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Speech Address By Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman Second Minister For Education At The Ite Work Study Diploma Graduation Ceremony At Ite Hq
Speech - Address by Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Second Minister for Education, at the ITE Work-Study Diploma Graduation Ceremony, at ITE HQ
Publish date:08 Dec 2022
Mr Andrew Chong, Chairman, ITE
Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO, ITE
Members of the ITE Board of Governors
Employers and Company representatives
Graduates and Parents
Distinguished Guests
It is my great pleasure to join you today for the ITE Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) Graduation Ceremony 2022.
Today, 371 trainees are graduating, and 18 top graduates among them will be receiving the course medals given their strong performance. I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations to all the graduates! To the graduates, you should be proud of yourselves for achieving this significant milestone and adapting to the many changes in the way we lived and learnt during the pandemic.
Let us also acknowledge all those who have supported you through this journey – your family members and friends, lecturers and staff at ITE, and industry partners. I am sure they must be very proud of you and many of them are present here today to celebrate this momentous occasion with you.
Supporting the progression of ITE graduates through WSDips
Today, ITE offers WSDips and Technical Diploma programmes to provide its graduates with upgrading pathways where they can learn by doing. Courses in both diploma programmes are apprenticeship-based and delivered in partnership with the industry. They provide opportunities for ITE Nitec and Higher Nitec graduates to progress to a diploma through skills mastery and practice.
WSDips in particular, are designed to intersperse classroom learning with on-the-job training, allowing students to deepen their skills and knowledge as they continuously apply what they have learnt in school to the workplace. This draws inspiration from Germany's apprenticeship-based system, which combines vocational training in school with company apprenticeships. Through this pathway, students can earn a salary and acquire working experience while studying. Partner companies, in turn, can harvest new talent from the programme.
ITE's WSDip programme has grown significantly over the years. Starting from four programmes and 100 trainees in 2018, it now has 36 programmes across various industries, with 2,400 trainees enrolled in 2022 since its inception.
The employment outcomes of WSDips have also been very encouraging. Our surveys showed that WSDip graduates had seen an increase in salaries, being entrusted with greater responsibilities upon graduation. Their average salaries are also comparable to the median salary of polytechnic graduates.
The on-the-job training component and positive employment outcomes make the WSDip programme a highly attractive upgrading pathway for ITE graduates. Mr Mohamed Tasriq Bin Helmi, for example, has benefited from this programme.
Tasriq graduated with a Nitec in Mechatronics as one of the top performing students in the programme.
Subsequently, he enrolled in the WSDip in Automation Engineering to deepen his skills. With on-the-job training at the workplace making up 70% of the curriculum, he found that he could apply what he had learnt in class directly, and better hone his skills as an engineer.
Through this work-study model, Tasriq not only gained a head start in his career through roles that challenged him to think on his feet and act nimbly, but also simultaneously obtained a diploma.
Tasriq is graduating today as the top student in his WSDip programme and will be receiving the Gold Course Medal. Well done, Tasriq!
Launching of new WSDip programmes
Building on this success and strong demand for WSDips, ITE will be launching four new WSDip programmes in April next year to meet industry needs. These include:
WSDip in Agriculture and Aquaculture Technology, with a focus on urban agriculture, aquaculture systems and innovations in the agri-food industry;
WSDip in Customer Experience Management, with specialisations in the aviation and consumer sectors;
WSDip in Facilities Management that focuses on deepening expertise in building maintenance and repair of key building services systems; and
WSDip in Security Operations, with an emphasis on border security and security services, covering areas such as people management skills and service excellence.
This will bring the total number of WSDip courses to 40, with a total of 1,200 places being offered in 2023. ITE will continue to expand its WSDip programme, with the aim of offering 1,500 places each year by 2025. I hope that more companies will consider offering the ITE WSDip programme to build their talent pipeline while providing opportunities for ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma.
Launching of New Technical Diplomas
Let me also take this opportunity to share some developments on ITE Technical Diplomas. Similarly, Technical Diploma programmes offer an apprenticeship-based model of learning. They are offered in technical areas, and in partnership with renowned international institutions, to provide students with industry-recognised skills training.
There are currently three such programmes, which have seen good outcomes:
Technical Engineer Diploma in Machine Technology and Technical Engineer Diploma in Automotive Engineering – which are offered in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; and
Technical Diploma in Culinary Arts, with French culinary and hospitality institution, Institut Paul Bocuse.
Since its inception in 2008, ITE has trained some 900 Technical Diploma graduates whose median starting salaries are also comparable to that of polytechnic diploma graduates.
I am pleased to announce that ITE will be launching three new Technical Diplomas in April 2023. They are:
Technical Diploma in Hospitality & Hotel Management, in collaboration with EHL Hospitality Business School, Switzerland, one of the best hospitality management schools in the world; and
Technical Engineer Diploma in Civil and Structural Engineering, and Technical Diploma in Beauty & Wellness Management, both in collaboration with the Vocational Training Council (VTC), Hong Kong. VTC is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong, and one of ITE's long-standing partners.
Altogether, the six Technical Diplomas and 40 Work-Study Diplomas will provide about 1,400 diploma places in 2023. This will enable more than 10% of ITE graduates to progress towards a diploma with ITE.
Companies and Mentors as Key Partners in the Training Ecosystem
ITE's close partnerships with companies have been crucial to the success of its programmes, in particular, the WSDip programme whose content is delivered primarily through On-the-Job Training (OJT). Today, more than 500 participating companies are engaged in co-training ITE's WSDip trainees. They work closely with ITE to jointly design, deliver and assess the OJT curriculum, providing company supervisors, trainers and mentors to guide and develop the trainees. Such involvement takes commitment and resources but allows companies to better meet their manpower and skills needs too. We hope their positive experiences will inspire more companies to follow suit and partner with ITE to provide more places for our WSDip students.
To support companies to participate in WSDip programmes and also those interested in workplace learning, ITE provides Train-The-Trainer courses, or TTT courses for short, to equip supervisors and trainers with the necessary knowledge and skills.
Each year, more than 1,500 company trainers participate in ITE's TTT courses. Those who complete specific modules will receive the ITE Certified Industry Trainer (CIT) certificate. Those who complete all the main TTT modules and have demonstrated the ability to apply what they learnt to develop company training programmes can apply for the Advanced CIT certificate.
This year, 221 trainers have been awarded the CIT certificate, and 3 will be receiving the ACIT certificate today.
One of the ACIT certificate recipients is Ms Jane Chia. Jane is currently working as a Quality Associate Engineer under REC Solar Pte Ltd. With more than 10 years of training experience, Jane is actively involved in training new hires in quality awareness. ITE's TTT course has equipped her with the skills to develop a systematic approach to mentor local and international quality inspectors in safety awareness programmes.
Ms Chia and other certified company trainers, as well as the companies participating in the ITE WSDip programme show us how industry practitioners and employers can play an active role in promoting workplace learning and supporting Singapore's lifelong learning ecosystem. Such partnerships between industry and our educational institutions will continue to define and refresh our social compact on education and lifelong learning.
To the new and existing companies offering the WSDips, I thank you for your support and partnership in providing an apprenticeship-based pathway for ITE graduates to pursue a diploma while working. I look forward to seeing more companies come on board the programme as ITE expands the WSDip pathway.
To the 371 graduates, I urge you to continue using and building on your skills to contribute meaningfully to your industry of choice. I hope you will always remain curious, open-minded, and resilient in your pursuit of lifelong learning. Indeed, you have only just commenced your journey as lifelong learners. That is why some have called graduation ceremonies as commencement ceremonies as this is where you begin to see the significance of always being ready to upgrade your skills for personal and professional development. I hope you will continue to inspire others around you with this spirit!
Once again, my heartiest congratulations to the Class of 2022!
Last updated 19 May 2021


