Seeking sustainability competence and capability in the ESD and HESD literature: an international philosophical hermeneutic analysis
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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In: Environmental Education Research, Vol. 25, No. 4, 03.04.2019, p. 532 - 547.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Seeking sustainability competence and capability in the ESD and HESD literature
T2 - an international philosophical hermeneutic analysis
AU - Shepard, Kerry
AU - Rieckmann, Marco
AU - Barth, Matthias
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2019/4/3
Y1 - 2019/4/3
N2 - Education for sustainable development (ESD) and higher education for sustainable development (HESD) are complex, multidisciplinary fields of enquiry, drawing on concepts and terms from different disciplines and languages. Although the fields are advancing in their acceptability within educational systems worldwide, they are currently struggling to achieve sought-after graduate and societal outcomes such as environmentally-responsible or sustainability-focussed-citizenship. The research described in this article explores the possibility that miscommunication or misunderstanding of basic concepts within these fields is contributing to slow progress towards their objectives. We used a philosophical hermeneutic analysis to explore how the terms ‘competence’ and ‘capability’ are used within selected ESD/HESD papers. We identify substantial internal contradictions and inconsistencies with respect to differences between learners’ abilities and their willingness to perform these abilities, and to the educational context in which these outcomes are sought. We emphasise the importance of linking educational objectives with pedagogical approaches to teaching and assessment.
AB - Education for sustainable development (ESD) and higher education for sustainable development (HESD) are complex, multidisciplinary fields of enquiry, drawing on concepts and terms from different disciplines and languages. Although the fields are advancing in their acceptability within educational systems worldwide, they are currently struggling to achieve sought-after graduate and societal outcomes such as environmentally-responsible or sustainability-focussed-citizenship. The research described in this article explores the possibility that miscommunication or misunderstanding of basic concepts within these fields is contributing to slow progress towards their objectives. We used a philosophical hermeneutic analysis to explore how the terms ‘competence’ and ‘capability’ are used within selected ESD/HESD papers. We identify substantial internal contradictions and inconsistencies with respect to differences between learners’ abilities and their willingness to perform these abilities, and to the educational context in which these outcomes are sought. We emphasise the importance of linking educational objectives with pedagogical approaches to teaching and assessment.
KW - Literature studies
KW - ESD literature
KW - philosophical hermeneutic analysis
KW - sustainability competence
KW - sustainability capability
KW - pedagogy
KW - assurance of learning
KW - Sustainability Science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055539484&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13504622.2018.1490947
DO - 10.1080/13504622.2018.1490947
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 25
SP - 532
EP - 547
JO - Environmental Education Research
JF - Environmental Education Research
SN - 1350-4622
IS - 4
ER -