HOPEACADEMY
HED4815
Assessment 2
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: 13 June 2025
2025
SECTION A: FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT (ESD)
a) Discuss the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its significance in
addressing global environmental challenges. (5)
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
,HED4815 Assessment 2
Education for Sustainable Development
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: 13 June 2025
SECTION A: FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT (ESD)
a) Discuss the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its
significance in addressing global environmental challenges. (5)
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a way of teaching that helps
people understand how to take care of the environment, economy, and society. It
teaches people how to live in a way that does not harm the planet. ESD is
important because it helps fight problems like climate change, pollution, and loss
of nature. According to UNESCO (2017, p. 7), ESD helps learners take action to
build a better future. It also encourages critical thinking and responsibility. In this
way, ESD helps solve global environmental problems.
Reference:
UNESCO. 2017. Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning
Objectives. Paris: UNESCO.
b) Outline at least two key controversies associated with the emergence of ESD
and explain their implications. (5)
One controversy in ESD is that it sometimes pushes Western ideas and ignores
local cultures. This can make people feel left out or disrespected (Sterling, 2010,
p. 25). Another issue is that ESD can be too focused on the environment and not
enough on social and economic problems. This can lead to unbalanced teaching
(Jickling & Wals, 2008, p. 8). These problems make it hard for ESD to work well in
, all places. For ESD to be fair, it must include local knowledge and focus on all parts
of sustainability.
References:
Jickling, B. & Wals, A.E.J. 2008. Globalization and Environmental Education:
Looking Beyond Sustainable Development. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(1),
pp.1–21.
Sterling, S. 2010. Transformative Learning and Sustainability: Sketching the
Conceptual Ground. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 5(11), pp.17–33.
Question 2: Nexus between Environmental Education (EE) and ESD
a) Compare and contrast Environmental Education (EE) and Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD). Provide two points of similarity and two points of
distinction. (5)
Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
are both important ways of teaching people how to care for the Earth. They are
similar because both aim to raise awareness about the environment and help
people take action to protect it. EE and ESD also encourage learners to think
about how human actions affect nature (UNESCO, 2017, p. 6).
However, there are also key differences. EE focuses mainly on the natural
environment. It teaches people about problems like pollution, deforestation, and
climate change. ESD, on the other hand, goes beyond the environment. It includes
social and economic topics like poverty, health, and fairness (Tilbury, 1995, p.
200). Another difference is that EE mostly gives knowledge about nature, while
ESD teaches values, skills, and actions to help build a better future.
HED4815
Assessment 2
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: 13 June 2025
2025
SECTION A: FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT (ESD)
a) Discuss the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its significance in
addressing global environmental challenges. (5)
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
,HED4815 Assessment 2
Education for Sustainable Development
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: 13 June 2025
SECTION A: FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT (ESD)
a) Discuss the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its
significance in addressing global environmental challenges. (5)
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a way of teaching that helps
people understand how to take care of the environment, economy, and society. It
teaches people how to live in a way that does not harm the planet. ESD is
important because it helps fight problems like climate change, pollution, and loss
of nature. According to UNESCO (2017, p. 7), ESD helps learners take action to
build a better future. It also encourages critical thinking and responsibility. In this
way, ESD helps solve global environmental problems.
Reference:
UNESCO. 2017. Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning
Objectives. Paris: UNESCO.
b) Outline at least two key controversies associated with the emergence of ESD
and explain their implications. (5)
One controversy in ESD is that it sometimes pushes Western ideas and ignores
local cultures. This can make people feel left out or disrespected (Sterling, 2010,
p. 25). Another issue is that ESD can be too focused on the environment and not
enough on social and economic problems. This can lead to unbalanced teaching
(Jickling & Wals, 2008, p. 8). These problems make it hard for ESD to work well in
, all places. For ESD to be fair, it must include local knowledge and focus on all parts
of sustainability.
References:
Jickling, B. & Wals, A.E.J. 2008. Globalization and Environmental Education:
Looking Beyond Sustainable Development. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(1),
pp.1–21.
Sterling, S. 2010. Transformative Learning and Sustainability: Sketching the
Conceptual Ground. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 5(11), pp.17–33.
Question 2: Nexus between Environmental Education (EE) and ESD
a) Compare and contrast Environmental Education (EE) and Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD). Provide two points of similarity and two points of
distinction. (5)
Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
are both important ways of teaching people how to care for the Earth. They are
similar because both aim to raise awareness about the environment and help
people take action to protect it. EE and ESD also encourage learners to think
about how human actions affect nature (UNESCO, 2017, p. 6).
However, there are also key differences. EE focuses mainly on the natural
environment. It teaches people about problems like pollution, deforestation, and
climate change. ESD, on the other hand, goes beyond the environment. It includes
social and economic topics like poverty, health, and fairness (Tilbury, 1995, p.
200). Another difference is that EE mostly gives knowledge about nature, while
ESD teaches values, skills, and actions to help build a better future.