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package com.mygdx.hiddenmarble.utils;

import java.io.Serializable;

import maze.ImmutablePoint;
import maze.Maze;
import maze.Point;
import maze.RecursiveBacktracker;
import maze.TileMaze;

import com.badlogic.gdx.math.MathUtils;

/**
 * Creates mazes. The mazes will have predetermined exit positions but will vary
 * otherwise.
 */
public final class MazeHelper {
    private static final int SMALL_WIDTH = 4;
    private static final int SMALL_HEIGHT = 5;

    private static final int MEDIUM_WIDTH = 5;
    private static final int MEDIUM_HEIGHT = 6;

    private static final int LARGE_WIDTH = 7;
    private static final int LARGE_HEIGHT = 8;

    private MazeHelper() {
    }

    /**
     * Creates a 4 x 5 maze (9 x 11 in tile representation).
     *
     * @return maze definition (tile maze object and start/exit positions)
     */
    public static MazeDef getSmallMaze() {
        return getMaze(SMALL_WIDTH, SMALL_HEIGHT);
    }

    /**
     * Creates a 5 x 6 maze (11 x 13 in tile representation).
     *
     * @return maze definition (tile maze object and start/exit positions)
     */
    public static MazeDef getMediumMaze() {
        return getMaze(MEDIUM_WIDTH, MEDIUM_HEIGHT);
    }

    /**
     * Creates a 7 x 8 maze (15 x 17 in tile representation).
     *
     * @return maze definition (tile maze object and start/exit positions)
     */
    public static MazeDef getLargeMaze() {
        return getMaze(LARGE_WIDTH, LARGE_HEIGHT);
    }

    /**
     * Creates a maze with the specified dimensions.
     *
     * @param  width the width of the maze
     * @param  height the height of the maze
     * @return maze definition
     */
    private static MazeDef getMaze(int width, int height) {
        Point start = new ImmutablePoint(MathUtils.random(0, width - 1), 0);
        Point startTile = getTileAt(start);
        Point bottom = new ImmutablePoint(width / 2, height - 1);
        Point bottomTile = getTileAt(bottom);
        Point exitTile = new ImmutablePoint(bottomTile.getX(), bottomTile.getY() + 1);
        Maze maze = new RecursiveBacktracker(width, height);
        maze.generate();
        return new MazeDef(new TileMaze(maze), startTile, exitTile);
    }

    /** Converts a wall-based maze position into a tile-based one. */
    private static Point getTileAt(Point p) {
        return new ImmutablePoint(2 * p.getX() + 1, 2 * p.getY() + 1);
    }

    /** Contains a tile maze object and start/exit positions. */
    public static class MazeDef implements Serializable {
        private static final long serialVersionUID = 7280561842114088170L;

        public final TileMaze maze;
        public final Point start;
        public final Point exit;

        public MazeDef(TileMaze maze, Point start, Point exit) {
            this.maze = maze;
            this.start = start;
            this.exit = exit;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Danish golfer Thomas Bjorn just bought himself an $80,000 television camera.
Bjorn was hitting a ball out of some tall grass at the British Open yesterday (July 18), hit a terrible shot and shanked it right into the camera shattering the lens.
But don't worry ESPN, cracked glass on your electronics is all the rage these days. Welcome to the cool club (or not).


Stockton, Utah residents looking for Internet service that is quick and economical have a clear choice—CenturyLink High-Speed Internet. CenturyLink lets you choose the speed that works for your Stockton household and gives you the power to connect all the devices in your home. And, on top of that, CenturyLink High-Speed Internet in Stockton comes with round-the-clock access to your online account and 11 free email accounts. You'll also have access to trending TV shows on CenturyLink's home page. Check out CenturyLink's 3 Year Price-Lock Guarantee for help finding the best service at a continuously low price. Give us a call today and set up CenturyLink High-Speed Internet in your Stockton home. Make the call today. The number is 1-435-248-4132.
CenturyLink can help you improve communication with family and friends with a home phone. When you choose CenturyLink for your home phone needs in Stockton you get advanced calling features and unlimited local calling—plus you have the option to upgrade to Unlimited Nationwide calling for a minor increase in price. If your loved ones live particularly far away, you can take advantage of the international and multilingual calling plans that are available. While cell phones come with some advantages, they still don't provide everything you need. A home phone from CenturyLink will provide you with a clearer connection that you can rely on. You'll be able to make the calls you want without worrying about using up cell phone minutes, dropping calls, or losing reception. Whether you want to chat with a friend or you need to place a call during an emergency, you'll be able to rely on your home phone. Choose CenturyLink for Stockton home phone service that you can count on.
Bundles from CenturyLink bring together TV, home phone, and Internet services at great prices. Many of CenturyLink's most popular bundles in Stockton come with a 3 Year Price Lock Guarantee—so you can count on those low prices and monthly savings for the complete duration of your contract. And if you combine DIRECTV service with CenturyLink you'll get access to the special NFL SUNDAY TICKET that is exclusive to DIRECTV. CenturyLink bundles make it easy to upgrade your Stockton home with just what you need. You get to select the features and channels you prefer—and you also have the option to choose an Internet speed that will meet your specific online demands. Get great home services at a discounted price. Choose a bundle from CenturyLink today.


