Empowering teachers to embed learning for sustainability
Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is an approach to life and learning which aims to support all children and young people in Scotland to develop the values, skills, knowledge and attributes needed to thrive in a socially, economically and ecologically uncertain world. The approach has developed in Scotland since the early 2010s and, today, school teachers have a commitment to realising LfS as part of their professional standards, as set out by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Until now, there has not been a single national approach to embedding LfS in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the Scottish Government's Learning for Sustainability Action Plan 2023-2030 highlighted this as a key area for development. On behalf of the Scottish Council of Deans of Education, and working in partnership with the ITE community across Scotland, I have led a team which aims to address this gap, by developing a new national framework, providing guidance on how teachers and teacher educators can embed this learning from the beginning of teachers' careers.
Over the last two years, the development of the framework has involved phases of collaborative discussion, reflection, drawing on the expertise and perspectives of teacher educators, teachers, school mentors and young people. This work has been supported by the Scottish Council of Deans of Education, Education Scotland, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, Learning for Sustainability Scotland and all 11 Scottish universities which provide ITE.
The framework is structured around the four "C"s – Curriculum, Campus, Communities and Cultures. In each section there is summary of key concepts before providing a framework of "touchstone" questions which support beginning teachers and teacher educators to reflect and identify change. The questions consider how national approaches to LfS are responsive and sustainable, the role in which beginning teachers can play in this endeavour, and how best to nurture and support the ITE community in progressing important work in this area.
The aim is that using the framework as a guide, beginning teachers will work collaboratively with teachers in schools, university-based teacher educators, children and young people, as well as with community groups and organisations.
The final section focuses on action – inviting the ITE community to identify the next steps in the journey towards realising the LfS vision to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity worldwide.
Following the launch, a range of activities are planned where the teacher education community can collaboratively explore the framework and inform the next steps. Over the coming months and years, we will continue to capture the impact of the framework and the extent to which it supports all student teachers centre Learning for Sustainability in their professional lives.
Lizzie Rushton is Professor in Education and Head of the Education Division, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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