Manitoba and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

Key Message

National and local learning agendas should be agendas for change—helping citizens to live sustainably.

Manitoba and the UN Decade for Education in Sustainable Development

Contributing to education in our home province

What's New?

Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities: Results from an institution-wide survey and president interviews across Manitoba’s 11 institutions of higher education
In response to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Manitoba’s Department of Education has made a commitment to reorient the formal K–12 education system towards sustainability. Manitoba Education asked the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to conduct a study of how ESD concepts and practices are being pursued within colleges and universities in Manitoba, in order to further ESD implementation at the K–12 level. The aim is to gain a better understanding of what opportunities for education for sustainability are available within the province in post-secondary institutions. The study also explores whether Manitoba campuses reflect a “whole school” learning environment, in which course content is reflected in the daily operations of the campuses around them (as per the approaches now being taken in several K–12 school divisions across the province). There are excellent sustainability initiatives present in Manitoba’s colleges and universities. However, it would appear that, to date, a comprehensive view of ESD implementation within universities and colleges in Manitoba has not been compiled.
Education for Sustainable Development in Canadian Faculties of Education
This study examines how Canadian faculties of education are incorporating Education for Sustainable Development into their pre-service programs, research, and other activities. It was produced by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) Education for Sustainable Development Working Group (ESDWG), in partnership with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF).
Technical–Vocational Education for Sustainable Development in Manitoba
Tomorrow Now: Manitoba's Green Plan recognizes the need to instill "green skills, knowledge and values within our existing and future workforce." This will require, among other things, "advancing... technical and vocational education and training [TVET] in support of the transition to a green economy." In preparation for making this commitment, Manitoba Education asked IISD to undertake an exploration into how technical–vocational schools and programs across the province are incorporating sustainable development into the education and training of their students, including school policies, management and teaching practices. The review identifies promising practices and barriers, and presents a number of suggestions for strengthening education for sustainable development (ESD) in TVET.

Manitoba and Canada work on the Decade

Guide for Sustainable Schools in Manitoba
The Guide for Sustainable Schools in Manitoba is the result of a partnership of Manitoba Education and school divisions in Manitoba that seeks to support Manitoba schools and their communities in their goals to become sustainable. The Guide invites schools to take a whole-school approach to sustainability, exploring sustainability through curriculum, in addition to real-life learning experiences, improvements in school management of resources and facilities (e.g., energy, waste, water, biodiversity, schoolyard design, and purchasing of products and materials) and associated social and financial issues.

The vision of the Guide is for all schools in Manitoba and their communities to be sustainable, so that students will become informed and responsible decision-makers, playing active roles as citizens of Canada and the world, and will contribute to social, environmental and economic well-being and an equitable quality of life for all, now and in the future.
Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development Among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba
One of the overarching goals of the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is to reorient curricula from preschool to university, reforming education as a vehicle of knowledge, values and actions to build a sustainable world. A key challenge will be to assess whether changes in behaviour are, in fact, taking place as a result of the integration of sustainable development concepts and values into the learning process.

This is the second stage of research conducted in the province of Manitoba, Canada to develop and deploy standardized measures for assessing changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that might be correlated to investments in ESD. Based on the results of a survey of 1,500 Grade 10 students, a composite index is presented at the conclusion of the paper.
The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) and Sustainability Education in First Nations Schools in Manitoba (PDF - 928 KB)
An exploration of the participation of First Nations schools in Manitoba in the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development.
Sustainability Policies at the School Division Level in Manitoba: The status of policy development and its relationship to actions in schools (PDF - 511 kb)
This report, prepared with the support of the Province of Manitoba and presented to Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, looks at how sustainability policies at the school division level in Manitoba intersect with what happens in schools. The authors observe a "real movement" among many Manitoba schools to promote sustainability.
Conference Report: Choose the Future: Education for Sustainable Development (PDF - 2.2 mb)
Held in Winnipeg, Canada, November 26-28, 2008, this international conference was planned for everyone who understands that education is required to sustain our future."Choose the Future" stands as a major contribution to Canadian activities supporting the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). These proceedings present abstracts of the keynote presentations and the concurrent sessions that took place over the three days. This conference was a project of the Manitoba Education for Sustainable Development Working Group. The Science Teachers Association of Manitoba (STAM) was a major sponsor and partner in the conference.
Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours toward Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies
(PDF - 445 kb)
The United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development seeks to encourage changes in behaviour towards sustainable development. Work is underway around the world to integrate SD concepts and values into the learning process. But how do we measure whether behaviours are changing as a result? This paper is a first attempt to devise standardized tests for knowledge, attitudes and behaviours toward sustainable development, in adults and students.

Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth (MECY) has taken a leadership position nationally in working with Learning for a Sustainable Future and Environment Canada on activities for the 2005 to 2014 Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, established by the United Nations.