text:
Russia, Strategic Deterrence, United States
Useless 'Secrets' of the US Missiles in Europe
Written by ORIENTAL REVIEW on 30/03/2012
More in Russia:
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Russia Respects International Law, But Won't Let It Be Exploited For Lawfare 02/01/2021
Who Gains From Misportraying Russia As A Rogue Regime? 31/12/2020
The European component of the US Missile Defense System is one of the major irritants in the US-Russian relations. The American administration insists it is aimed to counter threats coming from Iran and North Korea. The Russians respond that geography, laws of physics and irrefutable facts clearly indicate that the system is targeting Russia, not Iran. Their legitimate concern is quite justified.
The situation has devolved into a long term stalemate. The USA refuses to provide any solid guarantee that the system is not aimed at Russia while assuring their partners of good intentions. The Moscow's Joint European Missile Defense initiative has fallen on deaf ears. Numerous attempts to find a compromise have been futile, so last fall Moscow announced it was about to take steps to minimize the threat to the Russian nuclear deterrence capability. New radars and strike forces in Kaliningrad are commissioned to counter it, the R&D efforts to create new delivery means and warheads invulnerable to the US defense systems under deployment have been intensified.
Against this background the United States has made a 'gesture of good will'. Ellen Tauscher, the US Special Envoy for Strategic Stability and Missile Defense at the State Department, has reportedly introduced the Russian side to the secret information on the missile defense components during a recent meeting. The papers allegedly containing characteristics of SM-3 interceptor were to assure Russians that the system is unable to counter Russian missiles.
However this information was considered completely useless by the Russian side. A source in the Russian Ministry of Defense even described its reliability and timeliness "in a coarse language". Being convinced that the talks lack any constructive approach, the Russian Federation decided to move the process to a new stage. The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced plans to hold an international conference on May 3-4, 2012 "to produce evidence of potential threat to Russian nuclear deterrent capabilities by the US missile shield in Eastern Europe'.
Victoria Nuland, the spokesperson for the US Department of State, refused to comment these claims. Informal sources reported the talks between Ellen Tauscher and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov produced nothing more than a confirmation of intent to seek a compromise, there were no secret data delivered. 'The United States did not transfer any secret data on tactical and technical characteristics either of missiles or any other elements of the deployable Missile Defense System,' Sergey Ryabkov emphasized. Actually, even if the data on interceptors were delivered, the fact would hardly change anything. In case missile characteristics are used as security criteria, considerable efforts are required to produce reliable guarantees. The only way to make sure that the missiles pose no threat to Russian deterrence potential is to establish a Russian state commission on spot at the production facility to verify the conformity of the real characteristics to the declared. Otherwise who can guarantee it's not a bluff?
Besides that a constant monitoring would be required to check if the elements deployed at Morong and Redzikovo air base in Poland really have the declared composition and no changes were made. How to make sure the "incapable" missiles are not substituted with the "capable" ones? Naturally such monitoring being dubiously effective would require more effort and significant steps forward by the United States.
It hardly gives any ground for hope. Washington even refuses to provide Russia with written guarantees that the missile defense is not directed against them, so no way to expect they would provide Russian military experts an access to the whole infrastructure chain from production to commissioning. It would be naïve. But any talks basing on unreliable and unverifiable information resemble empty oratories about 'missile defense,North Korea and Iran'.
To turn the talks to a more obvious agenda e.g. discussing the reasons to dislocate the missile defense components against Iranian rockets in Poland, a hundred kilometers away from the Russian borders, the United States has seemingly no intent.
The conference announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense on May would be really an important event. Military delegations of a number of states including the USA, China and India are invited to take part in it. The Russian stance on missile defense will be presented in detail. Preliminary computer models show that the US missile defense interceptors in Europe are going to acquire partial detection and destruction capability against Russian ballistic missiles at the third stage of the implementation and full strike capability at the fourth stage.
Despite the inevitable resonance the conference would make in the media, the goal is not to bring the USA to light and make it reject its plans. It's hardly ever possible.
Too many resources are already invested into the Missile Defense System project to just cancel it now. But a comprehensive explanation why Russia will have to upgrade its nuclear shield, regroup and bolster its armed forces in the next few years will be given at the conference. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that while the door is still not shut for the dialogue on missile defense, 'everyone should be ready for changes'. The President stressed Russia may pull out of existing arms control agreements in case the United States keeps upsetting further the balance of nuclear parity. And who knows what might be other Russian 'asymmetrical answers'.
The original publication has appeared in Russian at WIN.RU
ABM Shield
SM-3 Interceptors
Independent Moscow-based Internet journal focusing on the past, present and future political and security issues in Eurasia and beyond, working for you since 2010.
Pingback: India Dragged Into NATO's Ballistic Missile Shield Controversy - GreatGameIndia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Ding Darling refuge is an inspiring 6,300 acres of purely protected reserve land. With no development allowed and decades of preservation, the region is abundant in wonderful wildlife and some pristine sights and sounds.
From December to March, the area alights in migratory bird life. Manatee, dolphin, bald eagles, and more are common preserve sights. Entrance is $5 per vehicle, with federal passes available.
Vehicle drivers can enjoy the reserve along the Wildlife Drive. It is an 8-mile one-direction loop through the preserve. You can stop at many small lots along the way to bicycle, hike, and sight-see for wildlife. There are multiple trails for exploration, including the Indigo Trail and the Wulfert Keys Trail. But perhaps the most popular is the Shell Mound Trail.
The Shell Mound Trail has some special features that put it in a different class from the pack. The trail is only about ¼ mile long, making it easily accessible by anyone. The entire trail is wheel-chair accessible, and it moves along a clear and flat boardwalk pathway.
You can see some isolated natural sights on the trail. There are both small-channel and open water views to sit down and relax aside. You may spot kayakers by the trail's shoreline.
Don't be afraid of the alligators calmly floating in the waters. They are more interested in napping during the day, though you never want to try to get close. Other common wildlife sights include night herons, white ibis, turtles, frogs, snakes, and raccoons. Though less common, you may also see river otters, bobcats, marsh rabbits, and even clever little wetland mice.
This map can provide you with some additional historical details and an overview of the trails along Wildlife Drive.
The Shell Mound Trail in Ding Darling is most well-known for, unsurprisingly, its shell mounds. They are the most defining trait of the trail. So what are they? Shell mounds, often called middens, are collections of prehistoric waste. They consist of many different items. Middens may include animal bones, shells, lithics, human waste, and more.
In other words, middens are prehistoric dump yards, usually made of items discarded by the local native populations. Most of the still-standing middens in the world are located in Florida.
Interestingly, these shell mounds have been key sites for anthropologists. They offer an insightful look into prehistoric native cultures, including what they valued, how they handled larger communities, and what they found valuable.
The Shell Mound Trail is covered in these impressive sights. While it may seem gross to see them up close, they are upwards of one-thousand years old, standing as fascinating lenses into another era of human culture. Many shell mounds stand as tall pyramids and others were used as ceremonial points.
To prepare for any walk in the refuge, always bring sunscreen and insect repellant. Even on cloudy Florida days, you can get a burn. Always try to be as non-invasive as possible by reducing your noise and staying on the trails. Never take home plants or natural artifacts. The community of Sanibel Island has worked tirelessly to protect this massive reserve, and they rely on respectful visitor's to keep the wildlife habitat secured for generations.
While fishing is allowed in some dedicated areas, such as Smith Pond, fishing is not permitted in most locations. In allowed areas, a freshwater fishing license is required.
Overall, you can access the park and its trails from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park is only closed on Fridays and is open all holidays (unless it falls on a Friday). Admission to the education center and visitor area is free.
Respect the reserve and have an amazing time on one of the largest wetland wildlife refuges in the country. Guided trams are available if you want to take your experience to another level, but you can always cruise the trails at your own speed.


• If you cannot keep the drop off or pick up time, please text program coordinator one hour earlier than drop off and pick up time.
• Please send your child to the program with a bag lunch, sneakers and outdoor activity appropriate clothes, as well as one full set of clothes on the first day of program.
* Full-time after school students are eligible for a discounted program fee. Please indicate their status as you register.
To sign up for the program, please register here.
There are no refunds for unused or cancelled days.
Registration must be received two business days before the start of program to avoid a $40 late registration fee.


