating awareness and fostering collective responsibility towards the environment.

How do government policies and regulations support sustainability initiatives?

Government policies set standards and create incentives for sustainable practices, enforce environmental protection, and promote sustainable development through strong institutions that support sustainability initiatives.

What role does democratic governance play in ensuring sustainability policies reflect community needs?

Democratic governance allows for public participation in decision-making processes, ensuring that sustainability policies are accountable to the community and foster collective action towards environmental protection and sustainable development.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 ESD Pedagogies and Interdisciplinary Learning

The first paragraph introduces the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) pedagogies, contrasting them with traditional teaching methods. ESD emphasizes a holistic approach to education, integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. It encourages interdisciplinary learning and the understanding of complex global issues, unlike conventional methods that teach subjects in isolation. An example of ESD is project-based learning on sustainable communities, where middle school students are tasked with designing a model community that integrates various subjects like science, social studies, economics, and languages, highlighting the interconnectedness of different disciplines and the sustainability of social, economic, and environmental aspects.

05:00

🐟 Cultural Practices and Sustainability

The second paragraph discusses the importance of cultural practices and traditional knowledge in promoting sustainability. It uses the example of fishing communities in India that impose a closed season to prevent overfishing, demonstrating self-discipline and sustainable practices passed down through generations. The paragraph also touches on consumption patterns influenced by cultural norms and values, and how they affect resource use and waste generation. It contrasts traditional practices like carrying cloth bags with the modern convenience of plastic bags, and introduces the concept of 'jugaad', a creative approach to problem-solving with limited resources, which promotes sustainability and resourcefulness. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the importance of maintaining traditional crafts and recycling practices, such as 'chindi' and 'kabad', which contribute to a circular economy and support local artisans.

10:03

🌱 Promoting Sustainability through Education and Governance

The third paragraph focuses on the role of education and governance in promoting sustainability. It emphasizes the need for environmental education to instill a sense of responsibility and active participation in sustainability efforts. The paragraph cites Scandinavian countries as examples of robust environmental education leading to high public participation in recycling and conservation. It also underscores the importance of governance policies and regulations in setting standards and creating incentives for sustainable practices. The paragraph calls for strong institutions, including environmental agencies, research institutions, NGOs, and educational institutions, to support sustainability initiatives. Finally, it highlights the significance of democratic governance in allowing public participation in decision-making processes, ensuring that sustainability policies reflect community needs and values, and fostering collective action.

Keywords

💡ESD pedagogies

ESD pedagogies refer to Education for Sustainable Development teaching methods, which emphasize a holistic approach to education that integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In the video, ESD pedagogies are contrasted with traditional pedagogies, highlighting their interdisciplinary nature and focus on real-world issues. An example of this is project-based learning on sustainable communities, which brings together various subjects to address the interconnectedness of global issues.

💡Interconnectedness

Interconnectedness is a central theme in the video, illustrating how various elements in the world are linked and influence each other. It is used to describe the web of life and the need for ESD pedagogies to reflect this by teaching subjects in an integrated manner rather than in isolation. The script mentions how a lesson on interconnectedness can show how everything is related, advocating for a more comprehensive educational approach.

💡Project-based learning

Project-based learning is an educational method where students engage in projects that involve real-world problems and challenges. In the context of the video, it is used as an example of ESD pedagogies, where middle school students design a model sustainable community, integrating subjects like science, social studies, economics, and languages to understand the complexity of sustainability issues.

💡Sustainable communities

Sustainable communities are a key concept in the video, representing the idea of communities designed to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The script uses the example of students designing such communities to demonstrate how ESD pedagogies can encourage interdisciplinary learning and the application of concepts from various subjects.

