BBCC Mission – Reorientation of Teacher Education and Research in Education for Sustainable Development
May 17-19, 2010
May 17-18 will be dedicated to JTEFS/BBCC Conference and work in plenary sessions and different sections. May 19 will be a larger joint meeting of BBCC and Global UNESCO Project Network for Reorientation of Teacher Education towards Sustainability, where we will invite UNESCO staff and the country delegates from UNESCO national commissions.
As usual, the Conference will coincide with the publication of spring volume of Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability and Conference proceedings (see website section Publications).
Also, it is a tradition since 2006, that all the participants of the Conference become the members of Baltic and Black Sea Circle Consortium in Educational Research established in 2005 during the 3rd JTET Conference at the Vechta University.
UNESCO Network on Reorientation of Teacher Education towards Sustainability was established in October 2000 and its first big success was creation and publication of UNESCO Educational Sector Guidelines and Recommendations for Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability in 2005. In 2006 and 2008, the biannual meetings of network have become the satellite events for JTET/BBCC Conferences signifying the next phase of UNESCO Network activities - the international dissemination and implementation of Guidelines and Recommendations.
The sub-theme of the Conference this year is “BBCC Mission – Reorientation of Teacher Education and Research in Education for Sustainable Development” that allows for a great diversity of contributions under the suggested sections of Conference. The main emphasis is put on the synergy between efforts made to reorient teacher education towards sustainability and research in the field of education for sustainable development by seeking to enrich research methodology and methods to be used in the current context of education for sustainable development. The proposed sections entail a wide scope of research and practice aspects initiated during the previous conferences and suggested by BBCC and UNESCO network members. Time will be afforded for everyone in attendance to exchange ideas, share research results and introduce new research and development projects in the area.
The association "Education for Sustainable Development" established in 2007 by the Institute of Sustainable Education will work in close cooperation with the host universities to ensure the successful work of the Conference.
Host universities and organizations
Daugavpils University (Latvia)
Tallinn University (Estonia)
University of Vechta (Germany)
University of Debrecen (Hungary)
University of Eastern Finland (Finland)
Anadolu University (Turkey)
Institute and Academy for Multimedia (Slovenia)
The list of host universities and organizations will be complemented by and by as our other partners send in their confirmation of hosting the Conference.
Preliminary Sections of Conference
We suggest the following sections for the 8th International JTEFS/BBCC Conference. Some questions just to elicit the thinking about the topic are provided for each section.
Phenomenology of Education for Sustainable Development
What is ESD? How is it manifested in research, educational practice, community, etc.? Construction, deconstruction, re-construction of ESD phenomenon.
Research for Education for Sustainable Development
What research is necessary for ESD? What is needed to conduct such research? What kind of methodology and methods prevail and why? What are the main issues of research for ESD?
Teacher Education for Education for Sustainable Development
How can teacher education foster Education for Sustainable Development? What are the main successes and issues with the implementation of UNESCO guidelines?
Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education
How can higher education foster Education for Sustainable Development? What are the main success and issues with the implementation of ESD on HE level?
Organisation of Learning and Research Environment in Education for Sustainable Development (pre-school, primary, and secondary level)
What learning and research environment is necessary for ESD at pre-school, primary, and secondary school level? What are the pedagogical and psychological conditions for the organization of such environment? What competences teachers should have in order to organize learning and research environment for ESD?
Education for Sustainable Development and Social Work
What links can be developed between ESD and social work? What issues have to be studied in this relation?
Education for Sustainable Development and E-learning
What are the challenges of e-learning/blended learning for higher education institutions? E-learning as the issue of non-formal education. E-learning and communication, etc.
Earth Charter as a Framework for Education for Sustainable Development
The Earth Charter is a widely recognized and global statement on ethics and values for a sustainable future that recognizes that environmental protection and human rights, equitable human development and peace are interdependent and indivisible. Promotion of a sustainable way of life in educating society based on respect and care for the community, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace are the issues suggested for a dialogue in this section.
Earth Charter Youth Initiative and Multicultural Approach to Education for Sustainable Development (Students' section)
This section is particularly designed for youth and students from different countries engaged in promoting the Earth Charter and its contribution to ESD. The Earth Charter Youth Initiative (ECYI) is a diverse network convinced that urgent action is required to bring about a just, sustainable and peaceful world. The ECYI holds that sustainability must be understood and implemented in a holistic and integrated manner, inclusive of ecological integrity, social and economic justice and democracy, non-violence and peace.