Our studies show that the Hyperworms can consume large quantities of both organic and metallic matter. Its powerful jaws can also be used in close combat. It has a very high metabolic rate and can move at fast speeds with a snake-like action. It has a short life span and only lives for two to five days depending on how much food it can find. At the end of this feeding period it finds a safe place and suddenly inflates into a balloon like structure which is fixed firmly to its surrounding terrain. This structure appears to be some form of Chrysalis, inside which another life form begins to grow.
The Hyperworms' function appears to be little more than feeding. It has powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth designed for ripping and slicing. Its belly appears to be small and the body contains some curious structures containing folds of tough skin. It appears to be quite vulnerable to fire and incendiary ammunition.There is no recognizable brain structure in the Hyperworm and it is well protected from Psionic influence.
When a Multiworm dies, four Hyperworms emerge from its corpse. They are small and agile and have a close-range (1 tile) spit attack.
On their own, Hyperworms are very weak, but make up for this in numbers. As four are created when a Multiworm dies, they swarm towards the nearest target and attack. This can often prove to be quite dangerous to a lone agent, who can only focus on one worm at a time.
If a Multiworm is engulfed in flames when it dies, the initial damage caused by the fire to the hatching Hyperworms is often sufficient to kill them instantaneously.
This page was last edited on 29 March 2013, at 06:06.


text:
CAUSTIC COMMENTARY: Glide's Weekly Song Pics: The Arcs, Gorillaz, Jonah Yano, Slowthai, AJJ, Deem Spencer & More
Sufjan Stevens Unearths Lo-Fi 'Take Me' Demo
By Ryan Reed
Sufjan Stevens is on a roll this week: First, he penned a hilarious, grammar-centric open letter to pop star Miley Cyrus; now he's shared a lo-fi demo of an unreleased song called "Take Me" on his Tumblr.
It's a glitchy electro-pop beauty built on dreamy synthesizers and Stevens' angelic falsetto. "Sloppy lo-fi demo I found on an old hard drive," he writes of the track. "It don't go nowhere so don't expect nothing. Love don't go nowhere so don't expect nothing. Quadruple negative, yo. Stay Positive."
Check out a stream below.
Stevens' last album was his 2012 double-LP Christmas extravaganza, Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10.
Sufjan Stevens Is Resurrected on Devastating "Should Have Known Better" (SONG REVIEW)
Sufjan Stevens – "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" (SONG REVIEW)
Sufjan Stevens Writes Another Weird Tumblr Post — This Time About Bieber