💡Cultural practices

Cultural practices in the video refer to the traditional knowledge and behaviors of a community that contribute to sustainable living. The script highlights the importance of recognizing and incorporating these practices into sustainability efforts, as they often emphasize harmony with nature and provide valuable insights for contemporary sustainability, such as the principle of closed season in fishing communities in India.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability is a core theme of the video, defined as the ability to maintain a certain process or state without depleting resources or causing long-term damage to the environment. The script discusses various aspects of sustainability, including social, economic, and environmental dimensions, and how ESD pedagogies can help students understand the complex interrelations involved in achieving sustainable development.

💡Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness is the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties, often with limited resources. In the video, it is associated with traditional Indian practices like jugad, which involves creative problem-solving and the reuse of materials to minimize waste and maximize utility, thus promoting a culture of sustainability.

💡Chindi

Chindi refers to the recycling of scrap cloth or textile waste into new products, a traditional Indian craft that exemplifies upcycling. The script uses chindi as an example of a cultural practice that supports sustainability by reducing waste and promoting the creation of useful products from what would otherwise be discarded materials.

💡Kabad

Kabad, meaning scrap or junk material, is highlighted in the video as part of an informal recycling network in India. The script describes how the collection and recycling of materials like old newspapers and plastic tubes contribute to waste management and the creation of a circular economy, emphasizing the importance of recycling in sustainability efforts.

💡Environmental Education

Environmental Education is the process of acquiring knowledge and values about the environment necessary to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. The video script points out the importance of environmental education in producing citizens who actively participate in sustainability efforts, using the example of Scandinavian countries where robust environmental education leads to high public participation in recycling and conservation programs.

💡Governance

Governance in the context of the video refers to the structures, policies, and regulations that guide and influence the actions of individuals, communities, and institutions towards sustainability. The script emphasizes the role of effective governance in enforcing environmental protection and promoting sustainable development, highlighting the need for strong institutions and public participation in decision-making processes.

Highlights

ESD pedagogies differ from traditional methods by emphasizing a holistic view of education, integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.

Interdisciplinary learning is encouraged in ESD, understanding complex global issues, unlike the conventional focus on isolated subjects.

An example of ESD is project-based learning on sustainable communities for middle school students, integrating various subjects and emphasizing interconnectedness.

Students are introduced to the concept of designing a model sustainable community, incorporating science, social studies, economics, and language subjects.

In science, students study ecosystems, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, understanding the impact of human activities on natural systems.

Economics lessons in ESD include sustainable business practices and the concept of circular economies, along with the impact of consumer behavior on the environment.

Social studies focus on the impact of cultural practices, governance, and social structures on sustainability, including equity and access to resources.

Community engagement and strong social networks are vital for grassroots sustainability initiatives and resource mobilization.

Cultural practices and traditional knowledge, such as the principle of closed season in fishing, are important for contemporary sustainability efforts.

Consumption patterns influenced by cultural norms and values directly affect resource use and waste generation.

The concept of 'jugaad' in India promotes frugality, imagination, and resourcefulness, encouraging sustainability practices.

Traditional Indian crafts like 'chindi' recycling and 'kabad' collection contribute to a circular economy and waste management.

Environmental education is crucial for creating awareness and fostering public participation in sustainability efforts.

Scandinavian countries exemplify the importance of robust environmental education from an early age for public participation in sustainability.

Government policies and regulations play a critical role in setting standards and creating incentives for sustainable practices.

Strong institutions and democratic governance are necessary for implementing and scaling sustainable practices, ensuring public trust and collective action.

Educators and learners have a collective responsibility to reinforce sustainability practices in their lives and classrooms.