Mode of participation:
Following modes of participation are suggested for the Conference participants:
Paper presentations have been allocated 20 minutes and have been grouped into paper sessions. Dissemination of handouts is highly appreciated. Each paper session will have a chair person.
Workshops provide training in the area of research, methods, interventional programmes, etc. The length of the workshops will range between 90 and 120 minutes depending upon their scale and scope.
Symposia comprise several presentations, from different countries, dedicated to one topic. The convenor is responsible for the 90-120 minute programme and its content.
Presentations at the plenary session are given by Keynote speakers, who are invited by the Scientific Committee of the Congress and who are recognized specialists in the area.
Posters are presentations of scientific work in a graphical form. Maximum size will be 90 cm width by 190 cm height. At the time of poster presentation, at least one of the authors must be present.
Venue:
The Conference will take place at UNESCO building (7 place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP France) in Paris.
Language of the Conference: English
Important dates:
Registration and abstract submission deadline: early registration and abstract submission deadline February 15, 2010; final registration deadline March 15, 2010.
Paper submission deadline: papers for publication in conference proceedings are accepted throughout January and February 2010. All papers that will be submitted after March 1, 2010 will be published after the conference.
Registration fee deadlines: early registration fee deadline March 15, 2010; final registration fee deadline May 5, 2010.
To proceed with online registration, please follow this link.
For more information on the Conference, click here.
In case you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Ginta Gedzune ingint@inbox.lv
ISE was represented at the conference by its director asoc. prof. Dzintra Iliško, dean of the Faculty of Education and Management (Daugavpils University) prof. Ilga Salīte, as well as several doctoral students of pedagogy – Ms Olga Grišāne, Ms Ginta Gedžūne and Mr Eugeniusz Switala.
The contributions of ISE team comprised the following topics:
“Educational Action Research: Seeking for Wisdom of Sustainable Education” (by prof. Ilga Salīte)
“Advancing Children’s Citizenship Skills in the Communities of Inquiry in Primary School of Latvia” (by asoc. prof. Dzintra Iliško in co-authorship with Ilona Mičule, PhD)
“Sustainability in Pupils’ Research Activity by Integrating Opportunities of Formal and Non-formal Education in Secondary School” (by doctoral student Olga Grišāne)
“Features of Inclusion in Education: Tendencies in Contemporary Research and Pre-service Teachers’ Views” (by doctoral students Inga Gedžūne in co-authorship with Ginta Gedžūne)
“Values across European Countries in Modern Society” (by the Institute’s doctoral student from Poland Eugeniusz Switala)
The conference was also marked by strengthening the international cooperation with the Institute’s BBCC and ENERCE network partners, examining new areas of research related to Civic Education in Europe, as well as discovering new possibilities for international partnership and inquiry.
Among the summit speakers were the president of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Mr Gerhard Schröder (former Chancellor of Germany), Mr Kiyotaka Akasaka (UNO), the patroness of the Summit Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, prof. Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad (rector of Qatar University), Mr Anthony Salcito (vice-president of Microsoft), Mr Biz Stone (co-founder of Twitter), Mrs Irina Bokova (Director-general of UNESCO) and other prominent people from all over the world who have created or supported development of innovation in education.
One of the main outcomes of the Summit was the formulation of the principles for the development of education. The mission of WISE programme is related to the 21st century challenge for education. An invitation was expressed to continue cooperation in the sphere of educational innovations in the inter-disciplinary WISE network which was established on the 1st WISE Summit.
NSPIRE project was implemented in Germany, Poland and Latvia with an aim to promote development of non-formal education in the field of renewable energy and climate change. During two years’ work within this project its participants analysed the current situation regarding non-formal energy education in three project partner states, developed and approbated 15 innovative teaching modules for primary and secondary school about climate changes and renewable energy, which involve integration of formal and non-formal learning, as well as developed and approbated teacher training courses that provide teachers with information about the project and practical use of the innovative teaching modules.
All project materials are available in Latvian, English, German and Polish languages on project website www.inspire-project.eu
The experience of the INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION on
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
is recognized as one of the five ESD experiences in Europe and North America,
and one of the twenty five in total
by UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development
Organizers’ Committee
Presentation of the project ISE: Building the capacity for international partnership in ESD Projects Exhibition where 25 ESD projects from five regions of the world are displayed. The project introduces the experience of the Institute as one of the five successful experiences on education for sustainable development in the region of Europe and North America. Further information at: www.esd-world-conference-2009.org/en/esd-projects-exhibition/europe-and-north-america.html