Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE EER5207

 
TITLE Education for Sustainable Development: An Ethical Perspective

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Centre for Environmental Education and Research

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will demonstrate how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) theory and practice is linked to ethical decisions, both at a personal level and at a more structural level. The unit makes explicit the values underpinning sustainable development. A political and socially transformative perspective will be adopted, and learning will be enhanced through Case Study analysis, and opportunities to debate examples of Good Practice and Positive Alternatives. As a result of this unit, students will develop a deeper understanding of sustainability issues, and be equipped with the skills to make ethical and responsible decisions, both as individuals and as part of a community.

Furthermore, it introduces issues linked to participation and active citizenship through an ethical analysis of equality & social justice issues. Various communication tools available that can be used to influence pro environmental behaviour patterns and environmental perspectives will be explored from an ethical perspective, including a code of conduct for the use of media and images.

Study-unit Aims:

The unit will help learners to:
- develop an understanding of the theoretical framework and principles of ESD and the ethical stances underpinning them;
- explore different methods used to promote behavioural patterns that promote sustainable lifestyles and choices;
- critically analyse the dominant economic model and understand how it is linked to the current crises;
- develop a critical and analytical understanding that socio-economic and political dimensions of environmental issues have a profound effect on the messages related to sustainable development; and
- link practice to theory in a critical, ethical and reflective way.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- describe and interpret the ethical implications of the major milestones in the development of ESD;
- analyse issues of equality, justice and ethics in ESD programmes;
- evaluate key questions about participation in the context of environment and development;
- provide various alternatives to the dominant economic paradigm; and
- describe the role of (ESD) in promoting wellness in the daily lives of individuals and communities.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- develop an ethic to be able work within new paradigms for real change in the quality of life of people and societies;
- evaluate environmental information and environmental values campaigns and decide on their validity and the development paradigms underpinning them;
- critically apply a code of conduct in the use of media and images pertaining to sustainable development;
- assess the effectiveness of partnerships and community initiatives in tackling sustainability issues; and
- identify and establish goals to modify current lifestyle choices that do not promote sustainable development.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main texts

• United Nations (2012). The future we want. Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20–22 June 2012. Available at: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/66/288&Lang=E.
• Chambers, R. (2007) Who Counts? The Quiet Revolution of Participation and Numbers. IDS. Available at: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/398/Wp296%20web.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Supplementary Texts

• UNESCO (2014). Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development Paris: UNESCO. Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002305/230514e.pdf
• Cornwall, A. and Scoones, I. (2011) Revolutionizing Development: Reflections on the Work of Robert Chambers. Taylor and Francis Group.
• DEA (2008) Global Matters: Case studies of education for a just and sustainable world. DEA.
• Main TextVare, P. and Scott, W. (2008) Education for Sustainable Development: two sides and an edge. DEA Thinkpieces. Available at: http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/global/documents/dea_thinkpiece_vare_scott.pdf

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit