Assignment 2 - Report

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Swinburne University of Technology *

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20005

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Management

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Apr 3, 2024

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docx

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EDU20005: Sustainable Education and Perspectives Assignment 2: Report Kristy Mulford 102808329 5 th October 2022 1

1.0 Cover Page Milton Educating for Sustainable Education Kristy Mulford on behalf of Milton Public School Leadership Team. 2

2.0 Executive Summary The knowledge, skills, values, and worldviews necessary for individuals to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable living patterns are developed through education for sustainability (EfS). It gives people and groups a chance to think about how they interpret and interact with the world. Future balanced sustainability education focuses on protecting environments and making the world more socially and ecologically through knowledgeable action (ACARA, 2018, v.8.4). The report will outline the three key initiatives that will be implemented into the outdoor space, classroom and in the wider community. It will explain how the learning materials will be implemented to the students across the board. Education for Sustainability will be implemented across the board which families and the community can use at home and use in their outdoor spaces. Education for Sustainability (EfS) aims not only to increase students’ and schools’ understanding of issues for sustainability but, to also cultivate critical thinking, establish thinking and the ability to propose solutions that lead to more sustainable living practices (What is Education for Sustainability? 2016). The summary of the report is that when implementing sustainability in the classroom, outdoor space and the wider community, the Australian Curriculum provides a list of resources and planning that teachers will use at Milton Public School. The ecological literacy will be spoken in detail and recommendations to further support the school in a more sustainable future for the primary school which is supported by the council and government. 3

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3.0 Background and Context Milton Public School is in the Western suburbs of Sydney in a suburb called Penrith. The school is made up of 390 students with 11 classrooms. There is two of each year class from foundation to year 6. 11 teachers and 4 teacher’s aides. We also have 3 support unit classes for students who have any behavioural issues and diagnosis. The classrooms are split into stages. Kindy is two classes. Year 1 and 2 are combined in two classes, year 3 and 4 are combined in two classes and year 5 and 6 are also combined into two classes. Milton Public School provides a broad ranging curriculum that caters for the educational physical, social, and emotional needs for all the students no matter what their religion, race or ability. In collaboration with parents, the staff creates a nurturing and well-equipped learning environment purely based on the ideals of cooperation and he pursuit of excellence in all areas of improvement and students’ success. Milton Public School have not been properly introduced to EfS and are intrigued to begin learning and implementing more sustainability in the classroom, wider community, and their outdoor spaces. Teachers are quite intrigued to see how EfS will fit into their curriculum though, they are excited to gain more knowledge and understanding and pass it on to their students. 4

Table of contents 1.0. Cover Page ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 2.0. Executive Summary --------------------------------------------------------- 3 3.0. Background ------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 4.0. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 5.0. Main Body ------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 5.1. Ecological Literacy ------------------------------------------------ 7 5.2. Benefits of Ecological Literacy ---------------------------------- 7 5.3. Limitations of Ecological Literacy -------------------------------8 6.0 Key Initiatives ------------------------------------------------------------------8 6.1 Classrooms: ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8 6.2 Outdoor Space: ------------------------------------------------------------- 9 6.3 Wider Community: Government and Council Initiatives ------------ 10 7.0 Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11 8.0 Recommendation ---------------------------------------------------------- 12 9.0 Reference List -----------------------------------------------------------------13 5

4.0 Introduction This report’s purpose is to focus on giving the students and families a deeper understanding on sustainability. It will go into detail on the three key initiatives that Milton Public School wants to implement into the school and how we can implement them with the help of the whole school community. It will assist the teachers in gaining more knowledge and ideas to pass on the information to the students and implement the variety of experiences in the outdoor spaces, the wider community and in the classroom with the whole class, teacher, and family’s input. At Milton Public School, integrated sustainability is important, and it brings together four aspects of sustainability to promote a deeper understanding of what sustainability is and what steps need to be taken to achieve the environmental, cultural, social, and economic aspects. A crucial tool for achieving a more sustainable world is high-quality education. It is important for students to learn this at a young age, so they can implement it at a young age and become aware of why it is so important. It will give the students more knowledge on why sustainability is important and integrating their perspectives of sustainability. The Australian Curriculum states that in the learning areas, “content descriptions and elaborations tagged with the sustainability symbol illustrate how content might be taught in relation to the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority” (Sustainability, ACRARA, 2018, v.8.4). Educating for a sustainable future is extremely important as we will demonstrate to the students how they can have a good ecological footprint and play a part in having a sustainable future for them and their families. Sustainability is recognised in the Australian curriculum as it falls under the cross-curricular category, that illustrates that it sustainability should be implemented into other learning areas (ACARA, 2018, v.8.4). The pursuit of sustainability enhances our quality of life, safeguards our ecosystem, and conserves natural resources for 6

