Attila Szűcs, a master lecturer at the Institute of Education Sciences at the Pannon University of Veszprém suggested in the latest episode of former President János Áder’s podcast Blue Planet that ‘learning for sustainability’ is the key to the future of pedagogy. During this approach, educators and children together seek sustainable solutions to respond to the climate crisis.
Szűcs, who has been actively involved in organizing and implementing Sustainability Theme Weeks in recent years, stated that these theme weeks provide students with local action opportunities, resulting in direct feedback and a sense of accomplishment.
This year marks the ninth time the event is being held,
with 450,000 young people having participated in the programmes last year,
Áder reminded. The chairman of the board of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation then queried his guest about young people’s attitudes towards this issue.
According to Szűcs, all secondary school students are now familiar with the concept of sustainability. In recent years, the common concern for climate change, resource scarcity, and ecological crisis has prompted youth to seek ways to take action. He added that project weeks represent a new type of learning format: learning in a playful manner. In addition to projects, schools can invite experts, visit national parks, or visit companies striving for sustainability.
Áder added that new textbooks under the titled Green Earth have been released, and sustainability has become part of secondary school curricula as an optional subject. Moreover, this year, it is even possible to take a secondary school leaving examination in the new subject.
Szűcs pointed out that this is the only subject that constitutes one hundred per cent project-readiness. Students can examine, for example, how their school deals with waste and selective waste collection. They can conduct research similar to a thesis project, evaluate the results, possibly make suggestions, and present all this during the exam.
Áder highlighted that there is a Sustainability Scholarship Programme for educators of the Blue Planet Foundation, to which Szűcs added that postgraduate pedagogical training in sustainability is available at three universities, including Pannon University. This is currently a correspondence, postgraduate programme, but in his opinion efforts should be made to make sustainability easily selectable or even compulsory in higher education. He added that
the pedagogical approach of the Green Earth programme is already being incorporated into full-time teacher training.
The former president raised the question of whether children are more prone to develop climate anxiety or an interest in studying the issues. Szűcs Attila stated that ideally, climate anxiety also prompts activity. Although extremes may occur, with the right amount of information and actionable opportunities, youngsters are more likely to take action, he explained, adding that credible educators are also needed for that to happen.
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