Based on experiences from collective learning contexts, an approach to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) developed in the global North is presented and critically reflected upon. The work of the Transformative Education team in Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie eV in Leipzig [1] focuses, among other things, on the further training of teachers and multipliers and draws on Paulo Freirei’s understanding of education [2].
What is the proposal for a transformative education that supports emancipatory socio-ecological change?
Roles and positioning
Transformative education enables teachers and learners to question what is already established – in this case, particularly the unsustainable and/or imperial ways of life [3] of the global North. This also involves supporting people and helping them recognize which aspects of an unsustainable/imperial way of life have become established not only socially but also personally. Transformative education therefore enables a comprehensive view of the external and the internal. In this sense, the article refers to both dimensions. An external dimension would be, for example, the education system, and an internal dimension would be the decisions that learners can make about the content of their learning. Further examples are also given to help better understand this educational concept.
With regard to the internal dimension, one of the considerations on the role of the multiplier points to the need not only to fulfill the role of knowledge mediator, but also to continuously learn themselves. Anyone who wants to support others in learning must absolutely learn how to do this. This requires multipliers to be able to reflect on their educational work, the methods and practices, and to be open to appropriate changes. [4] This requires considering one's own position from which multipliers conduct educational work. It not only questions what kind of teaching methods, learning and knowledge are imparted to the learners, but also who the person is who offers this and how they position themselves in a particular context. Who is the person who addresses the learners? - Multipliers can, in principle, gradually reflect on all relevant characteristics of their social positioning: Are they female, non-binary or male? Are they structurally marginalized or privileged? Do they work from a perspective with or without a migration background, etc.?
For social change, it is important that multipliers and teachers reflect on their own social positioning in relation to their educational practices and incorporate this into their actions. As people who drive, facilitate, or lead transformation processes in an organization, community, or society, they become agents of change. For this reason, teachers are one of the target groups of transformative education.
But how can teachers and multipliers support emancipatory social change from their context of action? To further explore this idea, as mentioned at the beginning, the context of the Global North will be used, providing concrete examples of aspects of social inequalities in the Global North.
Transformation
To understand the context of the Global North, it is not defined as a geographical reference, but as a political positioning within global power, economic and social structures.
It is suggested that it is necessary to think about or strive for change—but in what sense? From a global perspective, there are various social and ecological situations that directly point to the need for change. These include economic practices that reproduce models of exploitation and oppression, climate change, and social inequalities, to name just a few examples of an external dimension. These are situations that are, to some extent, interlinked and have global repercussions, meaning both the global North and the global South.
What is necessary to enable a just social transformation, and which alternatives lead to change? To understand this more concretely, an introduction is provided using the following definitions [5] and examples from a formal-institutional educational context:
- Inequality. Unequal access to opportunities
Example: A school offers enrollment and attendance to children and young people with a migrant background who have not learned German as their native language. However, it does not offer extracurricular classes or courses in other foreign languages. - Equality. Evenly distributed support and help
Example: A school offers enrollment and attendance to children and young people with a migration background who have not learned German as their native language. It offers extracurricular activities and courses in other foreign languages. However, all students at the school are required to use German teaching materials and take exams in German. - Equality. Personalized tools that identify and eliminate inequality
Example: A school offers enrollment and attendance to children and young people with a migration background who have not learned German as their native language. It also offers extracurricular activities and courses in other foreign languages for students whose native language is German. It offers the opportunity to use teaching materials in different languages and encourages students to engage in intercultural exchange. - Justice. The system should be designed to ensure equal access to tools and opportunities
Example: A school offers enrollment and attendance to children and young people with a migrant background who have not learned German as their native language. The education system recognizes the equivalent of their education or knowledge acquired in their country of origin and institutionally validates it, allowing them to continue their education without having to start over.
This example concerns a situation of discrimination based on language, immigrant background, or racism. It would be a transformative process to create educational activities or spaces that are aware of the fact that an educational model based on inequality is being reproduced and to bring about the necessary changes to ensure that these activities or educational spaces are truly fair.
Emancipation from power relations
From the perspective of justice, power relations are continually questioned, making a critique of power possible. A clear power relationship is determined by a one-way flow of knowledge. The same applies to social structures and systems, for example, when schools or educational institutions must respond to the requirements of a government or state policy.
Considering the example of the process of transforming social inequalities, teachers who welcome students whose native language is a foreign language into their classroom may initially experience frustration or confusion if they lack mastery of that language and are unable to support the expectations and/or learning levels of these students due to language barriers. It is important that teachers in various educational contexts receive the necessary support to address and overcome these difficulties. Teachers may not be tasked with implementing migration policies, but they can nevertheless apply pedagogical methods in their classrooms to support processes of inclusion and social integration of their students.
Based on the facets of transformative education, it is possible to support multipliers and teachers in integrating transformation processes into their educational work. Spaces for constructive criticism and reflection help identify social inequalities. Perspectives and opportunities for action can be derived from these. These spaces are also possible through the educational offering of global learning, for example, where connections are established that question or publicize the different perspectives from a given context. It is suggested not to generalize knowledge or experiences, as the proposal of universalism [6] has done. This demonstrates the importance of making visible positions from which specific knowledge is conveyed and applied in a specific context.
