Environmental and Sustainability Education in Teacher Education: Canadian Perspectives

Abstract

The National Roundtable on Environmental & Sustainability Education in Pre-Service Teacher Education, which took place in June 2016 at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, was a remarkable event in Canadian teacher education history. This National Roundtable brought together key educational stakeholders to discuss the state of Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) in Canada and to create an action plan for enhancing ESE nationwide. National Roundtable participants, which included faculty, researchers, teachers, community educators, and policy-makers, engaged in a large-scale collaborative inquiry process in which they discussed, debated, and analyzed past and current pedagogical practices; structural, programmatic, and economic challenges; theoretical and other explanatory frameworks; and critical areas of the field in need of further research. This chapter documents and reflects on the National Roundtable as indicative of the growing interest in Environmental and Sustainability Education in Teacher Education (ESE-TE) and discusses some of the impacts this event may have had on ESE-PTE in Canada.

Résumé

La Table ronde nationale sur l’éducation à l’environnement et au développement durable dans la formation des futurs enseignants a été un événement remarquable en formation des enseignants au Canada, car elle a rassemblé les principaux intervenants en éducation du pays, qui ont pu discuter des réalités qui affectent ce travail crucial et créer collectivement un plan d’action pour aller de l’avant. L’événement, qui s’est tenu en juin 2016 à l’Université Trent, a été conçu comme une enquête collaborative pour les professeurs, les chercheurs, les éducateurs communautaires et les responsables politiques, qui ont pu partager leurs points de vue sur les défis programmatiques à relever, leurs stratégies pédagogiques et leur expertise, et identifier de nouveaux domaines de recherche. Cette introduction, qui vise à rendre compte de la Table ronde nationale et à la présenter comme une indication de l’intérêt grandissant pour l’éducation à l’environnement et au développement durable dans la formation des futurs enseignants au Canada, vise aussi à suivre les retombées de cet événement sur le domaine.

The authors recognize equal and joint authorship for this chapter.

Appendices

Appendices

1.1.1 Appendix 1.1 The Otonabee Declaration

Acknowledging the centrality of land in Indigenous worldviews and teachings, we respect the inherent rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples as we sign this declaration.

Whereas human activity has caused environmental degradation, including climate change, species extinction, acidification of the oceans, and the melting of Arctic sea ice;

Whereas educators, children, youth, and all educational institutions can play a pivotal role in addressing environmental concerns by embracing systems thinking, environmental literacy, and holistic practice to develop sustainability practices that enhance personal, community and ecological well-being;

Whereas children, youth, and their educators should become full actors in their communities by working towards socio-ecological justice for all living beings;

Whereas there are demonstrated benefits for people of all ages being in and with nature;

And whereas UNESCO has called for a reorientation of teacher education to address sustainability;

We urge leaders in Canadian faculties of education, ministries of education, boards of education, and bodies that regulate the teaching profession to make Environmental and Sustainability Education a mandatory component of initial teacher education.

Signed by those in attendance at the National Roundtable on Environmental & Sustainability Education in Pre-service Teacher Education

Dated June 16^th, 2016 at Otonabee College, Trent University, Ontario, Canada

1.1.2 Appendix 1.2 National Action Plan of the National Roundtable on Environmental & Sustainability Education in Pre-service Teacher Education

1.1.2.1 Introduction

As part of the National Roundtable on Environmental & Sustainability Education in Pre-Service Teacher Education, hosted at Trent University in June 2016, delegates from across Canada met in person to discuss, analyze, share research on, and strategize ways to strengthen the presence of Environmental and Sustainability Education in pre-service teacher education (ESE-PTE). Representatives from faculties of education, NGOs, ministries of education, policy agencies, and school boards shared their expertise and experience to develop new initiatives, plan potential collaborations, and strengthen their networks. One of the key outcomes of this event was the creation of a National Action Plan and The Otonabee Declaration, developed and endorsed by those in attendance on the final day of the Roundtable.

1.1.2.2 National Action Plan

• 1. Establish a new national organization to support ESE-PTE in Canada

At the present time, there is no group or organization whose central role is to improve the state of ESE-PTE in Canada. A non-profit organization needs to be established to support and coordinate efforts across the country. Establishing a clear mission, set of objectives and activities, and a governance structure will be part of this process. Locating funding to support this organization and its work will be an important step of this component.

• 2. Assess the state of ESE-PTE in Canada

We aim to collect data to ascertain the state of ESE-PTE in Canada. By collecting quantitative and qualitative data using a variety of research methods (meta-analysis, surveys, and document analysis), a clearer picture of the state of ESE in faculties of education can be created, and used as a benchmark to direct future action and advocacy, and monitor progress in this field.

• 3. Develop supports for ESE-PTE in Canada

Many educators and NGOs are developing supports to improve the state of ESE-PTE in Canada; however, there are few places to share tools and resources centrally. We propose developing a digital hub as a means to share theoretical and pedagogical supports, research, and resources to advance this work collaboratively.

• 4. Advocate for the crucial importance of ESE-PTE in Canada

Advocacy for the importance of ESE-PTE can begin immediately, capitalizing on the growing awareness of the need for action to deal with environmental degradation and climate change. Working to encourage a variety of individual advocacy actions (e.g., meeting with a Dean of Education) and collaborative advocacy actions (e.g., lobbying the CMEC) can begin to raise awareness amongst policy-makers and faculty leadership of the importance of this work. Part of this work involves sharing The Otonabee Declaration, already signed by the delegates of the National Roundtable.