Education & the SDGs
Why are the SDGs relevant to education?
Education is transformative. Providing the right information and education can change people’s values and behaviours, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. It can also break the cycle of poverty, malnutrition and disease that affects so many worldwide. Education is a way to build a bottom-up approach to realizing sustainable development. A crucial part of sustainable development is for people to make sound choices concerning resource consumption and production. So, how do we convince individuals, organizations and governments to make the right choices, thus ensuring a sustainable future for us all? Education is the answer.
Resources
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Belfountain Public School
The first Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Lighthouse School project. The whole-school approach is designed to help students, teachers, principals, staff, parents, and community members integrate the SDGs into school culture, teaching and learning, facilities and operations, and community partnerships. helps reinforce engaging teaching methods and moves schools toward practising sustainability.
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CMEC Learn Canada 2020 Framework
The framework the provincial and territorial ministers of education will use to enhance Canada’s education systems, learning opportunities, and overall education outcomes. Details four pillars of learning, key activity areas, and key partners.
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Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
Rank higher education institutions based on SDGs.
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IISD Education for Sustainable Development in Canadian Faculties of Education Report
Study examines how Canadian faculties of education are incorporating Education for Sustainable Development into their pre-service programs, research, and other activities. In partership with CMEC and LSF. How Canada can support the development of ESD in all educational sectors as well as in society at large, their response to the UNDESD.
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Environmental Education and Sustainability in US Public Schools
Green schools can save money, improve health, and boost academic achievement. A comprehensive survey of environmental education and sustainability among public schools in twelve states. Shows that many public schools are working to make environmental sustainability a priority, but need a more systematic and systemic approach.
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LSF 2019 Annual Report
An overview of the impact made by LSF across Canada in implementing ESD curricula.
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UN University - Education is the Answer to Sustainable Development
Education is transformative. Providing the right information and education can change people’s values and behaviours, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. It can also break the cycle of poverty, malnutrition and disease that affects so many worldwide. building a bottom-up approach to realizing sustainable development.
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Vanderbilt Center for Teaching - Teaching Sustainability
Colleges and universities play a vital role in preparing students to meet the sustainability challenges of the future. The imperatives of sustainability point not only to new course content, but also to new ways of teaching that content. Includes tips for teaching interdisciplinary, Place-Based and Project-Based Learning.
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EdCan Overview of Sustainability in Education
What does it have to do with education? How to be engaged? What are the subject areas implicated? Education is mentioned 28 times across six goals. Education is positioned as both an enabler and a driver of capacity building toward achieving the SDGs. Framework for using the 17 SDGs as lenses for teaching presents subject-matter content in a relevant context.
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SDG ToolKit for Canadian Colleges and Institutes
Identify emerging practices in post-secondary settings across Canada that integrate the SDGs explicitly and curate a selection of these into an Open Educational Resource (OER) toolkit and guide to the SDGs for Canadian colleges and institutes.
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Participate Learning: Reasons to Teach the SDGs
Students need to learn about the world, Students must be active participants in the world they live in, Students grow empathy and compassion, Students and teachers are inspired to take action.
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UNESCO - Education for SDGs
Guidance document for educators, offers pedagogical ideas for classroom activities and multimedia resources detailing how best to integrate ESD into teaching and learning. Education systems must respond to the need for action by defining relevant learning objectives and learning contents, introducing pedagogies that empower learners, and urging their institutions to include sustainability principles in the management structures. Education is both a goal in itself and a means for attaining all the other SDGs.
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Science Education for Sustainability: Strengthening Children’s Science Engagement through Climate Change Learning and Action
By positioning children as critical actors for sustainability in science education contexts, they may begin to reimagine what science means to them and to society. A study found that understanding the scientific and social dimensions of climate change expanded children's views of science. The urgency of climate change solutions made science more interesting and important to children, and many reported greater confidence, participation, and achievement in school science.
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UCalgary - SDGs in Art Curriculum
Faculty of Arts prof champions sustainability in research and curriculum. Asks herself how to integrate the SDGs into her work and how the projects she designs will have an impact on society.
Organizations
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Learning for a Sustainable Future
LSF serves as a research think tank to advance innovative education policies, standards, and good practices in support of ESD. Facilitates the delivery of sustainable development education programs and resources to teachers and students across Canada.
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Leading Change Canada
Brings together young leaders between the ages of 19-35 to catalyze action for environmental change through a variety of activities including social labs, keynotes, collaborative workshops, open discussions, and mentoring sessions.
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Council of Minsisters of Education Canada
Developing a pan-Canadian ESD Framework. Is an instrument to represent the educational interests of the provinces and territories internationally, and a means by which to consult and cooperate with national education organizations and the federal government.
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USDE Green Strides
Tools and resources to help green your school. Green Ribbon Schools awards, Green Strides connects all school communities with free, publicly available resources.
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Sustainability and Education Academy (SEdA)
Part of LSF, but also a collaborative program between the Faculty of Education at York University and the UNESCO Chair. A best practices seminar to motivate and equip senior education officials to lead the integration of sustainability as a core value in all aspects of formal education.
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Green Schools Alliance
Connect and empower schools worldwide to lead the transformation to a sustainable future. Develops innovative tools and programs, in collaboration with schools, to guide sustainability champions toward achieving whole-school sustainability.
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Universities Canada (SDG implementation program)
A pan-Canadian initiative focused on increasing awareness of SDG projects on Canadian campuses and connecting stakeholders through cross-university and university-community partnerships. Supported by federal SDG funding program. Also has a list of examples from across Canada of SDG-related education.
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Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
Rank higher education institutions based on SDGs.
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Sustainable Development Solutions Network Canada
Part of a global SDSN movement to build a network of universities, colleges, research centers, and knowledge institutions to promote practical solutions for sustainable development.
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UNESCO
Resources for educators teaching the SDGs.
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Eco-Schools
Operated by Foundation for Environmental Education. Encourages young people to engage in their environment by allowing them the opportunity to actively protect it. It starts in the classroom, expands to the school and eventually fosters change in the community at large.
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Teach SDGs Organization
Movement of taking a pledge to Teach the SDGs, and created the Goals Project Classroom. Connect with global educators dedicated to responding to a call to action within education to meet the SDGs, provide resources.
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Inclusive Education Canada
National NGO committed to quality education for all students in inclusive schools and classrooms in Canadian schools. Advocate for effective policy provision and investment in supports for teachers and students, as well as building capacity in schools.
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Alberta Council for Environmental Education
Resources portal and charity investing in Alberta’s enviro
Have more resources for us?
This is a library that we are sharing with our entire youth network, and we'd love it if this could be a collaborative library! You might know even more cool resources related to this academic department and it's intersection with sustainability, and if so we'd love if you were willing to share with everyone! If you have any resources you’d like us to add to our library, please shoot us an email using the form below and we will add them ASAP!
