Why ESD is important?
"Student Achievement
There is compelling evidence linking Environmental Education, Education for Sustainable Development, and Climate Change Education to increased student academic performance. The impacts of Education 2030 have been demonstrated across a variety of countries and schools. A literature review of over 14+ comprehensive studies in multiple contexts found that there is a substantial amount of evidence that links Education 2030 with positive academic achievements (Aikens). A Stanford University review of ~120 peer-reviewed studies found that environmental education improves academic performance, enhances critical thinking skills, and develops life skills. 90% of the studies reviewed saw increased skills for students and 86% saw positive changes in students.?
Learning Environments
The learning environment in which children study produces significant results in children's capacity to learn and absorb new information. Being exposed to an outdoor,?green space is believed to increase cognitive development and memory retention.?
Improved Skill Retention
According to the?Journal of Education for Sustainable Development students from 14 countries showed stronger critical thinking skills, deeper understanding of the topics under study and better research skills by learning through Education for Sustainable Development. In addition, one country (Latvia) reports that students are better prepared for the job market. Students also demonstrated excellent communication, writing and mathematical skills, problem-solving skills and abilities in forming and defending their opinions. University professors also state that ESD school graduates enter university over-prepared for post-secondary studies; that ESD students contribute to creativity and character education; and that student attendance rates increase in ESD schools.
Sustainable Development Understanding
ESD better prepares students to have the knowledge and skills necessary to care for and better address sustainable development issues that will arise in the future. This pertains to educating today’s students for an uncertain future to learn how to face the complexity of future challenges to global sustainability. ESD provides students with opportunities to observe the complex connections between local and global issues, analyze systems and find appropriate solutions through engaged and focused inquiry. The more practice students have in facing today’s real-world issues, the more likely they will be able to address the problems they face in the future.?
Student Engagement
ESD helps students, schools and stakeholders connect to their respective communities while increasing student engagement, collaboration, and awareness about community issues and the surrounding network. When students engage in local issues, they learn about their community and become more engaged directly with community members. This can also help community members become more involved in the school and strengthen ties between local businesses, organizations, communities, universities, local governments and more (Laurie et. al, 2016).?
领英推荐
Healthy students
Mental health in students is becoming an ever-important issue. The COVID-19 pandemic and anxiety over world events can have an impact on students' mental health. A?study published by Science Direct showed that green schoolyards can reduce stress and promote protective factors for resilience in students. The study found that the natural environment helped students escape stress, focus, and more (Chawla et. al). Using nature as a learning environment is one of the elements of ESD.
Peaceful Communities
ESD helps promote peaceful communities by increasing knowledge, sensitivity and conflict resolution skills. According to?UNESCO, “integrated schools have been found to positively influence minority group identity, improve attitudes towards inclusion, and drive a sense of forgiveness” (GEMR, 2016) . Education and textbooks tend to be filled with propaganda or misinformation, but when we change the narrative for discussing conflict, making it a more sensitive approach, it can make a positive impact on students’ understanding of conflicts and resolution.?
Becoming Better Citizens
ESD curriculum encourages students to be better citizens through lessons on leadership education, enhancing socio-emotional skills and helping students become the leaders of tomorrow as informed global citizens. These soft skills include: self-esteem, autonomy, character development, maturity, empowerment, verbal communication, leadership, poise, and the ability to collaborate with others. When developing these skills in students, ESD ensures students can apply these concepts to solving global challenges beyond the classroom.?
Take the time to read through these two articles on the benefits of environmental education. Although Global Schools encourages an interdisciplinary approach to ESD, spanning the economic, social, and environmental domains, these resources will give you more background on the tangible academic and life-long benefits for students when teaching ESD and the SDGs."
Works Cited: