TE UK ESD/GC Network : Report to ESCalate July 2009
The objectives of the projectwere:
1. To develop partnerships across the UK countries for ESD/GC learning and teaching programmes and research projects
2.To continue to provide a platform for joint activities and events
3.To further develop a body of practice, policy and research in the field of ESD/GC practice and ITE across the UK and to make this material available on line
4.To form a strong base of support from which to influence policy and practice with respect to ESD/GC
The work will build on existing developments within the network. In particular it will further develop and refine the e library of practice, policy and research across the UK;better establish and support regional networks across the UK and further develop the UK wide and regional conferences and seminars.
The network is already producing a publication of papers from the July 08 national conference and intends to develop further publications
Outcomes and dissemination
The agreed outcomes comprised:
• A more sustainable and active UK ITE community of practice in ESD/GC with effective regional links and networks
• An effective and more comprehensive E library of practice, policy and research in ESD/GC and ITE
Meeting the Objectives
- 1. To develop partnerships across the UK countries for ESD/GC learning and teaching programmes and research projects
We have strengthened the regional networks across the UK. Members of the steering group have agreed to acts as links to regions where activity is happening but this is not yet clearly linked into the network. We have created new regional networks in London and the south East. The links in Wales and Scotland have been strengthened with a much more visible presence of both at the steering group meetings, the national conference and in linking of activities. Northern Ireland has been slower but we have excellent links with Nora Mc Quaid who is working with us to firm up the regional network and links to the UK network.
- To continue to provide a platform for joint activities and events
Regional networks have held conferences and seminars supported by the network. We have held a second very successful conference with a focus on developing criticality in ESD/GC. The conference included an international dimension with a key note address from an expert from Finland. We also had contributions from the DEA and from Estyn, GTCS and the TDA. Papers were given on the themes of : researching the impact of ESD/GC on new teachers, exploring different perspectives in ESD/GC and developing criticality through practice. Over 90 people attended from HEIs, NGOs, GTC, TDA, Estyn and a range of educational organisations. The evaluations are extremely positive. The conference was planned and organised by the steering group with Henry Leibling as the ESCalate representative.
3.To further develop a body of practice, policy and research in the field of ESD/GC practice and ITE across the UK and to make this material available on line
We have further developed the library of practice, policy and research. ESCalate enabled us to have time from Fiona Hyland to build up the research base of the website and this has been an excellent development and invaluable for us. The website has been redesigned to enable the materials to be more clearly accessible and this is now live . This was slower than anticipated due to funding issues forcing us to work with internal LSBU designers who had to fit the work into a busy schedule. We hope this will now develop much more quickly.
All the materials from the 2008 nUK conference were put online and we will do the same with the material from the 2009 conference including the research papers.
4.To form a strong base of support from which to influence policy and practice with respect to ESD/GC
This is developing with a continually growing membership of over 180 people representing most HEIs across England and networked links with those in Scotland, Wales and N Ireland. The network has been invited to meet with ITE and CPD staff at the TDA and has had a meeting with the DSFC. We were invited to participate in the review of DfID funding seminar. We have been told by the TDA to bid for a new ESD/.GC TDA funded resource bank likely to be put out to tender in the autumn. We are holding a special meeting of the steering group in October to discuss how we can best influence policy and practice. Members of the steering group themselves are key policy influencers through organisations such as UCET, DEA and they have argued in different contexts for the network to be used as a ‘consultant’ for policy makers.
Sally Inman and Maggie Rogers represented the network at the World Environmental Education conference in Montreal in May 2009 and made some excellent international connections at this event.The network is now formally affiliated to the UNESC international teacher education network
Sally Inman and Maggie Rogers July 2009
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