text:
Archive: Asia
Listening for a Life-Sustaining Society
By Jen Mason
Abstract: After 20 plus years as a sustainability educator, the author had one of those lie-awake-at-night-staring-at-the-ceiling experiences where she faced some hard questions about the state of the world. In this article, describes her subsequent journey investigating the role of listening in shifting to a life-sustaining society and her Ph.D. research into how to support listening across differences to address complex social-ecological challenges.
The Thin Blue Line: Community-Based Climate Change Adaptation and the Case of RCE Greater Dhaka (Bangladesh)
By Paul Kolenick
Abstract: In 2008 astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured an image of sunlight as it passed through the Earth's thin atmosphere, described as the thin blue line of "all that stands between life on Earth and the cold, dark void of space." At the center of sustainability education is a discourse of climate change and life's demise on the planet. In this short article, the contributing role of the United Nations University's Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) for sustainability education is explored with respect to community-based climate change adaptation, notably through RCE Dhaka (Bangladesh) as an example of the challenges and opportunities for climate change adaptation in one of the most heavily populated megacities of the Global South.
'Challenge to the South' Revisited: A Case Study Worldwide of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Abstract: Three decades ago Julius Nyerere (1990) wrote Challenge to the South. In response to the legacy of colonialism, Nyerere challenged the nations of the Global South to advance their development and to free their people. These concerns are as relevant today as they were in the 1990s. Established for the United Nations Decade of Education Sustainable Development in 2005, there are now over 175 Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for sustainable Development (ESD). This paper offers a case study of RCEs worldwide with a particular focus on challenges, and responses, including a focus on the select Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of poverty and health. Further, an account is given of RCEs which have attended to the recognition of Indigenous and traditional ways of knowing.
Seeing Water Through the Trees: Maasai Activists in Kenya Among Indigenous Leaders Worldwide Calling for Upstream Forest Conservation as Nature-Based Solution for Downstream Water Security Amidst Climate Crisis
Abstract: This article posits that Maasai Indigenous activists' call to save Kenya's Mau Forest Water Tower for its ability to protect downstream water security has emerged as an environmental-policy microcosm illustrative of globally surging interest in such Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). Through an analysis of the Mau Forest issue, a series of United Nations Development Programme case studies, and increasing inclusion of NBS for water at recent global policy events such as the United Nations General Assembly and World Economic Forum, this article suggests that a new water infrastructure policy paradigm appears poised to increase implementation of NBS-informed by Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK). The potential of this paradigm shift is illustrated by the North American Indigenous Mi'kmaq concept of Two-Eyed Seeing, which encourages the synthesis of solutions from both western-emanating Scientific Ecological Knowledge (SEK) and ITEK on a path toward positive social-ecological outcomes.
World University Sustainability Assessment (WUSA) Tool: Investigating Sustainability Content in Mathematics Subject in Universiti Sains Malaysia
By Siti Fairuz Mohd Radzi and Mohd Sayuti Hassan
ABSTRACT: Sustainability and sustainable development have become one of the dominant topics of discussion among individuals, institutions, companies and universities in response to any global issues with regard to climate change. Many universities including Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) have taken the initiative to instil sustainability element in its programme offered to its prospective student. USM aims to pioneer in sustainability area and become the reference point with regard to sustainability in Malaysia. In this paper, we provide the background of our USM and its goals towards becoming the sustainability-led university in Malaysia. We also introduce the tool that we have developed to help in calculating the percentage of sustainability content in any document. We utilize the tool to help us in investigating whether sustainability element is fully instilled in Mathematics programme offered in School of Mathematics in USM. We also provide our recommendation and future works to further strengthen this study in the future.
Understanding of Sustainability amongst Students of Management– A Case of Indian Institute of Management, Raipur, State of Chhattisgarh, India
By Pramod Kumar Sharma and Sanjeev Prashar
Abstract: India has compulsory teaching and learning of Environmental Education at all levels of formal education. This was mandated through a Supreme Court directive. This study was conducted using a survey instrument that was used as a proxy of sustainability literacy. The instrument had open-ended questions to gauge the respondent's perspectives, close ended knowledge-based questions, statements to understand attitudes and their awareness of eco-labelling/certification. The target group of study was the entire batch of 90 students (15 Female and 75 Male) that had joined the postgraduate programme in 2014. The students came with about of year of work experience. The major background was engineering and science with only eight percent with commerce background. All were found to be high achievers in their previous education in school and graduation.
Content analysis of the open ended question showed that 24 percent of the students agreed that economic development at the cost of environment is a short term solution, followed by 16 percent each saying that there is a need to have a balance or economic development should be at the least environmental cost. About seven percent said that economic profit can improve the environment and there is no option left if we need economic development. Only six percent putting comfort over the environment. Although the attitude was very positive, about 62 percent of the students were not able to articulate the difference between the quality of life and standard of living. 75 percent of the respondents supported the compulsory CSR act. 71 percent were in favour of extended producer responsibility. There seems to be a limited understanding of sustainable development and equates it to environmental conservation as any lay person who is informed by mass media. 72 percent did not understand the term Green Washing. The awareness was found to be moderate. Profit maximisation was the understanding as the goal of a business. Nearly half of them were of the opinion that consumers will not pay for environmentally friendly products. Although a high of 89 percent said that eco-labelling has an influence on consumer behaviour, very few of them were aware of eco-labels. Almost all agreed that polluters should pay 67 percent of them also believe that environmental clearances are an impediment to economic growth and 64 percent believe that privatisation leads to better utilisation of resources.
The study shows a pro environment attitude but at the same time a limited understanding of the depth of issues and only the economic centric perspective of sustainable development. Only 16 percent gave some hint of social dimension to sustainable development. Awareness of HDI and GDP was high but connection to quality of life was missing. The environment was high on priority as 24 percent of the students agreed that economic development at the cost of environment is a short term solution, followed by 16 percent each saying that there is a need to have a balance or economic development should be at the least environmental cost. There seems to be a limited understanding of sustainable development and equates it to environmental conservation as any lay person who is informed by mass media.
Also it was found that students were influenced by common business perspective being projected in Indian media. Business is becoming a major driver of sustainable development with increasing production and consumption along with population as a major reason for environmental degradation. It is recommended that social and environment be part of ethical framework of business education. It would be useful if details sustainability literacy assessments are done to inform the business management curriculum for the need to include environmental /sustainability management. The impact of undergraduate discipline was found to influence awareness and perception and hence it is important that the management curriculum removes the gap in sustainability literacy amongst students.
The Green School Concept: Perspectives of Stakeholders from Award-Winning Green Preschools in Bali, Berkeley, and Hong Kong
By Ailin Iwan and Nirmala Rao
Abstract: The concept of a Green School is contested, negotiable, and complex, and this study considers stakeholders' perspectives of this concept. A total of 21 stakeholders (principals, teachers, and parents) from three award-winning green preschools in three different societies were interviewed to discern their understanding of the notion of "green school". The award-winning green schools were located in Bali (a developing region in Indonesia, a developing Eastern country), in Berkeley (a developed city in the United States, a developed Western country), and in Hong Kong (a developed city in a China, that that acts as a meeting point of East and West). They were selected as they are considered to be the pioneers in this field in their respected regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with principals, teachers, and parents at the sites over a 10-month-period. Three concepts related to the Green School, namely Green Education, Green School, and Green Building, were explored. The stakeholders were asked about their preferences in relation to having children educated inside a Green Building or receiving education utilizing a Green Curriculum. Results indicated that stakeholders' perceptions about the Green School concept were inconsistent. However, they were aligned with the 'green' message that each school tries to convey. Stakeholders, regardless of their cultures, agreed consistently that they preferred preschools implement a Green Curriculum over occupying a Green Building. Implications and future directions for research on Green Schools are discussed.
Connecting through the lens: Cross-cultural perspectives on urban design and water infrastructure using participatory photography as an observational learning tool
By Molly Gail Mehling, Gregory Galford, William Biss, Darlene Motley, Yandi Andri Yatmo and Paramita Atmodiwirjo
This case study shares a unique educational experience that combined sustainability and design education with international partnerships that sought to investigate and visually analyze relationships between housing design and water infrastructure in both Pittsburgh, PA (USA) and urban centers of Indonesia. This project built upon an existing foundation of international relationships between faculty and institutions within a consortium framework. The project used a pre-course and a faculty-led student trip to establish relationships among faculty and students based in the United States (US) and Indonesia and to determine preliminary shared research goals to be built upon for future research collaborations that can attain a deeper and longer-term relationship. Students who participated in these courses refined their visual communication skills, gained a valuable global perspective on urban water management, were exposed to participatory photography as a research tool, and were strongly affected by their cultural experiences in Indonesia. Peer work between US and Indonesian students provided opportunities for students to exchange ideas and perceptions about the observed environment, which are influenced by their familiarity and unfamiliarity with the setting. The experience of this project can serve as a primer for the sustainability educator who is interested in interdisciplinary and international educational endeavors.
Do Malaysian Journalists Really Understand What Sustainability Is?
By Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh and Nik Norma Nik Hasan
Abstract: Is it important to educate the media on sustainability? This paper debates the need for sustainability education to be nurtured among media practitioners in Malaysia. Media play a vital role in educating society in three main areas of sustainability including environment, economy, and social justice. In this paper, six media practitioners from two local Malaysian printed media organizations, The Star and Utusan Malaysia, were interviewed to gauge their understanding on sustainability education, perceptions on their pivotal role in sustainability education, and the challenges they face in the process of educating society about sustainability issues. The findings of this study show that most Malaysian media practitioners displayed a clear understanding about sustainability education and they also realized their responsibility for not only informing but also educating society about sustainability issues and the importance of sustainable lifestyles. The ultimate challenge the media faces in terms of sustainability education comes from the media organizations themselves, such as the existence of gatekeepers who control the news. Overall, this study demonstrates that the Malaysian media's involvement in sustainability education is no longer a myth. We hope that this study may provide direction in sustainability education not only among the Malaysian printed media, but also for developing and Southeast Asian countries, and the rest of the world.
Making Sustainable Development Real Through Role-Play: "The Mekong Game" Example
By Andrew Perlstein, Michael Mortimer, David Robertson and Holly Wise
