Teacher Education, Curriculum, and Transformative Learning Innovations

Panel Scope

This panel will share research and practice being undertaken to support the transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education.

It will draw on research undertaken in the national Fundisa for Change program, 2 projects associated with Fundisa for Change called the ‘Keep it Cool’ climate change education project, and Teaching Sustainability in EMS and Business Studies (Green economy and entrepreneurship). It will also include recent research on e-learning which is informing the design and development of the Fundisa for Change online courses.

⮚  Shanu Misser, Eureta Rosenberg (video), Arorise Sibanda, Rob O’Donoghue, Sebastian Sanjigadu, Wilma van Staden

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What knowledge and experience do we have in education, training, and evaluation system innovations? 

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How do these need to be advanced if global change, sustainability and just transitioning challenges is to be taken seriously in education and training system transformations and thus preparation for the Future of Education and Work? 

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Questions to Keep in Focus

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Background and wider context

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1. The Fundisa for Change programme is a multi-stakeholder collaborative national professional learning community established as a South African community of practice response towards enhancing and supporting transformative environmental and ESD learning through teacher education in the country in the context of global change.

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2. Hub for ESD and global change work in t teacher education.

SA- UNFCCC report 3^rd Communique– Fundisa for Change identified as a programme for scaling.

Partnership Orientation

A Partnership Programme

Sustainability in Schooling: Continental Standards for Teacher Education

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Eureta Rosenberg, Rhodes University

Research Undertaken

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• A case study of the 2020-2021 F4C “Green Economy” Course
• A course for teachers, officials and teacher educators
• Focusing on Economics and Management Sciences (EMS) Grade7
• And Business Studies (Grade 10) in the SA Curriculum
• Analysed the course and the teachers’ work in relation to ...
• Continental Standards for Teacher Education

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Research Finding:

The African Framework of Standards and Competences for the Teaching Profession (African Union, 2019)

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These guidelines require Ministries of�Education, Regulatory Authorities and�education providers to respond to the need for �environmental and economic sustainability, as �integral to the norms and standards for teacher �education.

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The policy context for the norms, standards and desired learning�outcomes for teacher education is shaped by:

• Our development agendas, e.g. in the AU’s Agenda 2063:�the “Africa We Want” is prosperous, based on inclusive growth & sustainable development
• Global goals such as the SDGs; with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) an integral element of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and a key enabler of all other SDGs
• UNESCO’s Education Futures report (2021) which warn that the future of the planet and all of humanity is at stake, requiring a significant reimagining of education.
• The Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA):

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What follows are norms and standards from the African Teacher Qualification Framework for Teacher Quality, Comparability and International Mobility (AU, 2019) which draws on the African Framework of Standards and Competences for the Teaching Profession - which in turn outlines the knowledge, skills and conduct expected of teachers and school leaders

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4 Domains�for Teacher Education & Teaching –��Standards and Competencies:

Domain 1: Knowledge and Understanding of the Curriculum, Subject Matter, Interdisciplinarity

Domain 2: Effective teaching, assessment, classroom management�

Domain 3: Standard – Role model - Competences include:� “Awareness and understanding of developments that affect the community, the country, and the planet (e.g. climate change, sustainable development, global citizenship, among others)”

Domain 3: Standard – Role model; Competences:��“Knows how to work with the local and global community to develop realistic and coherent interdisciplinary contexts for learning, particularly in relation to sustainability.”� �“Applies knowledge and skills on interdisciplinary subject matters. particularly the SDGs, to create local, national and global contexts and integrate same in teaching and learning”

Domain 4: Standard - Partnerships with learners, parents, carers, guardians, communities & stakeholders ��Competencies include: “Contributes to community welfare and empowerment by supporting projects & networks”�

Research Finding:

In the Green Economy Course, teachers did build and demonstrate these standards & competencies ...

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More so in primary school (EMS) than in high school (Bus Studies)

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Read about this in the paper! Rosenberg, E.(2022) �Standards and competencies for teacher development through the lens of a �case study of sustainability education for a green economy in South Africa. �Paper submitted to AFTRA Conference Journal, Accra.

Professional Learning Communities: A significant mechanism for contributing towards transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education

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Presenter: Dr Arorisoe Sibanda

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Rhodes University Environmental Learning Research Center

Professional Learning Communities: A significant mechanism for contributing towards transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education

Context of the Keep It Cool – Climate Change Education (KIC-CCE) Project

• In 2019 VVOB and GreenMatter in partnership with Fundisa for change started the Keep it Cool- Climate Change Education project, funded by the Flanders government. The KIC-CCE project had a 3-year span (2019-2022).
• The main objective of the project was to utilise the education sector as a strategic resource in South Africa’s transition towards a more climate resilient society.
• KIC-CCE aimed at addressing climate change through education in 100 secondary schools in KZN, Eastern Cape and Limpopo, supported by multiple actors (DBE, DEFF, HEIs, NGOs at national, provincial and district level)

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Context of PLC in SA

• In South Africa the government is in support of teachers’ continued professional development as evidenced by the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs).
• For instance, in 2011, the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED) was introduced and one of its provisions was the establishment of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

Professional Learning Communities: A significant mechanism for contributing towards transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education

Background of study

• The significance of the continued professional development for teachers cannot be underestimated, particularly in this time of rising demands on their active involvement for climate action.
• In South Africa the government is in support of teachers’ continued professional development as evidenced by the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs).
• The establishment of PLCs by Keep It Cool Climate Change Education (KIC CCE) project was a novel intervention at grassroot level for climate action.

