Sustainable Education and Education for Sustainability
Education has played a significant role in the development of sustainability both in terms of environmental, technical, as well as technological sustainability. As narrated by Cullingford and Blewitt (2013), formal education has allowed a variety of technocrats in the social and technological fields to re-structure how people live in the new today; for instance, computer studies have led to the development of virtual communities which have a far much greater impact in day-to-day lives that once imagined. Companies such as Google and Facebook were developed in dormitory rooms a sign of a well-structured education system. Nevertheless, in order to attain increased efficiency two philosophies have been given extra emphasis namely Sustainable Education and Education for Sustainability.
The premise of sustainable education is described as a philosophy where a student’s natural energy is renewed rather than depleted; this is to say no talent goes wasted due to poor student management. As cited by Cullingford and Blewitt (2013), a sustainable education system the student is set up to acquire knowledge that makes them competent for the 21st century thus developing their own as well as other individuals lives. Subsequently, the system developed upon strong, up to date curricula that is not only designed from classroom activity but also on the cutting-edge knowledge that drives human learning. In a discussion about sustainable education cited indicated the need to increase budgets on schools for instance in New York the state has a budget of 140,000 to 200,000 a year to incarcerate a young person, 30,000 to run the prison yet only pays 21,200 for a pupil. Sustainable education discusses equality both in gender and in race when equipping schools (Spector, 2017). A study by Fullan (2017) indicated that in most urban cities such as New York schools that are located in predominately White American neighborhoods are better funded than others are.
On the other hand, Education for sustainability is centered upon the Human and environmental sustainable community development (HESCD) needs of the society. As indicated by Huckle Sterling, and Sterling (2016), the digital ear as it has come to be known has highlighted on social needs such as the development of cleaner renewable energy as well as new age medical treatment for chronic ailments through technological breakthroughs. Education for Sustainability is set towards allowing students to gain knowledge that would solve some of the problems the society faces today.
References
Cullingford, C., & Blewitt, J. (2013). The sustainability curriculum: The challenge for higher education. Routledge.
Fullan, M. (2017). The new meaning of educational change. Routledge Publ.
Huckle, J., Sterling, S., & Sterling, S. R. (Eds.). (2016). Education for sustainability. Earthscan.
Spector, J. (2017). Funding for New York schools: What to know this year. The Democrat and Chronicle online source https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/03/23/funding-new-york-schools-what-know-year/453481002/