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present and future generations (Why Is Sustainability Important? | BluGlacier, 2022). The importance of teaching sustainability to students is that in an interconnected world, it empowers them to gain understanding and knowledge, values, and action motivations for enduring their own well-being (Why should I teach sustainability? 2016). We aim to encourage our students to be able to become ecologically literate for them to be able to pass on their knowledge and understanding to future generations. 5.0 Main Body 5.1 Ecological Literacy Students and teachers should be able to comprehend natural systems that make it possible for life to exist on Earth. Our ecological literacy, our capacity to comprehend the fundamental principles of a connected nature and how to live accordingly, are essential to humanity’s survival (Ecological Literacy – The Path To Human Survival, Nature’s Web Of Life, 2016). Ecological literacy explains to students to look at the world around them from an environmental point of view. Students need to consider the impacts that society has on the environment and come up with ways they can be involved in making a more sustainable future. Students must examine social issues on a global and local scale, to develop their imitation of responsibility for the conservation and respect of our planet for them to become ecologically literate. 5.2 Benefits of Ecological Literacy “Ecological Literacy is a basic life-skill that every human being on our planet should be supported to develop and is part of our personal development” (Ecological Literacy – a basic Life Skills, 2015). Teachers can support students in their development to prepare for the real world. It helps teachers and students to appreciate the environment. Fosters better habits for students and teachers to then become advocates for kindness and caring for the environment 7

which will encourage the students to do the same. The teachers play a huge role in the students learning and development which the students can then inspire their peers, families and implement for the future. 5.3 Limitations of Ecological Literacy Limitations of Ecological literacy include being denial of there being anything wrong with the world as they don’t have a clear understanding of the underlying issues. If students and teachers have a lack of education and learning of this topic, it effects the students as it can be difficult for them to understand as the teacher also has a lack of understanding which relays to the students. To be able to be ecoliterate means that they are understanding the principles of communities, constructive collaboration, and organisation for creating sustainable communities (Graham, 2018). The students may become overwhelmed with all the information as they don’t have a clear understanding of what ecological literacy is. Students will need to develop their critical thinking and evaluate the acts that us as humans do. . “Children feeling a sense of hope for the future and not feeling disempowered, hopeless, scared and overwhelmed by the magnitude of environmental problems” (Swinburne Online, 2022). As the students don’t know much about this topic, they will be overwhelmed which may not help them learn. 6.1 Classroom Initiative Name: Recycling The teacher will have a discussion with the children on what their thoughts are on recycling. After the discussion, the students will create their own recycling, plastic, and general bins in the classroom. There will be 2 of each bin on either side of the classroom and they will place their recycling, plastic, and general rubbish in the correct bins. Each week there will be a new recycling monitor, who will go through the recycling bin and make sure that it is all recycling 8

and pull out what they can reuse for the next week for example, boxes, paper and more etc. The students will deepen their knowledge on reusing recyclable objects and understading the importance of separating the rubbish into the correct waste bins. Recycling is taking materials that would be thrown away and turning them into new products by collecting and processing them. The community and the environment will benefit majorly from recycling. The initiative of waste recycling is a sustainable activity for every student in the school. The initiative is for the students to nurture and work collaboratively to make the school a more environmental school community. The Australian Curriculum aligns with this ongoing activity and links to: Identify how people design and produce familiar products, services and environments and consider sustainability to meet personal and local community needs (ACTDEK001) (ACARA, 2018, ACTEK001, v.8.4). This recycling initiative will be an ongoing experience, which will let the children take on the role of responsibility of making sure that all of the students are recycling correctly and separating their rubbish/recycling is put in the correct bins and given to the maintenance man at the end of the week. 6.2 Outdoors Spaces Initiative Name: Worm Farm We strongly believe that implementing a worm farm in the school will reduce the waste of food. As a whole school we have noticed that there is a major amount of food wastage happening as the students are only eating a bit of their food and then putting it in the bin and wasting it. A worm farm is a good ongoing experience to do with students as it is good for the environment. “Composting worms reduce the amount of greenhouse gas generated as they transform organic matter into worm castings” (WormFarmGuru, 2019). Implementing a worm farm garden, will help the students and teachers to change the wastage of food they waste daily. It will help the teachers and students become more socially capable. The students 9