This paper describes a role-playing, negotiation "game" based on the Xayaburi Dam in Laos. We have used this activity in our graduate programs as a tool for bringing to life the complexities of decision-making around natural resources, economic development, and sustainability. Over the past several years of using the game in the classroom, we have found it to be an effective means of exposing students to the kinds of opportunities and constraints that different stakeholders face as well as the kinds of communication and negotiation tactics they might use to influence outcomes. We provide background on the real-world situation on which we based the fictional scenario for the game and discuss the learning outcomes we have observed.
Education for a Sustainable Future: Benchmarks for Individual and Social Learning
By Jaimie Cloud
This document is a provisional draft that has emerged out of an initial "State of the Field" issue and database, published in JSE in 2014 and a follow-up conference in Winter of 2015.
Jaimie Cloud of the Cloud Institute has been the lead organizer and author of this document. See the opening pages for the large number of additional contributors.
A process for comment and revision will be announced during Spring/summer 2016.
What's Love Got To Do With Transformative Education?
By June Gorman
Too much of education, especially following the Western Enlightenment model and its increased use of scientific, quantifiable metrics, has seemed to completely forget that love and emotional intelligence have everything to do with what and how well the human child learns. In a globalizing society facing shared environmental and social crises of existential proportions, this forgotten understanding is fatal to real hopes of education for sustainability and healthy human and planetary life. Love is simply too critical an emotion to understand and incorporate into education, and it has been too long left out in the cold. But cold it has been for the human mind focusing on only rational/objective and emotion-denying forms of learning and intelligence, creating minds unmoved by the thus un-felt facts of an increasingly globally warming and more confused world.
Love as a Great Transition Story
By Duane Elgin
The stories we tell shape our view of ourselves and the path we take through this time of collective awakening and global turning. We have the ability to consciously choose narratives that offer realistic beacons of hope to guide our way through the Great Transition. To achieve authentic and lasting reconciliation as the foundation for our future, we require the power of love and compassion as a practical basis for organizing human affairs.
Privilege as Practice: A Framework for Engaging with Sustainability, Diversity, Privilege, and Power
By Matthew Kolan and Kaylynn Sullivan TwoTrees
This paper explores the intrinsic but often weakly developed links between sustainability and issues of diversity, power, and privilege. It offers a systems-oriented conceptual framework for exploring and understanding how issues of diversity, power and privilege operate in social-ecological systems. This framework can be used as a learning tool with a wide array of audiences (higher education, organizational development, adult learners) and educational contexts (including but not limited to sustainability education programming).
The role of project based learning in promoting environmental stewardship: A case study of Bahrain Teachers College.
By John Wilkinson
Undergraduate education majors were enrolled in a project based learning methods course in spring 2012. As a culmination, they prepared five year plans to promote environmental stewardship in primary public schools in Bahrain. Since all students plan to eventually teach science in the primary schools, it is hoped they will be able to implement at least some of their plan and foster environmentally friendly habits that last for the lifetime of their students.
The effectiveness of environmental education for sustainable development based on active teaching and learning at high school level-a case study from Puducherry and Cuddalore regions, India
By R. Alexandar and G. Poyyamoli
India is challenged by the nexus of environmental degradation and economic growth amidst the paradoxical coexistence of poverty and affluence in their multifarious dimensions. These challenges are directly linked with the conservation and maintenance of the life supporting systems such as land, water, air, and biological diversity. The major causes of environmental degradation are population growth, industrialisation, changes in consumption patterns, and poverty threatening the dynamic equilibrium that could exist between people and ecosystems. In an effort to address these issues, environmental education for sustainable development (EESD) is emerging as an important approach to encourage students to conserve and protect the natural environment in their schools and in their neighbourhoods.
Education in a Culturally Diverse Post-Secondary Classroom: A Space for Potential Transformative Learning for Sustainability
By Helen I. Lepp Friesen
This conceptual article examines how teaching and learning has changed and continues to change as a result of the increase in cultural diversity in post-secondary classrooms. It focuses on how students' and instructors' culture and traditions impact the teaching and learning experience in culturally diverse post-secondary settings. Providing evidence from theoretical perspectives, this review assesses the need for and the potentially transformative nature of education that is sustainable.
English may be the lingua franca on North American university campuses, as well as on many campuses around the world, but since students and instructors come from many different backgrounds, just because English is the predominant language does not necessarily mean that education based on Western principles is the only way to do education. International students and instructors come from countries where education may be conducted differently and since the North American university system requires learning to be demonstrated in certain ways, it puts students that come from different systems at a disadvantage. Therefore it would seem that North American universities could benefit from the tenets of culturally sensitive teaching that Gay (2000) suggests as comprehensive, multidimensional, empowering, transforming, and emancipatory.
Urban Sprawl: Definitions, Data, Methods of Measurement, and Environmental Consequences
By Reza Banai and Thomas DePriest
Like sprawl itself, writing about sprawl is scattered in a vast multidisciplinary literature. In this paper we provide a map of what is increasingly known about urban sprawl in emerging literature. This review of progress includes four main parts—definition, data, methods of measurement, and environmental consequences of urban sprawl. The focus of this literature review is to determine whether the aforementioned parts are elements of a connected system in which progress in any one part reflects in others, thereby enhancing knowledge of urban sprawl's environmental consequences through a cross-fertilization with progress in how sprawl is defined, data are used, and phenomena are measured. We conclude with a discussion of areas of further research that surmounts the shortcomings of a disconnected, epistemic (knowledge) system of definitions, data, and methods, and points toward an explanation of urban sprawl's environmental consequences. The implications for the education of urban sustainability are noted.
Energy information sharing in social networks: The roles of objective knowledge and perceived understanding
By Brian G. Southwell, Joseph J. Murphy, Jan E. DeWaters, Patricia A. LeBaron and Jessica Fitts Willoughby
As sustainability educators and communication professionals consider various strategies to engage audiences with regard to household energy use, one option now seemingly available is to leverage social networks by encouraging people to share information with others they know. At the same time, we currently do not know enough about the potential spread of energy-related information in this fashion. Whether, when, or how people share energy-related information with peers or family members are crucial questions, for example. Using national survey data from U.S. residents (n=816), we predicted energy information sharing as a function of objective energy knowledge (measured using a factual energy knowledge index), perceived energy understanding, and demographic variables. Our analyses underscored the importance of assessing not only factual energy knowledge but also perceived understanding, as both are equally predictive of energy information sharing frequency (β=.11, p<.05, for objective knowledge and β=.11, p<.01 for perceived understanding). Number of children also predicted energy information sharing, β=.11, p<.01. We discuss the implications of these results for informal energy education efforts in the 21st century.
The Climate and Development Lab: An Experiment in Engaged Education for Global Just Sustainability
By David Ciplet, J. Timmons Roberts and Guy Edwards
This article discusses the evolution and work of Brown University's Climate and Development Lab (CDL). As leaders of the CDL, we engaged students in experiential education while attending the United Nations climate change negotiations in Cancun, Mexico in 2010, and in Durban, South Africa in 2011. Simultaneously, we collaborated with students to provide relevant and timely research and public scholarship oriented by the goal of advancing global justice in international climate change policy. Here we offer a conceptualization of our pedagogy for the CDL, which is a synthesis of two guiding principles: 'engaged education' and 'global just sustainability'. We discuss the ways in which we organized the CDL in relation to this pedagogy and everyday logistics, and reflect upon our accomplishments and the challenges that we faced. We argue that while there are areas where we can improve upon our practice, the potential of this type of learning is considerable, and can be complementary to producing scholarly outputs that contribute to a more just and sustainable world.
Integrating Shared Action Learning into Higher Education for Sustainability
By Scott Jiusto, Stephen McCauley and Jennie Stephens
It is widely acknowledged that the sustainability challenges facing the world require new approaches to teaching and learning. At the community level, however, sustainability priorities are context specific, so prescriptions of what and how to teach for sustainability are limiting. In higher education, one innovative approach to sustainability education that acknowledges the limits of conventional coursework involves courses based on "shared action learning" – a process in which students, faculty, and community sponsors share learning experiences while working on sustainability projects for a specific community. Shared Action Learning can be applied in any community context near or far from campus ranging from the very local campus community to distant settlements across the globe. This paper describes the processes, opportunities and challenges of shared action learning through five stages: (1) project impetus, (2) contextual research and project planning, (3) community engagement and project refinement, (4) action, and (5) reflection and reporting. The roles of students, faculty, sponsors, and communities throughout the semester-long shared action learning project are explored through two examples – a course at Clark University in Worcester, MA that focuses on SAL within the college campus community and a Worcester Polytechnic Institute program through which students work on projects with partners in informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa.
Teaching Sustainability through Adventure
By Jeni Henrickson and Aaron Doering
Adventure has been incorporated into sustainability education in a variety of ways, including through outdoor education and, more recently, through technology-enhanced learning. Technology has, for example, expanded opportunities for experiential learning through adventure as well as allowing learners to journey virtually along with explorers and scientists to the far-reaches of the world. This paper offers an overview of how adventure has traditionally been employed in both formal and informal education, discusses the differences between adventure education and adventure learning, shares research conducted on the role of adventure in the GoNorth! Adventure Learning Series, and advances suggestions for how adventure might be employed in sustainability education using distance, online, and mobile learning. The researchers propose the user-driven adventure learning environment (UDALE) as one model that educators and designers can draw from in both formal and informal learning settings as a means to fuse adventure, technology, and sustainability education in a pedagogically meaningful way.
Cities and Regions: The Urban Sustainability, Planning, Pedagogy, and Technology Nexus
By Reza Banai
Two developing strands of a multidisciplinary literature provided an impetus for this paper: 1) the emergence of new regionalism, new urbanism, and smart codes that inform urban planning and design principles and practices for environmental sustainability, and 2) the diffusion of telecommunication and multi-media technologies that facilitate implementation of pedagogic principles in the "classroom." The emerging urban planning and design paradigms anchor environmental sustainability issues firmly in place and space with an emphasis on the physical form of cities and regions, which, due to induced vehicular travel, is linked to greenhouse gases with consequences for climate change. Innovations that enhance learning in the classroom or the community increasingly embed and diffuse telecommunication and multimedia technologies. The intersections of urban sustainability, planning, pedagogy, and technology are briefly reviewed in this paper. It turns out that urban planning and design paradigms—particularly those with an emphasis on systemic knowledge, holistic views of both the natural and built environments, collaboration, communication, and reflective practice—synergize with environmental sustainability goals. Furthermore, these very features are ingredients for effective education for urban sustainability, particularly in conjunction with advanced telecommunication and multimedia technologies.
User perceptions of energy consumption in university buildings: A University of Sheffield case study
By Colin Whittle and Christopher Jones