A National ESD Expert Council has been established, together with the creation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) provincial working groups. MECY has started to pilot provincial activities as a showcase to other provinces. The Manitoba ESD Working Group is focusing on education and training institution policies, school activities, K-12 curriculum, and learning outcomes and resources. IISD is working with MECY to develop materials for senior education officials (principals, trustees, superintendents, etc.) and educators in order to build awareness and support for ESD activities, and provide tools for their participation.

IISD's three major interests are:

Policies for Education for Sustainable Development IISD is exploring the role of ESD policies in guiding institutions to strengthen their sustainability learning and living practices. We also maintain a Sustainable School and Campus Policy Bank, to provide models of policies for K-12 and tertiary level institutions.
- Sustainability Policies at the School Division Level in Manitoba: The status of policy development and its relationship to actions in schools (PDF - 511 kb)
  This report, prepared with the support of the Province of Manitoba and presented to Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, looks at how sustainability policies at the school division level in Manitoba intersect with what happens in schools. The authors observe a "real movement" among many Manitoba schools to promote sustainability.
How Information and Communications Technologies can support Education for Sustainable Development: Current uses and trends (PDF - 559 kb)
In order for formal education to contribute to sustainability, traditional systems and methodologies need to be re-oriented. IISD.
Read more...
Tracking Progress
Indicators are an important way for countries and regions to make sure they are moving in the right direction with their education policies and programs. The following indicators have been developed to help guide and measure the progress of the UN Decade.
- United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic Commission for Europe Indicators for Education for Sustainable Development (PDF - 76 kb)
  This UNECE publication reports on the work of an expert group established with the mandate to develop indicators to measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the strategy. (See the history and progress of this group's work).
- Asia-Pacific Guidelines for the development of National ESD Indicators (PDF - 2.2 mb)
  This publication (draft version – Nov. 2006) by UNESCO Bangkok, Commission on Education and Communication of IUCN – World Conservation Union, and Australia's Macquarie University, aims to provide ESD stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region with a practical resource from which to develop ESD indicators and a monitoring and assessment framework at the national level. (See the indicators project website.)
- Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators – 2005 Edition
  This publication from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development provides statistics on how education systems operate worldwide, including data on spending, an overview of who participates, and the results achieved. The results show a range of comparisons on student performance in key subject areas, to the impact of education on earnings and adults' chances of employment. (Available on the OECD site at a cost of US$51.)

IISD is particularly interested in the challenge of assessing changes in societies in knowledge, choices and attitudes that can be attributed in some measure to the work of the UN Decade. We have initiating research into how to establish a baseline of sustainable development awareness, and what will be required to monitor that baseline over the next few years. Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours toward Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies (PDF - 445 kb) is a first attempt to devise standardized tests for knowledge, attitudes and behaviours toward sustainable development, in adults and students.

About the UN Decade

During the UN Decade, UNESCO, the appointed task-leader, will be assisting governments, educators and all relevant stakeholders to develop innovative and culturally relevant strategies for ESD. ESD does not imply creating a new educational program, but requires the re-orientation of educational systems so that they integrate the values inherent in sustainable development into all aspects of learning, and encourage change in behaviour that promotes justice and sustainability for all.

UNESCO has translated this into four objectives.

1. Facilitate networking, linkages, exchange and interaction among stakeholders in ESD.

2. Foster an increased quality of teaching and learning in education for sustainable development.

3. Help countries make progress towards and attain Millennium Development Goals through ESD efforts.

4. Provide countries with new opportunities to incorporate ESD into education reform efforts.

UNESCO: Education for Sustainable Development: United Nations Decade (2005–2014) is the official UNESCO site tracking ESD activities around the globe.

Other international actors on ESD

World Conservation Learning Network
The Commission on Education and Communication of IUCN, The World Conservation Union, is taking part in the UN Decade by gathering publications, posting events and sharing information in their Global Learning Network, geared toward building professional capacity for environmental sustainability.
World Summit on Sustainable Development Education Caucus
Maintains an active listserv monitoring commitments on education and public awareness agreed to at the 2002 Summit in Johannesburg, and how the UN Decade will contribute to those commitments.
- To subscribe: wssd-educationcaucus@umich.edu
- To contact list owners: alanmcw@umich.edu
Australia jumpstarted the development of its ESD action plan by expanding its National Action Plan for Environmental Education, released July 2000. Its ESD action plan serves as a reference for several other country-initiatives. Learn more at Sustainability Education.
In the Mediterranean, the Education Initiative for Environment and Sustainability (MEDIES) provides useful material for all those involved with Environmental Education (EE) or ESD in the region, and serves as an interactive point for sharing, browsing and searching websites of relevant organizations, government bodies and NGOs.

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