Education for sustainable development in the Caribbean: pedagogy, processes and practices

Abstract

The book Education for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean authored by Lorna Down and Therese Ferguson aims at individual and community (life on the planet earth) transformation and development. The authors of the book are very clear in setting the stage for the exploration of the pedagogical approaches required to promote a sustainable world. As such, chapters 1 to 4 provide knowledge of and understanding of fundamental concepts and present the theoretical and empirical literature and research on education for sustainable development (ESD) within the Caribbean context. Chapter one presents the concept of ESD, while chapter two focuses on values ESD. Chapters 3 and 4 present the major sustainability issues and the recognition of the fundamental role of teacher education in the Caribbean to promote an understanding of sustainability, skills, values, and behaviors with students. All four chapters aid in the explication and comprehension of the chapters that follow. I was drawn to chapters five and six for the practicality of the approach for infusing ESD into core disciplines and the authentic assessment activities relating to ESD, especially in relation to transformation. As such, for the most part, this review focuses on these two chapters which see the authors clearly and creatively presenting the ways teachers and students can imagine a sustainable world and how the teacher educator can relate different disciplines to a sustainable vision and assessment that is transformative in nature. The authors’ focus on ESD is one that seeks to encourage modifications in knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes toward a more sustainable society. As such, system thinking is one of the competencies highlighted by the authors when ESD is being considered. They propose that systems thinking is the “ability to recognize and understand relationships [and] to analyse complex systems : : : .” (p. 82). The other competencies (anticipatory normative, strategic, collaboration, critical thinking, self-awareness, and integrated problem-solving) that the authors present in the book for teachers to consider, are worth taking note of, especially whenever thought is being given to incorporating sustainable development in the classroom. Together, the competencies are intended to transform individuals who may be inclined to want to embrace new values, enhance their skills (critical thinking, problem-solving), and to foster acquisition of new knowledge, all aimed at developing confidence and responsibility in individuals to assist them in contributing to shaping the future (OECD, 2019). In chapter 5, the authors present the importance of ESD within teacher education and take it a step further to examine the appropriate teaching and learning (pedagogy) strategies that are imperative to creating a sustainable world, and the main approach for the infusion of ESD.