This study investigated the current energy use perceptions and practices of staff and students within five buildings at the University of Sheffield, UK. A series of focus groups with staff and post-graduate representatives from these buildings explored occupant awareness of energy consumption, perceived level of control over energy use, priorities for reduction and the perceived facilitators and barriers to reduction. Overall, personal awareness and attitudes about the need to conserve energy, the perceived actions and opinions of other users (including University authorities) and perceptions of control over the ease and opportunity to reduce energy consumption were perceived by occupants to relate to whether they would intend to conserve energy in University buildings. Recommendations for encouraging energy conservation focus on engendering greater occupant responsibility for conservation by providing a clear conservation message, participating in energy reduction schemes and providing greater energy usage information. Few papers have investigated occupant understanding of energy use in UK University and Higher Education buildings, despite large reduction targets in the sector. This paper recognises the importance that staff and student engagement will have in the successful achievement of these targets and explores their insights and perceptions.
Re-engaging Youth through Environmental-based Education for Sustainable Development
By Justin Umholtz
To live up to UNESCO's definition of a sustainable development education that empowers youth with the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments, and skills to solve and prevent the world's total environmental problems, youth must be able to find meaning in the curriculum based in their own experiences and expanded through shared group experiences. An environmental-based experiential curriculum with a positive development focus can help youth reclaim their learning process and reconnect with their communities. However, without critical analysis, students, especially marginalized students, cannot develop the tools and competencies to truly understand their environment and their place within it. Linking environmental and experiential education with critical theory provides students the opportunity to develop their leadership and gain the social and cultural literacy skills needed to come in from the margins.
Curriculum as Bioregional Text: Place, Experience, and Sustainability
By Nathan Hensley
In this article I articulate what it means to understand curriculum as bioregional text. I utilize a theoretical mode of inquiry to explicate the values of bioregional education while integrating the discussion into the reconceptualized field of Curriculum Studies. The discussion addresses the value of direct experience, in our bioregion, and explains the significant contribution that can be drawn from developing a clearer understanding of our bioregional autobiography.
If it please the court: Using a simulated trial as the basis for an introduction to sustainability science course
By N.J. Smith-Sebasto
This report describes a unique technique for presenting an introduction to sustainability science course that is both required for sustainability science majors at a large Mid-Atlantic state university and a general education non-laboratory science course. The World Scientists' Warning to Humanity, released by the Union of Concerned Scientists in the late 1990s, serves and an indictment of humanity. The course mimics a trial as it proceeds from the indictment through an arraignment, pre-trial, trial, verdict, and sentencing with students acting both as the accused and the jury.
Boyer Plus: Field Study Courses for Sustainable Education
By Daniel Moscovici
The field study (or short-term study abroad) creates a successful hybrid of study abroad and field research. These short-term educational adventures (edu-ventures) give environmental or sustainability students opportunities to gain practical knowledge while traveling domestically or overseas. In addition, it presents the opportunity for both faculty and students to extend the traditional Boyer model of scholarship, a reputable professoriate model, by developing continuity. The field study fulfills the four pedagogical goals of the Boyer model: creating research opportunities (discovery); breaking down the silos of traditional academic departments (integration); acting as consultants on-site (application); and educating students beyond the faculty members' expertise (teaching). In addition, these field studies fulfill a fifth goal: building relationships and transgressing time (continuity). The development of this Boyer Plus model from a field-study experience serves as a tremendous tool for colleges, universities and professors to build the opportunities and necessary pedagogical skills for both traditional and non-traditional students.
Sustainability Education, Experiential Learning, and Social Justice: Designing Community Based Courses in the Global South
By Mark A. Ritchie
Understanding how we live (culture) and its impact on where we live (ecology) is one of the key issues facing sustainability and sustainability education. The International Sustainable Development Studies has developed a study abroad program for American college and university students in Thailand, "People, Ecology and Development" to address these issues through experiential studies of sustainability. Courses each semester focus on understanding the broader challenges of sustainable development through experiential studies of specific landscapes and cultures in the villages, mountains, coasts and islands throughout Thailand. This paper examines the key components of ISDSI's programs, and provides a framework for understanding how these principles can be used to teach about sustainability within the broader context of issues of social justice and global learning more generally. Key components of the ISDSI approach include: community based learning — working with local communities to design courses that reflect community needs, knowledge and struggles; place-based learning — examining both the culture and ecology of specific locations, watersheds, bioregions, island archipelagos, etc.; experiential learning — learning through direct examination of and participation in the cultural practices (lifeways, norms, etc.) and study of ecological components (forests, coral reefs, etc.); and expedition based — learning during focused expeditions through the landscapes being studied, usually human powered (backpacking through remote mountain forests, sea kayaking between islands, etc.).
A Case Study in Sustainability Experiential Education
By Christine Gleason, Robert Ause and Jamey Hein
This article presents a case study of a middle school project based on the experience of two teachers and an administrator. The project gives 8th grade students an opportunity to make a difference in the world through a Sustainability Action Project. In this article you will read the rationale behind this project. You will get an overview of and a timeline for its implementation over the course of a complete academic year. We will provide you with some examples of projects as well as refer you to our school webpage where you can view these projects in more detail. Finally, we have included appendices of several of the materials we provide to our students. We hope that you will clearly see what sets this learning experience apart from other sustainability projects, and that you will be able to adopt a similar project in your school.
Children's Observations of Place-Based Environmental Education: Projects Worlds apart Highlight Education for Sustainability Inherent in Many Programs
By John Rafferty and Shelby Gull Laird
PDF: Rafferty and Laird, Spring 2013 Abstract: This paper explores the observations and perceptions of school children as they engage with nature through place based environmental experiences. The paper reports on two projects, one based in the USA and the other in Australia, designed to promote understanding of sustainability through outdoor […]
A Sustainable Peace: From Militarized Borders to Transnational Resource Collaboration
In a very cohesive and convincing argument, Randall Amster asks us to look at the other side of the well-worn coin that links environmental degradation and resource despoliation to conflict and war. Instead, argues Amster, conflict zones have been shown to be appropriate sites for the creation of peace parks and other similar initiatives, where they can be turned into regions of enhanced sustainability—in every sense of the word, including environmental, social, and economic.
Beyond the Monoculture: Strengthening Local Culture, Economy and Knowledge
By Helena Norberg-Hodge
In this deeply cohesive and fundamentally geographic argument, Helena Norberg-Hodge brings an impressive array of sustainability issues under a single guiding rubric for educating and changing society—the need for a shift from globalised systems to local practice. While every point in her argument is backed with interesting details—including her fascinating experiences with the Himalayan Ladakhi people—she is consistent in bringing us back to valuing localisation and yet measured in her prescription which calls for gradual shifts, not radical and potentially harmful jumps, towards localisation.
Bioethanol Production in Thailand: A Teaching Case Study Comparing Cassava and Sugar Cane Molasses
By Travis Hamilton Russell and Paul Frymier
: Thailand is facing a serious problem with their reliance on foreign oil imports. With nearly 90% of their crude oil, gasoline, and diesel being imported, the country is searching for ways to improve their national energy security by lowering their demand for foreign oil. Bioethanol from cassava and molasses are two promising technologies that could help Thailand work toward their goal of energy security. However, debate is still on going to determine which feedstock should be chosen to power the country's bioethanol industry. This teaching case study presents the background and sustainability analysis for both cassava and molasses based bioethanol as well as teaching notes and discussion questions. It is intended for high school seniors or college undergraduates in courses that address sustainability-related issues and technologies.
Teaching Sustainability across Scale and Culture: Biogas in Context
By Shaunna Barnhart
Teaching sustainability invariably involves teaching about energy – its use, its sources, its
environmental impacts, and its social implications. This paper explores how one renewable
energy alternative – biogas – is adapted and applied across scale and culture. Biogas is made by
capturing the methane released during anaerobic digestion of organic matter such as manure,
sewage, and food waste. In Nepal, biogas is a household scale technology used to create a
cooking fuel that replaces firewood and improves both environmental and human health. In the
United States, biogas is used as part of large-scale waste management systems for livestock,
wastewater treatment, and landfills to create electricity for on-site use and for sale into electric
grids. In Sweden, biogas is used as part of a regional effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and fossil fuel usage by using locally generated biogas for district heating, electricity, and
vehicular fuel. By comparing these three cases, we gain insight into how one technology is
adapted across diverse needs and from household to regional scales in the pursuit of more
sustainable energy practices. Such an exercise can be an asset in the classroom to teach students
about the importance and relevance of place-based solutions that address diverse cultural and
economic realities.
Bomb Threats, Global Warming and Decision Making: An Educational Experience
By Dave Tomkins and Peter Tsigaris
Dave Tomkins and Panagiotis Tsigaris focus their fine analytical stats skills on how to not to make the wrong kind of error…yes, that should be the right logic…regarding global warming. They elegantly lay out the math behind what we all know intuitively…nothing is to be lost from taking precautions regarding global warming, or avoiding Type II statistical error, which comes, not from assuming that humans caused global warming, even when we didn't, but rather being unable to prove that humans cause global warming, when in fact we are causing it. They present the statistics in the context of a course case study and make it clear that we have no reason to wait on the data since the potential for this type of error is already with us and the actions to be taken are probably beneficial in other areas as well.
Sponsoring the Journal of Sustainability Education
Sponsoring the Journal of Sustainability Education The Journal of Sustainability Education is actively seeking partners, sponsors, and donors to collaborate on moving the field of sustainability education outward and deeper. The Journal is a premiere publication with dynamic content: a blend of peer reviewed and timely interviews and media pieces that draws 700,000 web views per year. […]
The Importance of Controversy: Is Education for Sustainable Development Too Nice?
By Robert Bray
The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) community, argues Robert Bray, is shy to confront controversy. In this quick review of three controversial issues—population control, the role of science, and limits to growth—he quickly points out how important it is to embrace controversy as a way to arrive at sound policy.
At Home in Prescott: Confluence of Streams in my Journey as an Interdisciplinary Sustainability Educator
Pramod Prajuli takes down the ten streams of his life journey that brought him to Prescott Arizona and a life dedicated to sustainability education.
Visions of Sustainability: A Dream for My Students
By Kathy Lamborn
Kathy Lamborn shares her profound wilderness moments with us, much like she does with her middle school students in the classroom. But she goes on to make the case that the value of wilderness is not just for its own sake but for its power to elicit these moments and thereby bring us "to our knees with reverence," helping us to recognize the call for a just and compassionate—"sustainable"—life.
Kathy Lamborn comparte sus momentos profundos en la naturaleza con nosotros, justo como ella hace con sus estudiantes del colegio en la aula. Pero ella lleva mas allá la idea de que la naturaleza no tiene valor solo en si, sino por su poder de inspirar estos momentos y así llevarnos a "nuestras rodillas con la reverencia," ayudándonos a reconocer la llamada para una vida justa y compasionada—así "sustentable."


