Article

The education system is the framework that defines how education is delivered to learners, it uses many tools to promote sustainability. Sustainability refers to the capacity to maintain or support a process over time. It is commonly categorized into three fundamental concepts: economic, environmental, and social. Numerous businesses and governments have made commitments to sustainable objectives, such as reducing their environmental impact and conserving resources [1].

Over the years, sustainability research has focused on education and sustainability. Integration of various teaching and learning methods have been proposed and deliberated upon, with the objective of utilizing Higher Education as a pathway to educate the upcoming generation of professionals as vital collaborators in cultivating diverse perspectives capable of resolving authentic challenges [2]. The integration of sustainable development (SD) into a bachelor’s degree curriculum is examined in a case study on the progress of sustainable development in higher education. [3].

A policy on Computing Education for Sustainability is proposed for adoption by SIGCSE (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education) in a paper that details the outcomes of a survey conducted among Computing Educators who attended ITiCSE 2008, where the idea of such a policy was discussed. The survey offers a contrast between the sustainability perspectives of these educators and established benchmarks, culminating in an action plan to incorporate Education for Sustainability into computing education [4]. Strategies for sustainability integration were proposed in designing a green computing course with associated learning modules, as well as the results of the course evaluation to provide graduates with essential computing skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and computational thinking to contribute towards building a sustainable future [5].

Examples of Education Systems and Sustainability:

1. Sustainability Education: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) seeks to provide individuals with the understanding, abilities, mindsets, and principles needed to foster a sustainable future. An effective approach to promoting sustainability in education involves utilizing sustainable teaching techniques, such as project-based learning, experiential learning, and collaborative learning. These approaches foster teamwork among students, encouraging them to work collectively to address challenges and create sustainable solutions [6].
2. Environmental Management Systems: An Environmental Management System (EMS) comprises a series of procedures and strategies that enable an organization to minimize its environmental footprint while enhancing operational effectiveness, such as waste reduction, energy conservation, and sustainable transportation [7].
3. Green Buildings: Reducing energy consumption and providing a healthy learning environment for students can achieve sustainability such as public libraries that use green technologies and practices [8].
4. Sustainable Transportation: Educational institutions can promote sustainable transportation by creating sustainable campuses through bicycle and pedestrian planning, providing bike racks, promoting walking, and biking to school, and offering public transportation options. This can reduce car traffic and carbon emissions, while also promoting physical activity and healthy living [9].
5. Community Engagement: Community engagement working towards sustainable development and encouraging students to get involved in sustainability-related projects [10].
6. Professional Development: Providing professional development opportunities for teachers and staff can help promote sustainability in education, reorienting teacher training to take sustainability into account in the context of education policy and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is important [11].

References:

1. [Online]. Available: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp.
2. N. C. a. M. Felgueiras, "Sustainable development in higher education: different teaching & learning approaches," in TEEM'19: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality, October 2019 Pages 469–472https://doi.org/10.1145/3362789.3362950.
3. M. E. Núñez, "Promoting Sustainable Development Education through Competency-based Education Supported by Online Resources," in ICDTE '20: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Digital Technology in Education, Pages 50–57https://doi.org/10.1145/3429630.3429650, September 2020.
4. S. Mann, "Computing education for sustainability," ACM SIGCSE, vol. Volume 40, no. 4, 4 December 2008.
5. Y. Cai, "Integrating sustainability into undergraduate computing education," in SIGCSE '10: Proceedings of the 41st ACM technical symposium on Computer science education, March 2010 .
6. [Online]. Available: https://www.unesco.org/en/education-sustainable-development.
7. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/ems/learn-about-environmental-management-systems.
8. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231169761_Green_buildings_as_sustainability_education_tools.
9. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-070X(02)00028-8.
10. [Online]. Available: https://www.citizenlab.co/blog/civic-engagement/promoting-sustainable-development-with-community-engagement/
11. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202125007007.

About the Author

Samar Mouti is the Head of the Information Technology Department at Khawarizmi International College, Abu Dhabi/Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.  Her research interest includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application. She participated in around 68 events and academic activities, and she got about 32 Professional Development Certificates. She is an editorial board member in many international journals.