SusEdu Seminar: Beyond Boundaries — check the program of the day

Sustainability Education Research Beyond Boundaries

The purpose of the Sustainability Education Research Day is to explore the intersections of current educational research and practices and sustainability studies. By the title “Beyond Boundaries”, this year’s seminar seeks to address the need and the potentials of examining perspectives across disciplines and accounting for transitions and margins. 

The day is organized by Sustainability Education (SusEdu) research group at the Faculty of Education, UH), a diverse group of sustainability researchers and educators from different research and didactic backgrounds. 

The program of the day:

9:00WelcomeChair of the seminar Marianna Vivitsou
Opening wordsDean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences Johanna Mäkelä

SusEdu group leader Lili-Ann Wolff
9:15-10:15KeynoteAssociate Professor Michiru Natagsu,
The case against (sustainability) education? On the convergence of Libertarian, Marxist and Anarchist view
Michiru Nagatsu

Michiru Nagatsu, PhD
·        Title of Docent, Faculty Common Matters
·        Associate professor, Practical Philosophy
·        Practical Philosophy
·        Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS)
·        TINT – Centre for Philosophy of Social Science

Key note abstract:

One might reasonably expect that there is little in common among Libertarian, Marxist and Anarchist traditions in political philosophy. I argue that at least some strands in these traditions show an interesting convergence when it comes to their views on the main function of education as an institution in modern society: that it is a mechanism to produce conformists who support the dominant economic and political system. If there is some truth in this claim, then the prospect of sustainability education to help our society achieve sustainability transformation might be slim. I will discuss this worry and possible remedies.

Abstracts of presentations

Timetable of presentations : Session 1 & Session 2

10:20-11:30 Session 1 — moderated by Marianna Vivitsou

10:20-10:40Maritime archaeological research and sustainability educationAikaterini Velentza
10:20-10:40
(cancelled)
Promoting food sense through school meals Kristiina Janhonen
10:40-11:00Situating Energy Literacy within Fictional Writing: Intermedial Ecocritical Frames Inna Sukhenko
11:00-11:20Children of the Anthropocene. Researching Atmospheres in the Ruins of an Anthropocentric WorldRiikka Hohti
11:20-11:30Q & A

11.30-12:15 Lunch break

12:15-13:45 Session 2 — moderated by Satu Valkonen

12:15- 12:35Supporting children’ sustainable growth with skills learning mindset using solution-focused Kids’ Skills methodJenny Niu
12:35-12:55ECEC Personnel’s’ Views on Social and Cultural Sustainability: Dealing the questions of difference and diversitySatu Valkonen
12:55-13:15The role of futures in sustainability education Tapio Rasa & Antti Laherto
13:15-13:35Vanhakin nyt nuortuu: kokeneen kestävyystutkijan viimeaikaisia oivalluksiaHannele Cantell
13:35-13:45 Q & A
13:45-14:15
Let’s talk Boundaries
Inspired by the title of the seminar, this open session invites participants to reflect on and discuss approaches to Boundaries in Sustainability Education Research. The discussion will focus on questions such as: what boundaries are we talking about? why go beyond boundaries? are boundaries necessary at all?



Marianna Vivitsou
 




14:15Closing words Lili-Ann Wolff

Transformation and Sustainability Education : news on SusEdu activity

image of trees with filters

As we are in the process of defining our terms for Sustainability Education, the SusEdu working group organises the next meeting for members on transformative learning. The meeting agenda includes four article readings on the theme. The articles will be summarised by participants and then discussion will follow.

Transformation has been a widely debated term, and challenging to define. What makes learning transformative, what does the process of transformation look like; what qualities are attributed to it. How much of it is linked with thinking and how much with action?. Nowadays, the issue becomes even hotter, as we look into transformation through the lens of Sustainability and relate to dimensions such as activism, enactivism and affection.

What are then new perspectives on transformation, learning and sustainable education? These are some questions the next SusEdu meeting will raise and put efforts to explore.

Tune in for more and get on board!