The European Green Deal (EGD) is the plan to make EU’s economy sustainable. In order to help shape this future, teachers need to be provided with the means to stimulate their students to acquire knowledge, become critical thinkers and learn to exert values, attitudes and behaviors to engage actively in matters pertaining to the EGD (e.g., a transition to a clean and circular economy, reduction of greenhouse gasses and improving global environment standards). In European Assembly for a Sustainable Europe (EASE) the Saxion research group Progressive Education will develop and evaluate pre- and in-service teacher courses that equip primary teachers and students with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver lessons pertaining to Education for European Sustainable Development (EESD).
In EASE we build on the principles and goals of an educational approach that is based on the epistemic theory of deliberative democracy. This theory aims at stimulating autonomy of citizens, takes into account the complexity of issues relevant to the EGD, and recognizes the controversiality of such issues, but also understands what kind of solutions are possible or what kind of solutions have already been developed. This view has been translated into a practical didactical approach for teachers called group problem solving, which comprises of four principles: (1) argumentation, (2) connected learning, (3) decision making and (4) thinking together. To develop high-quality teacher training courses, a professional learning community (PLC) will be installed. The PLC will consist of a multidisciplinary team of experts who are familiar with the theory of deliberate democracy and who are able to apply the didactical principles of the group problem solving approach. The PLC will be applying a design-based research approach, which is especially well suited for developing complex training courses as it combines the process of designing solutions with continually testing and improving the design(s).
The ultimate goal of EASE is the creation of a European network of schools and teacher training institutes for the further development of EESD teacher courses that contribute to the mission of the Jean Monnet program: passing on EU knowledge to young people and reinforcing critical awareness of the EU and European affairs in society.
For more information contact s.vanderzee@saxion.nl
