Review of the book | Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska | EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA 1/2014
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Review of the book
Education for sustainable development:
theory – practice – research
Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska
The book written by Ewa Gajuś-Lankamer and Anna Maria Wójcik is very valuable work which touches theory, practice, and research on various as-pects of sustainable development. This recently pub-lished book might serve as the source of information needed in scientific research or teaching in schools.
It is on the key importance that the book is the answer of authors to the Educational Strategy for Sus-tainable Development issued by United Nations. Along with the most important statements of the strategy, the book contributes to propagation of research results and education on sustainable development. Importantly, the book reviewed here is an opportunity to share Polish experiences in the field of sustainable development with people from all over the world. It must be stressed that the book can be read by people involved in either formal or informal educational activities.
Additionally, authors discuss in detail such topics as (i) results of their own research work, (ii) engagement of scientific community in execution of declaration enti-tled Educational Decade for Sustainable Development 2005–2014, and (iii) future perspectives of above-men-tioned problems.
The work reviewed here presents efforts for promot-ing sustainable development of society, economy, and ecology – supporting, at the same time, formation of society.
Societies, in era of globalization, should have fol-lowing characteristics; high social activity, ecological
Ewa Gajuś-Lankamer, Anna Maria Wójcik
Education for sustainable development: theory – practice – research
Uniwersytety of Maria Curie-Skłodowska Publishing House, Lublin 2013, pp. 138
self-governance and ability of cooperation for common goodness. In Poland, building up such society needs stimulation; there is need for initiatives and common-wealth responsibilities which lead to common decisions about real education and the human-environmental re-lation.
Long-term efforts regarding ecological awareness of the society has positive effects. However, the level of
awareness is far from satisfactory. Schools and other ucational institutions are used to the environmental ed-ucation in very formal way. For this reason, an informal education would complement existing, insufficient way of environmental education. Only by these methods, it is possible to change incorrect attitudes and values, and achieve ecological society.
The book consists of introduction, ending remarks, and chapters containing sub-chapters:
• Theory of education for sustainable development;
• International recommendations for education for sustainable development;
• Formal education for sustainable development;
• Informal education for sustainable development;
• Education for sustainable development in pra-ctice;
• Education for sustainable development in own re-search;
• Methods, organization and the course of rese-arch;
• Results;
• Discussion and conclusions;
• Education for sustainable development in case stu-dies;
• Actions for sustainable development in Polish and international documents;
• Education for sustainable development in biolo-gical studies;
• Sustainable development in advertisements of corporations;
• Ecological awareness in Poland in 2000–2010. In a first chapter entitled “Education for sustain-able development in theory and practice” one can find a history of sustainable development with current, in-tegrated definition which includes also environmental, economical, and social aspects. Authors mention also about Polish and international recommendations which
Review of the book | Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska | EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA 1/2014
106
IN SHOR
T
SCIENCE
SCHOOL
EDUKACJA BIOLOGICZNA I ŚRODOWISKOWA | ebis.ibe.edu.pl | ebis@ibe.edu.pl | © for the article by the Authors 2014 © for the edition by Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych 2014
have influence on the direction and aim of formal and informal education in Poland. In many cases, authors refer to their own research results regarding the pres-ence of sustainable development in national require-ments for school students and competence of Polish school teachers in teaching in accordance with sustain-able development. These issues are presented along with other research results the newest documents published by Ministry of Environment. An extensive part of the chapter is the presentation of didactic solutions rec-ommended to education for sustainable development, which is mainly the result of many years of research and academic work at university. According to the as-sumptions of the Decade the book presented also good practice in the most effective methods of teaching and learning for sustainable development.
The second chapter “Education for sustainable de-velopment in own research” presents research con-ducted to determine the knowledge of biology students (future teachers) on sustainable development. It also contains a description of the experimental research on the effectiveness of course which prepares students of biology at the University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin to a function of educator sustain-able development.
In the third chapter entitled “Education for sus-tainable development in the case studies” a selection of activities in Poland and in the world in the implemen-tation of sustainable development in environmental, economic and social aspect is presented. Their descrip-tions expand and illustrate the issues discussed in the book, such as:
• national and international efforts to promote su-stainable development in the documents adopted in Poland and in the world,
• education for sustainable development on the aca-demical level,
• non-formal education for environmental protec-tion and sustainable development in the promotio-nal activities of companies,
• changes in the environmental awareness of Poles over ten years.
The questions posed in the case study provide an opportunity to deepen knowledge, assessment of de-scribed phenomena and reflection on self involvement in the process of transforming the idea of sustainable development in the reality.
It is worth noting that the subject of the next chap-ters and subchapchap-ters is logically ordered and includes issues necessary for education for sustainable develop-ment in academical education and teacher training, and for the promotion of the international activities of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, from the content associated with international pro-grams, through EU and national legislation, to reflect-ing the main areas of promotreflect-ing sustainable behavior and stimulation of critical and creative thinking that will enable finding solutions to problems hindering the development of a sustainable world by human activity in relation to the environment. The content of the publi-cation can not only broaden the theoretical knowledge, but can also indicate the methods of transfer theory into everyday practice.
The book should be noticed by the wider audi-ence, as it is an opportunity to significantly contribute to improve the competence of various bodies respon-sible for the development and implementation of lo-cal environmental programs, including environmen-tal education with regard to sustainable development. What is more, it is worth noting that the publication deserves a high rating because of emphasizing both the practical and theoretical aspects necessary in the prepa-ration peaople for responsible, informed and reflective functioning in a changing world. The authors
under-line that the role of education and the school is not to promote modern unethical producer and consumer un-saturated, which is subjected to sophisticated marketing pressures. An important condition of education is cur-rently saturation it by reflective, critical and interpretive knowledge, leading to the wisdom – environmental ed-ucation in conjunction with sustainable development.
The publication has an international range because it was published in English.
The authors are academics in the Laboratory Teach-ing of Biology and Environmental Education University in Lublin. On their account thay have many years of training and an extensive knowledge of the presented range.
