Sustainability in Out-of-School Science Education: Moving Towards the Future
PhD defence HYBRID (find zoom-link below).
Doctoral candidate
Abstract
We are all becoming familiar with the term ‘sustainability' and are aware that education plays a major role in moving towards a greener future. However, what does sustainability actually look like in science education in out-of-school settings, such as museums, science centres, zoos, aquaria and planetariums? The fuzziness and complexity of sustainability often challenges their educational efforts, and so in response I give concrete suggestions from a perspective of research, policy and practice. Denmark is a country often applauded for progress towards sustainability, providing a strong platform for researching education practice in out-of-school settings. Firstly, I operationalise sustainability in ways meaningful to the specific educational missions of these institutions, and next map the landscape of sustainability education across Denmark. Finally, I select strong candidates for effective sustainability education, to develop guidelines for out-of-school settings. I hope that the guidelines can support out-of-school settings in the difficult process of operationalising sustainability for their education practice. Ultimately, the project qualifies the practices of out-of-school settings in their endeavours to prepare us all for a sustainable future.
Download the thesis: Sustainability in Out-of-School Science Education: Moving Towards the Future.
Dansk resumé:
Begrebet ‘bæredygtighed’ er efterhånden velkendt, og vi er alle klar over at undervisning og formidling spiller en vigtig rolle i den grønne omstilling. Men hvordan ser bæredygtighed ud i den undervisning og formidling der finder sted i eksterne læringsmiljøer så som museer, science centre, zoologiske haver, akvarier og planetarier? Fordi begrebet er komplekst og svært at definere, er det ofte en udfordring for disse institutioner. Jeg giver konkrete forslag fra tre perspektiver: forskning, policy og praksis. Danmark anerkendes ofte for at være foregangsland for bæredygtighed, og er derfor et velegnet sted at undersøge bæredygtighedsundervisning og -formidling i de eksterne læringsmiljøer. Først omformer jeg bæredygtighed så det bliver meningsfuldt for de eksterne læringsmiljøer. Dernæst kortlægger jeg det danske landskab med hensyn til undervisningsforløb om bæredygtighed. Endelig udvælger jeg stærke undervisningsforløb med henblik på at udvikle retningslinjer for bæredygtighedsundervisning. Jeg håber de retningslinjer jeg udvikler kan støtte de eksterne læringsmiljøer i deres arbejde med at tilpasse bæredygtighed til deres praksis. Nærværende projekt kvalificerer de eksterne læringsmiljøers arbejde med omstillingen til en bæredygtig fremtid.
Chair
Mikkel Willum Johansen, Associate Professor, Københavns Universitet
Assessment Committee
Frederik Voetman Christiansen, Associate Professor, Københavns Universitet
Erminia Pedretti, Professsor, University of Toronto
Justin Dillon, Professor, University of Exeter
Supervisor
Marianne Achiam, Associate Professor, Københavns Universitet
A version of the PhD thesis is available with the department PhD secretary Nadja Nordmaj.
NB:
The defence is a hybrid event and will take place physically in NBB, Rådmandsgade 64, Room 01.0.H.154 + 01.0.H.146 and online in zoom: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/j/66599120644?pwd=dWNnM1hDc3BRWnZ1TjlVVURzSEIrQT09
If you have questions regarding the online participation, please contact Jonas Tarp Jørgensen, jtj@ind.ku.dk.