Transcripts

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let us now see how ESD pedagogies are

different from the traditional

pedagogies they are distinctly different

in very very many ways ESD pedagogies

emphasize a holistic view of

Education because it calls for the

integration of the social economic and

environmental dimensions of

sustainability so these are recurring

terms remember we have seen in the

earlier classes also therefore the ESD

pedagogies encourage interdisciplinary

learning and understanding of complex

interrelated Global issues ues in the

conventional method that we have been

focusing on all along only specific

subjects are taught in

isolation there is less emphasis on the

interconnectedness of various

disciplines and real world issues in the

week which gave you a lesson on

interconnectedness you saw how

everything in this web of life is

interconnectedness so too should be our

lesson

which we Dole out to our Learners in the

class let us look at an example of a

holistic approach in ESD pedagogies this

can be a Project based learning on

sustainable communities let us take for

example students in middle school they

are asked to design a model sustainable

Community now let's see how this project

integrates various subjects such as

science social studies economics and the

languages and emphasize the

interconnectedness of social economic

and environmental sustainability the

very first thing is you all love the

Learners to do their own introduction

and research you just as Educators give

a brief introduction on what the project

is all about and why do you want them to

do on sustainable communities and with

that brief introduction allow them to do

their own research so they are

participating in the learning process it

is not something a monologue where you

say something and they just listen

sitting in front of you the science

subject what students do they begin by

studying

ecosystems renewable energy sources and

also what is meant by sustainable

agriculture all these are there as part

of their lessons these concepts are

there but they are all taught in

isolation so they know about it all

these are given in silos in the science

in different they're in the middle

school so they would have learned about

it in different classes now they

research how natural systems function

and how human activities impact these

systems now in economics students study

the economic principles including

sustainable business practices what do

we mean by circular economies and the

impact of consumer behavior on the

environment in social studies they have

definitely learned about different types

of communities maybe in the country or

around the world and they can also focus

on how cultural practices and governance

social structures all these things

impact sustainability what do we mean by

social structures students have already

learned learned about equity and access

think for a moment how resources are

distributed among different groups in

society look around do all of us have

the same access there is inequitable

social structures in our society and

this can lead to unequal access to

resources like clean water nutritious

food and education now these are

essential for sustainable development

wherever there is in societies is

wherever there is income inequality

marginalized communities often lack the

resources to invest in sustainable

practices such as renewable energy or

efficient Waste Management no country

can progress if one section is Left

Behind Community engagement strong

social networks and Community

organizations can drive Grassroots

sustainability initiatives in a

community which is well organized

we also see that they can effectively

mobilize resources and they can

definitely advocate for sustainable

practices for example we have seen local

cooperatives they are often they emerge

in tightly knit communities amul is a

great example how the milk Federation

came about in this country thus we can

promote local food production and we can

reduce carbon Footprints if we are able

to engage it Community wise what about

cultural practices traditional knowledge

and practice these have to be given

equal importance many local cultures

they have a deep understanding of

sustainable living practices and these

are passed down through generations this

is wisdom this is not what is learned in

the books this is wisdom passed through

generations they emphasize harmony with

nature and they are able to provide

valuable insights for contemporary

sustainability efforts let me give you

an example take the case of fishing in

along the coast in India it is an

exhaustible resource if we go on

indulging in fishing continuously that

resource is going to get exhausted so we

must allow it to renew overe

exploitation this could lead to

diminishing yields how do we manage this

Marine resource and then this is where

comes the principle of closed season

there is a ban on fishing at that time

of the year when these species

especially the fishes they breed and

multiply to allow the spawning and

growth of the fry so what does the

community do the fishing Community

voluntarily imposes a ban they this is

not something that somebody has to

impose it is for their own good so they

are self disciplined they impose ban on

themselves so they do not go out into

the sea and or the river bodies and

catch fish during the spawning season

that is a sustainable practice and this

has been handed out to us through

generations look at the consumption

patterns cultural norms and values

influence the consumption behaviors and

lifestyle choices this directly affects

the resource use and waste generation

cultures which prioritize minimalism and

resourcefulness these tend to have lower

environmental impacts in India we never

