Educating for a Sustainable Future (ESF)

Practising what we teach: journey rather than destination

SEEPS is a continuing professional development (CPD) project designed to assist teachers to develop their schools by promoting whole school approaches through sustainability education (SE). The Project promotes a school focused approach to CPD that provides support materials for teachers to develop in-service education programmes in their own schools, after at least one member of staff has undertaken a CPD course in the use of the SEEPS materials.

The most effective SE occurs in schools that promote and maintain sustainable practices through the participation of pupils in collaborative school cultures. What matters is process; how we educate, if we want education to contribute to the development of active global citizens who will practise sustainable lifestyles. A key process is the active participation of children as present citizens in formulating and practising sustainable lifestyles through whole school approaches.

Themes

The roles of teachers as individual citizens, classroom practitioners and members of a school community are addressed by focusing on personal values, teaching methods and managing change. Community links are emphasised by considering schools as agencies for community involvement and catalysts of change. The approach taken to CPD in the SEEPS Project integrates three areas of knowledge; theoretical, contextual (case studies) and personal reflection. Some case studies on the CD are supported by video clips.
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Project Development

The SEEPS Project has been developed by educationalists from 14 European countries including primary school teachers, teacher educators, representatives of ministries of education and NGOs. SEEPS is based on a ‘training the trainers’ model and has been funded by DGXI, DGXXII of the European Commission, Scottish Natural Heritage and MMU.

The project started in Edinburgh in 1996 where a whole school approach to SE was agreed as the Project’s central theme. This Project is a European contribution to the work of the UNESCO Teacher Education Advisory Group on Education for Sustainable Development. The Project is being adapted for use in teacher education programmes in South Africa through the award of a British Council Higher Education Link (2003-2006).

CD-Rom Course Units

0. Whole school approaches
1. Why bother with sustainability education?
2. Values and attitudes
3. Culture and sustainability
4. Leading and managing change
5. Teaching through the environment.
6. Self-evaluation in sustainability education.
7. Case studies and action research.

[ Acknowledgements ]

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Published by The Moray House School of Education, The University of Edinburgh