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Focus

• The paper focus on exploring the significant role of PLC in contributing towards transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education.

Methodology

• A qualitative interpretive case study approach was used in this study. The sample comprised of six PLCs from Pinetown district in KZN, South Africa. Three data generation tools (observation, interviews, and PLCs reports) were used.

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Professional Learning Communities: A significant mechanism for supporting transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education

Results

The study found that among the key outcomes for the establishment of PLCs in schools were:

• improved collaboration amongst schools in the PLCs,
• significant opportunity for teaching and non-teaching staff to collaborate on CCE school projects,
• provision of an effective space and process for improving CCE pedagogical practice,
• improved teachers' collaboration with indigenous knowledge holders in CCE projects, and
• improved School-Community Partnerships (SCPs).

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Conclusion

• The establishment of PLCs was a significant causal mechanism for contributing towards transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education.

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Recommendation

• The Fundisa For Change’s strategy of embracing PLCs should be adopted when implementing initiatives for enhancing transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education.

Professional Learning Communities: A significant mechanism for supporting transformative environment and sustainability education in teacher education

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Photo narratives

ENHANCING EDUCATION:

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What are we learning together?

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Education as knowledge activated evaluative learning with ESD competence development:

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• Expanding conventional pedagogy for
• Transformative learning as deliberative, emancipatory processes to activate
• Intergenerational learning actions with the inclusion of indigenous heritage

Rob O’Donoghue

Environmental Learning Research Centre

Rhodes University

Reflexive modes of

action (b;c;d;e;g)

Deliberative systems modelling

(a;f;h)

What can be known & understood together as we

learn how to learn and we acquire competences to critically evaluate concerns

try-out and assess more sustainable ways of being?

Knowledge

Being able to …

and deliberate better ways of doing things together and then

Know-how

How were things in the past?

How are things today?

How can we

make things better together?

What does that mean to us today?

5 KEY LESSON PLANNING TOOLS FOR ESD

as a curriculum-based action learning journey of competence development

Q1

Real-world

story-sharing

1. APPROACH

to co-engaged deliberative learning

Cultural and personal capabilities are foundations for ESD competences around:

• Knowledge in relation to context and concerns (Q1 Knowledge acquisition)
• Developing Know-how to resolve concerns (Q2 & Q3 Skills development)
• Being able to constitute and assess more sustainable ways of being (Q2-4 Agency)

The Inclusion and Assessment of ESD Competences:

a) Systems thinking

b) Anticipation

c) Normative

d) Strategic

e) Collaboration

f) Critical thinking

g) Self awareness

h) Problem solving

(UNESCO, 2017 – p.10).

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KNOWLEDGE

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PEDAGOGY

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ASSESSMENT

KIC-Climate Change Programme: an innovative professional

development approach for

supporting curriculum centred

climate change education in secondary

education classrooms in South Africa.

Pedagogical Innovations

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Model of CPD intervention: Causal Mechanisms vs. Methodology

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The development and utilisation of E-Learning Platforms to support global change, sustainability and just transitioning.��By Dr Wilma van Staden

• The low digital literacy of many of the course participants.
• Some participants were unable to access online platforms due to data constraints, Wi-Fi challenges and inability to log in.
• Limited tutor and facilitator engagement with the platform
• Tutors and facilitators not having a sound e-Learning pedagogical knowledge.
• Low online participation and low online course completion rate.

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• It takes time to develop an ESD-aligned online learning platform embedded in SD Goals and ESD pedagogical knowledge and course design.
• User-friendly platform, Various components and roles
• Support systems are needed to ensure Active engagement
• Data requirements, device preferences, digital literacy capacity & ICT Competencies
• There is a great need to develop and implement an e-learning mediating tool for teacher education that can also reach remote participants and makes active learning possible during difficult circumstances.

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What we have learnt: e-learning as an ESD mediation tool for global change, sustainability and just transitioning.

Challenges

What we have learnt

https://courses.fundisaforchange.co.za/

Platform to be utilized by Teacher Trainers:

• Lecturers integrate modules into their syllabus
• Subject advisor and DBE
• In-service teacher trainers
• Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers.

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Co-authored: 15 materials developed (13 subject specific & 3 generic)

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Trainers introduction to ESD e-Learning

Formative Evaluation and Monitoring System

3 Courses

Grades

7-9

3 Courses

Grades

7-9

https://courses.fundisaforchange.co.za/

Life Orientation

Teaching Climate Change

Self & Society

Environmental & Social Responsibility

Human rights social justice & Climate Change

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Geography

Teaching Climate Change

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Energy Exchange

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Energy Resource use & Change

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Responses to Energy Exchange & Climate Change

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Natural Science Teaching Climate Change

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The evolving planet

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3 Courses

Grades

10-12

3 Courses

Grades

10-12

https://courses.fundisaforchange.co.za/

Life Skill

Teaching Healthy Living

Healthy eating & healthy body

Healthy habits & healthy environment

Personal Safety & Healthy Relationships

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Life Sciences Teaching Biodiversity

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What is Biodiversity

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