Course Details

Course Information Package

Course Unit Title	ORGANISING SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS: PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES
Course Unit Code	ESD512
Course Unit Details	MSc Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development (Electives Courses) -
Number of ECTS credits allocated	9
Learning Outcomes of the course unit	By the end of the course, the students should be able to: Describe the concept, the basic theoretical framework and the principles of sustainable schools and acknowledge that the development of sustainable schools is based on a reorganisation of the schools according to the “holistic school approach” which would seek modernisation of the curriculum, the school and its relation to the local community. Explain the role that school principals, teachers and the parents are expected to play for the achievement of sustainable schools. Use practical applications to deliver environmental and sustainable development curriculum, connect these processes and practices to the local settings and involve the local interested groups. Establish a “local agenda for Sustainable Development” for the school, as a key tool for education and effective scrutinisation of environmental and sustainable development issues in school and the community. Applying quality criteria for organising/orienting a school towards Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development. Evaluate the process of organising a sustainable school and practice developing appropriate tools for the self evaluation process.
Mode of Delivery	Face-to-face
Prerequisites	NONE	Co-requisites	NONE
Recommended optional program components	NONE
Course Contents	1. The concept of the sustainable school: Explore the factors and causes that contributed to its development. 2. The initiation of “Place Based Education” and “holistic approach” as fundamental principles for the promotion of EESD in schools, local communities and the Curriculum. 3. Analysis and practical implementation of important qualitative criteria that should be accounted for, during the process of orienting a school towards EESD. (The qualitative criteria correspond to a) teaching and learning processes, b) school policy and educational policy, c) the school and its external relations and collaboration networks). 4. Step by step development of the “local sustainable agenda”. 5. The role of the key-stakeholders for the shaping of sustainable schools: (school principal, unions and organisations, local community, parents, local and peripheral institutions, NGOs). 6. Critical theorisation of the factors that will lead to the achievement of sustainable schools through the study of international programmes and critical analysis of relevant scientific articles. 7. Analysis of key environmental and sustainable development issues such as energy resources and water, transportation, waste management, production and consumption models, sustainable design of buildings, sustainable development at a local level, and examination of ways of integrating these issues in the National Curriculum of Cyprus. 8. Design and development of educational units about the environment and sustainable development, based on approaches used for the integration of EESD in the curriculum. 9. Sustainable School evaluation process should account for: a) The Curriculum (teaching and learning, students’ achievements and welfare), b) School Unit (school policy and practice, used for the continuous improvement of the school with respect to EESD), and c) Community (the wider impact on society and collaboration networks).
Recommended and/or required reading:
Textbooks	Zachariou, A. (2005). Environmental Education and Curriculum: Theoretical framework and principles in Cyprus Education. Athens: Hellin. Espinet M., Mayer D., Rauch F., Tschapka J. (2005). Tools for ESD-Schools. SEED – ENSI
References	Athanasakis, A. (2004). Environmental Education at all Levels of Education. Athens: Christos Dardanos. Kyridis, A. & Mavrikaki E. (2003). The Environmental Education in Greek Primary School. Athens: Typothito- George Dardanos. Matsangouras, I.G. (2003). Interdisciplinarity in school cognition. Concept oriented redefinition of framework and work plans. Athens: Gregoris Publications.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods	Module is delivered through lectures, discussion and experiential workshops.
Assessment methods and criteria	Assignment 1 30% Assignment 2 40% Final Exam 30%
Language of instruction	Greek
Work placement(s)	NO