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will participate in the development and witness the outcomes of the worm farm each week. With the worm farm, on the playground there will be little green food bins which the students will put their unwanted food and their food scraps in. At the end of lunch time, a class will take up then bins to the worm farm and put the food into the worm farm. Each week the classes will rotate and take turns at taking the bins up and witnessing and observing the change and what is happening with the food. The worm farm initiative aligns with the Australian Curriculum “The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably” (ACHASSK090), (ACARA, 2018, ACHASSK090, v.8.4). Worm farm teaches the students the importance of recycling their food. This initiative will be on going and be completed each year with the new kindergarten students. 6.3 Wider Community Initiative Name: Education for students, teachers, and families The key Initiative for students to implement in the wider community is for them to collect the cans and plastic bottles from home and what they find on the streets and bring them in. They will be encouraged to bring in the plastic bottles and cans and place them in the collection bin which will be in the front of the carpark which the community can also access to donate to the school. They will be recycling their cans and bottles which will give the school the opportunity to raise some money to also buy more resources for students. The students once a week will go out on an excursion and walk around the suburb and collect as many cans and plastic bottles they find. This initiative relates to the Australian Curriculum of “Recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services, and environments to meet community needs” (ACTDEK010) (ACARA, 2018, ACTDEK010, v.8.4). They will be 10

cleaning up the community and collecting the cans and bottles so that they are not going to landfill and going to the correct recycling place. The community will be able to come up to the school and donate their cans and plastic bottles and place them in the big bin which is located out the front of the school and it will be locked. A worker of the school will take the cans fortnightly to the collection drop point. The Australian Curriculum links to this initiative as it states, “Identifying the impact of the designed features of an environment, for example a modification to a home to reduce environmental impact: restoring a natural environment and retaining access for the public” (ACTDEK019) (ACARA, 2018, ACTDEK019, v.8.4). 7.0 Conclusion This report has given you formative information about education for sustainability and how it can be used, and the information can be relayed onto students and families in the school community. Teaching students about this topic will demonstrate and interpret sustainability for a better sustainable future for everyone. With the help of EfS, Milton Public School it will give the students the tools they need to evolve their perspectives, become ecoliterate and become fierce sustainability warriors and create a sustainable future for themselves. Milton Public School aims to empower the students to understand sustainability more and why it is important with the support of EfS. The reports initiatives focus on giving students hands-on opportunities, encouraging them to think creatively, critically and encouraging their natural ambition to stay coherent with nature. The three initiatives that will be implemented into the classroom, outdoor area, and the wider community. The three key initiatives will be implemented in the outdoor area which is the worm farm, which will reduce the fruit and vegetable waste which the students can put their left-over food into the worm farm. In the wider community, the school will have a collection bin which they will use to put the bottles and cans in. Students, teachers, families, and people 11

in the community will collect them from their home and rubbish on the streets and place them in the collection bin which will be monitored by the school. The students will go on fortnightly excursion walks around the suburb to see if they are able to find any bottles and cans. Sustainability is growing and students need to be more educated on how sustainability will help us all to have a positive sustainable future. 8.0 Recommendations These recommendations are being put in place to show that Milton Public School are educating for a sustainable future.  Encourage students to half flush the toilets.  Open windows first instead of putting on the aircon to cool the room down.  Energy Efficiency.  Having an extracurricular activity where there is a Sustainability group. 12

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9.0 Reference List Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018), Australian Curriculum: F-10 curriculum: Sustainability https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/ sustainability/ Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018), Australian Curriculum: F-10 curriculum: Design and Technologies https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/technologies/design-and- technologies/ Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018), Australian Curriculum: F-10 curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/ hass/ Ecological Literacy – a basic Life Skill . Earthwisecentre.org. (2015). https://www.earthwisecentre.org/blog/ecological-literacy-a-basic-life-skill Ecological Literacy - The Path To Human Survival | Nature's Web Of Life . Nature's Web Of Life. (2016). http://www.freshvista.com/2016/ecological-literacy-the-path-to-human- survival/ . 13

Swinburne Online, Week 9.3 EfS in the Australian curriculum https://swinburneonline.instructure.com/courses/3753/pages/9-dot-3-efs-in-the-australian- curriculum?module_item_id=311716 What is Education for Sustainability? Getting Started with Sustainability in Schools. (2022). https://sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/what-is-efs . Why Is Sustainability Important? | BluGlacier - Top-quality salmon producer . BluGlacier. (2022). https://bluglacier.com/why-is-sustainability-important/#:~:text=Sustainability %20improves%20the%20quality%20of,to%20logistics%20to%20customer%20service . Why should I teach sustainability? Getting Started with Sustainability in Schools. (2016). https://sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/why-teach-sustainability#:~:text=It%20enables %20them%20to%20develop,in%20an%20increasingly%20interconnected%20world . 18 Good Reasons to Start a Worm Farm . WormFarmGuru. (2019). https://wormfarmguru.com/reasons-start-worm-farm/ . Graham, W. (2018). What Is Ecoliteracy ? | Nature's Web Of Life . Nature's Web Of Life. Retrieved from http://www.freshvista.com/2018/what_is_ecoliteracy/ . 14

Assignment 2 - Report

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