used to have the concept of plastic

covers we would always carry a cloth bag

with us but it was the West that brought

in the concept of easy to carry bags and

now it's very difficult for us having

ape the West it is very difficult for us

to move away from that to our old

sustainable practice of carrying our own

bags the concept of jugar in India it is

such a beautiful Innovative and creative

idea it provides a quick alternative way

of solving or fixing a problem using

limited resources resources are not in

plenty in this country but we are able

to make do with what we have so

therefore there is a stress on

frugality but a great deal of

imagination and

resourcefulness especially if you go to

the countryside and The Villages you

will see people trying to be very very

resourceful everything gets recycled

people find ways to repurpose and reuse

materials in everyday life unfortunately

this use and throw culture you know the

two-minute culture where we try to use

and abuse and throw things so that

culture has crept in quite recently this

is an import from the developed nations

from other nations to our country so

this particular jugat concept is slowly

going away at least in the cities jugat

promotes sustainability practices there

is a creative reuse of materials which

might otherwise be discarded which might

end up in the trash using old tires as

swings or Planters or converting used

plastic bottles into storage containers

all these practices minimize waste and

maximizes the utility of available

resources promoting a culture of

sustainability then we we have a culture

called chindi that is scrap cloth

recycling this is making out of leftover

pieces from textile manufacturing these

scraps are often repurposed into new

products maybe a quilt so these are all

you know traditional Indian crafts which

involve the use of this chindi or this

discarded cloth to create rugs bags

quilts Etc this practice is particularly

prevalent in rural areas and among

Artisans there a fine sustainability

example because it involves upcycling

it's not recycling you're bringing out a

new product so it's upcycling by

converting textile waste into useful

products the practice of chindi reduces

the amount of waste which is sent to

landfills at the same time we are also

able to support our local Artisans this

tradition is so wonderful that our local

Artisans are able to promote their own

livelihoods and these livelihoods are

sustainable because it is a ongoing

process there is no stoppage as long as

there are textile Industries you will

keep getting scrap so it is an ongoing

process what about kabad kabad

collection and recycling kabad also

refers to scrap or junk material our old

newspapers used plastic tubes all these

process of collecting and recycling

these materials this is a widespread

informal sector in this country

thousands of people are engaged there

are people to collect there are people

to go and give it in the recycling

centers who send it who separate and

segregate it and send it to other

centers where something useful comes out

of it so from the kabadi Wallas who come

to our own homes and take the scrap they

collect the household waste materials

and then they go sort it and process and

then it gets recycled what a beautiful

way of man managing our waste this

informal recycling Network significantly

contributes to waste management and

recycling efforts in urban areas we are

able to create a circular economy by

introducing the recycle materials into

the production cycle all that we need is

education and awareness cultures which

value Environmental Education they are

more likely to produce citizens who

actively participate in sustainability

efforts and this is where my dear

listeners we need your Collective

responsibility we need you as Educators

and as Learners to take responsibility

to keep reinforcing this first to use it

ourselves do not waste have a ceiling on

your own desires do not try to waste see

that everything gets into recycling let

us be responsible in our consumption so

when we are able to practice this in our

lives we can tell this with greater

force to our listeners to our Learners

in the classes Scandinavian countries

have a very robust Environmental

Education right from an early age so

therefore what happens is there is a

high level of public participation in

recycling and conservation programs they

think that it is every citizen thinks

that it is their duty to do it it is not

like somebody else will do it no so we

need to create such practices

through our education systems and this

is where we require your help and that

is why we need courses like this to

remind us of our responsibility to the

Society of course governance policies

and regulations government policies are

crucial because they set standards they

create incentives for sustainable

practices effective governance can

enforce Environmental Protection and

they can promote sustainable development

we need strong institutions which

support sustainability initiatives like

environmental agencies research

institutions non-governmental

organizations and of course the

educational institutions as an extended

Community the whole institution approach

about which we will be seeing later all

these can play a vital role in

implementing and scaling sustainable

practices this is where public

participation and democracy comes into

play Democratic governance allows for

public participation in decisionmaking

processes wherever the citizens are

aware of their rights and

responsibilities such a society would

definitely be far ahead of the rest in

this country so they ensure that

sustainability policies reflect the

needs and values of the community they

force the government to be accountable

and this builds a public trust and

fosters Collective action