It's about action
This brings us to the level of structural change. A reference in the context of the education system in Germany, for example, is the implementation of the fourth Sustainable Development Goal. Quality education. [7]
But how can the terms Sustainability and Development in an educational context of an industrialized country in the Global North? "The establishment and expansion of local/regional educational landscapes is necessary. […] Here, it is important to ensure that it is not about the implementation of individual measures, but about creating a culture of participation in schools and society. This does not require isolated projects, but rather a structural anchoring in the school as a place of learning."[8]
The Instrument Whole Institution Approach – Holism in Institutions can contribute to a better understanding of these structural changes, also by rethinking the implementation of organizational forms from a power-critical perspective for sustainable institutions. This involves rethinking the way certain modes of transport (bicycle or car, public transport or private transport) are used, waste recycling, and the facilitation of non-hierarchical communication structures between the members of an institution. Here, roles and leadership styles are then reflected upon and adapted not only with regard to knowledge ownership, but also with a view to inclusive participation by all.
In this sense, schools can be understood as part of an educational system, as agents of social and ecological change. Their scope of action lies, on the one hand, in the design of physical structures, such as the use of renewable energies, and, on the other hand, in the design of content and methodology.
As a good example of practice and to illustrate one possibility of implementing critical power processes in institutions, the organization Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie eV has set up a working group to deal with issues of anti-discrimination.[9] It organizes and discusses the handling of situations, positions, conflicts and educational work that are relevant to the work of the association. Some of these processes are accompanied or supported by external persons, e.g. through supervision or internal training to raise awareness in the area of discrimination. This process has accompanied the work of the organization for years and enables the employees to integrate forms of change and/or transformation. Through awareness groups for people who identify as White A group for the empowerment of people with experiences of racism, BiPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), will be created, providing a space for reflection on one's own position. Internal training courses will enable participants to learn about and reflect on the various forms of discrimination.
Inspired by this type of process, the Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie eV has developed various educational projects and is also a reference framework for the organization and implementation of events.
This text was written in Spanish and translated into German with DeepL.com by Sulca Ariza.
[1] Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie eV: Transformative Education. Motivating people to help shape change. Leipzig, 2024. https://konzeptwerk-neue-oekonomie.org/themen/bildung/ [09.12.24].
[2] "Educational practice is not the only path to the social transformation necessary for the conquest of human rights, but I believe that without education, there will never be social transformation." Freire, Paulo: Pedagogia de los sueños posibles. Por qué docentes y alumnos necesitan reinventarse en cada momento de la historia. Buenos Aires, Siglo XXI, 2015, p. 40. (Translation: Teresa Arijón)
[3] "The concept of the imperial way of life connects the individual, the economy, and global problems. The imperial way of life is imperial because it allows certain groups excessive access to labor and the biosphere worldwide and externalizes negative consequences." ILA Collective (ed.): At the Expense of Others? How the Imperial Way of Life Prevents a Good Life for All. Munich, 2027, pp. 7-8.
[4] See also Freire, Paulo: Cartas a quien prentende enseñar. Buenos Aires, Siglo XXI, 2002.
[5] See also Tony Ruth's Equity illustration series for Tech Report 2019. Fundacion Adecc: Diferencias de los términos equidad, igualdad y justicia social. Blog diversidad inclusion, 2022. https://fundacionadecco.org/blog-diversidad-inclusion/diferencias-entre-equidad-igualdad-y-justicia-social/ [06.02.25].
[6] See also Czollek, Max: Universalism versus Identity Politics: A False Juxtaposition. HEINRICH BÖLL STIFTUNG, 2021. https://www.boell.de/de/2021/11/12/universalismus-versus-identitaetspolitik-von-einer-falschen-gegenueberstellung [09.12.24].
[7] Engagement Global, 2024. Sustainable Development Goals: "Goal 4, Quality Education." (UNESCO). Germany. https://17ziele.de/ziele/4.html [09.12.24].
[8] National Platform for ESD 2017: 38. A National Action Plan for Education for Sustainable Development has been structurally implemented to implement models of sustainable development in the German education system. Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2024. "What is ESD?" Education for Sustainable Development Portal. Germany. https://www.bne-portal.de/bne/de/einstieg/was-ist-bne/was-ist-bne_node.htmlhttps://www.bne-portal.de/bne/de/einstieg/was-ist-bne/was-ist-bne_node.html [09.12.24].
[9] Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie: Anti-Discrimination in the Concept Work. Leipzig, 2024. https://konzeptwerk-neue-oekonomie.org/ueber-uns/wie-wir-arbeiten/diskriminierung-und-privilegien/ [09.12.24].
This text was published in the specialist journal “Standbein Spielbein” in issue 123 on the topic “Class reunions: School and museum in dialogue”.