The Saturday issue of The Guardian will include a free audiobook of Fantastic Mr. Fox, as read by the author. More information at their site.
If you feel left out stateside, you can download a free 15 minute sample of the audiobook at iTunes (warning: will open iTunes).
Movieline sat down with Wes and asked him about his favorite movie scene. His pick might rile up some more unpleasant comments, but please let's focus on the movies people, always the movies.
The Scene: Great Missenden, about an hour outside of London — the Platonic ideal of the English countryside village, lined with perfectly tended row houses and gardens. It's home to Roald Dahl's estate and the Roald Dahl Museum, which today is overrun by international press who've gathered to interview the cast and crew of Fantastic Mr. Fox— Wes Anderson's stop-motion adaptation of the Dahl classic. At The Nags Head Pub, Bill Murray pours pints for starstruck onlookers from behind the bar, as a small group of journalists sit around a table grilling Anderson on his animated opus. It seemed as good a moment as any to play My Favorite Scene with the director — though I must admit we never saw his answer coming.
Read the full story and watch the scene at Movieline.
Channel 4 sat down with Wes and Roald Dahl's widow, Liccy Dahl to talk about Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Note: Any comments regarding the Polanski case, for or against, will not be approved and will not appear on the site. We aren't out to censor anyone, we just feel this is not the proper forum for that debate. Thank you.
Read by Roald Dahl himself.
After a decade brewing in the mind of one of Hollywood's most idiosyncratic directors, the long-awaited adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox — with 30 sets based on the author's own home and village — will open The Times BFI London Film Festival in the autumn.
The stop-motion animation of Dahl's children's book stars George Clooney, who voices the ingenious Mr Fox, and Meryl Streep as Mrs Fox. Michael Gambon supplies the voice of the malevolent farmers, and the pop singer Jarvis Cocker plays a musically inclined farmhand. It will premiere at the 53rd film festival on October 14.
Poll: Have you read Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox?
His recent films have been offbeat, melancholy comedies, but what Wes Anderson really wanted to do was bring his favourite Roald Dahl story from childhood to the big screen. After nearly a decade of planning, during which he made The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited, the American director has started work in London on an animated version of Fantastic Mr Fox, with George Clooney providing the voice of the eponymous hero.
New characters and plotlines, including something resembling a raid scene, have been introduced to make the story into a feature-length film.
"There's a whole new bit at the start and a new section at the end, but we've tried to do something that Roald Dahl would love," Anderson, who is writing the script with Noah Baumbach, a director, said.
Amanda Conquy, who runs Roald Dahl's literary estate, said that she and Felicity, the author's widow, had no doubts that the pair had the right vision for the project.
"Whatever Wes does is interesting and has a definite point of view. He understands the humour of Dahl and the sweetness and slightly anarchic nature of this story," Ms Conquy added.