Archives
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Conference Issue: Aarhus, Denmark
Vol. 1 (2022)This inaugural issue of the Futures of Education, Culture and Nature - Learning to Become journal brings a wide array of articles and papers given at the international conference event Futures-21, which were held at VIA University College in Aarhus, Denmark on the 22-23th of April, 2021. The main purpose of the conference was to examine Education for and as Sustainable Development. For further detail on the conference, see the main conference site here.
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Thematic issue: Reimagining Interdependence
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2024)This issue of Futures of Education, Culture & Nature – Learning to Become explores the theme of "Reimagining Interdependence," emphasizing the intricate connections between humans, nature, and the systems we inhabit. Drawing inspiration from diverse global perspectives, the contributions highlight the potential of education to address ecological, cultural, and social challenges through holistic and integrative approaches.
Leading the discourse, Thakur S. Powdyel presents Bhutan’s Green School Model, rooted in Gross National Happiness, as a transformative framework for sustainable development. Complementing this vision, Karen Bjerg Petersen examines the Bhutan Baccalaureate alongside Nel Noddings’ ethics of care, advocating for value-based education that nurtures interconnected human development. Michael Penzold delves into the concept of resistance, exploring its pedagogical relevance in fostering autonomy and critical thinking. Randy and Kent Schroeder use the metaphor of a coastline to analyze interdependence and scale, linking local and global educational and environmental complexities. Maja Melballe Jensen and colleagues discuss the design of an online platform for Education for Sustainable Development, addressing challenges in socio-cultural and technological contexts.
Additionally, the inaugural Perspectives and Explorations section broadens the journal’s scope. Dorte Ruge et al. reflect on embedding sustainable competences in higher education, while Johannes Adamsen’s thought-provoking essay, A Brief War Dictionary, interrogates the intersection of language, ideology, and conflict.
Together, these contributions inspire critical reflection and action towards building more interdependent and sustainable futures.
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Thematic issue: Interdisciplinarity
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2024)This issue of Futures of Education, Culture & Nature explores the transformative potential of interdisciplinary approaches in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through the lens of the SustainComp project. Funded by Erasmus+, SustainComp brings together higher education institutions from Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic to develop an innovative 10 ECTS curriculum that addresses sustainability challenges through cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral learning.
The issue opens with a brief editorial introduction, situating the project in the broader context of ESD. It highlights interdisciplinarity as a critical method for bridging disciplinary divides and fostering actionable insights. A detailed introduction to the SustainComp project follows, outlining its design-based research methodology and alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Subsequent articles delve into specific submodules of the curriculum, including Sustainable Diets, which emphasizes the environmental and health impacts of food choices, and the use of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) to address gender equality and sustainable health. Another piece examines the integration of socio-scientific issues in teaching resources, inequality, and sustainability, while the Sustainable Consumer Behavior module promotes critical reflection on consumption habits.
The issue concludes with a comprehensive analysis of the interdisciplinary framework underpinning SustainComp, reflecting on its successes, challenges, and broader implications for sustainability education. These contributions underscore the vital role of interdisciplinary, collaborative learning in addressing our time's pressing environmental and societal challenges.