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DAVID HICKS |
| David is Visiting Professor, School of Education, Bath Spa University, where he helped develop and taught on the undergraduate Education Studies degree. He is now a freelance educator with a particular interest in education for sustainability, climate change and the shift to a post-carbon future. For the last twenty years his research, writing and teaching have focused on ways of helping students and teachers think more critically and creatively about sustainable futures. |
TEACHING FOR A BETTER WORLD
The situation we face
In the early 21st century we find ourselves facing a number of unprecedented challenges which will lead to a future markedly different from today, both locally and globally. We know this because climate change, peak oil and the limits to growth all point towards the urgent need for a post-carbon future. The long transition to such a society will not be easy. One of the key tasks of education therefore is to help young people meet the challenges that lie ahead with confidence and vision.
The educational task
I firmly believe that one of the most fundamental tasks of education is to help young people:
- make sense of the world that they live in, both locally and globally
- think critically about their future and the future of society
- understand the need to work towards a more sustainable future
If as a student, teacher or teacher trainer you are interested in these tasks this website will help you explore these issues in more depth. There are three strands in education which particularly help students to explore the sort of society and future they would like to live in. These are known internationally as global education, futures education and sustainability education.
The term used internationally to describe a form of education which specifically explores interconnections between the local and global community. More commonly educators talk about the need:
- for a global dimension in the curriculum and
- for pupils/students to develop a global perspective on contemporary issues and events
The term used internationally to denote a form of education which specifically helps pupils/students to think more critically and creatively about the future. More commonly educators talk about the need:
- for a futures perspective in the curriculum and
- for pupils/students to develop such a perspective on contemporary issues and events
The term used internationally to denote a form of education which specifically helps pupils/students to contribute to the welfare of both people and planet. More commonly educators in the UK talk about the need:
- to create sustainable schools which exemplify good practice across all aspects of life
- for pupils/students to understand the need for, and ways of working towards, a more sustainable society
Education, as with all human activity, is a socially constructed endeavour. Consequently it can never be neutral or value free. Educators thus need to understand that:
- debates about the purpose and practice of education will always be underpinned by differing ideologies
- such ideologies differ in their views of how society works best and what sort of future is most desirable
To contact David please click here: enquiries@teaching4abetterworld.co.uk
