R ESEARCH

Copyright © 2016
Centre for Environment Education,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
(Los Angeles, London, New Delhi,
Singapore,  Washington DC and Melbourne)
www.sagepublications.com
Vol 10(2): 226–242
10.1177/0973408216661442

Contributions of Education for Sustainable

Development (ESD) to Quality Education:
A Synthesis of Research
ROBERT LAURIE, YUKO NONOYAMA-TARUMI, ROSALYN McKEOWN
AND CHARLES HOPKINS

Abstract
This research is a synthesis of studies carried out in 18 countries to identify
contributions of education for sustainable development (ESD) to quality
education. Five common questions were used for the interviews in each
country to solicit education leaders and practitioners’ views on the
outcome and implementation of ESD. The analysis revealed that major
themes repeated across the 18 studies, showing that ESD contributes
in many ways to quality education in primary and secondary schools.
Teaching and learning transforms in all contexts when the curriculum
includes sustainability content, and ESD pedagogies promote the learning
of skills, perspectives and values necessary to foster sustainable societies.
The research also identified the need to integrate ESD across all subjects,
to provide professional development for teachers to ensure ESD policy
implementation and to adopt ESD management practices to support ESD
in the curriculum in order to broaden ESD across countries.

Keywords: Education for sustainable development, quality education,

primary education, secondary education, formal education

Robert Laurie, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Education, University of New Brunswick, Canada.
E-mail: robert.laurie@unb.ca
Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Adjunct Researcher, Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, Waseda
University, Japan. Email: y.tarumi@kurenai.waseda.jp
Rosalyn McKeown, Secretariat, UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education to Address
Sustainability, York University, Toronto, Canada. E-mail: mckeowni@utk.edu
Charles Hopkins, Chairholder, UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education to Address
Sustainability, York University, Toronto, Canada. E-mail: chopkins@edu.yorku.ca
 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 227

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A t the end of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
(2005–2014) (aka the Decade) and the beginning of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Action Programme (GAP) on
Education for Sustainable Development1 (ESD), many nations are poised to begin
scaling up ESD (UNESCO, 2014). During the Decade, ESD matured and grew. Efforts
began with raising awareness, moved to capacity building, then to experimentation
and finally, implementation of good practice. In effect, the Decade provided proof of
concept for formal education and non-formal educational settings, including public
awareness and training. Now, with the advent of the GAP, UNESCO and the ESD
community are aiming towards expanding successful projects and involving more
schools and institutions in ESD. In spite of widespread implementation and success of
ESD, the expansion of ESD in primary and secondary education will require the ESD
community to provide evidence that ESD is effective and contributes to the overall
quality of education.
In today’s interconnected world, information is easily acquired. Facts that profes-
sionals once collected as a result of years of study are now readily available on the
Internet. Today’s education requires knowing what to do with information, that is,
how to analyze it; make sense of its abundance and complexity; cooperate with oth-
ers to synthesize information; and communicate the results. Consequently, quality
education is no longer based primarily on fact acquisition.
As education based on fact acquisition becomes increasingly outdated, policymakers
debate the basis for transforming their education systems. Yet, these transformations
require more than a vision of what is possible: they require evidence that will justify
such changes (Cooper, Levin & Campbell, 2009). Evidence-based decision making
is both encouraged and of growing importance in the formal education community
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2007). The
goal of this study is to provide evidence that ESD contributes in many ways to a
quality education.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definition and Models of Quality Education

The concept of quality recurs frequently in international educational discourse. For
example, the World Educational Forum on Education for All (EFA) has addressed
quality education in its EFA framework and goals. The framework has six goals; Goal 6
calls for: ‘Improving every aspect of the quality of education, and ensuring...excellence
so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially
in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills’ (UNESCO, 2000, p. 17). The importance
of quality in education goes beyond international discussions and documents and
is relevant at the country level. Every ministry of education and school jurisdiction
around the world struggles with the same issue: how to provide quality education in a
cost-effective manner? Providing quality education is a complex undertaking partially
because the concept of quality in education is continuously evolving.

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

228 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

Yet, the definition of quality education is constantly evolving and is always contextual.
There is no one definition, list of criteria, definitive curriculum, or list of topics that
comprise a quality education. Quality education is a dynamic concept that changes and
evolves with time and is modified according to the social, economic and environmental
contexts. Because quality education must be locally relevant and culturally appropriate,
quality education will take many forms around the world. (UNESCO, 2005, p. 1)

Furthermore, there is little or no agreement on the definition of quality and it is

contested (Barrett, Chawla-Duggan, Lowe, Nikel & Ukpo, 2006; Kumar, 2010; Nikel &
Lowe, 2010; Tikly & Barrett, 2013; UNESCO, 2004). In spite of definitional difficulties,
UNESCO (2004, p. 17) has identified basic principles underlying quality education:

Two principles characterize most attempts to define quality in education: the first
identifies learners’ cognitive development as the major explicit objective of all education
systems. Accordingly, the success with which systems achieve this is one indicator of
their quality. The second emphasizes education’s role in promoting values and attitudes of
responsible citizenship and in nurturing creative and emotional development.

UNESCO (2004, p. 19) has also identified ‘common ground’ in the discourse around
quality to include ‘respect for individual rights, improved equity of access and of
learning outcomes, and increased relevance’.
This article uses an ‘international’ perspective for the term quality education.
In North America and Europe, the term quality education has many interpretations
and is sometimes synonymous with school improvement or school effectiveness.
Nevertheless, large international organizations like the World Bank and UNESCO use
other approaches to quality education, as described next.
Three models of quality education are predominant in the international educational
literature:

1. The economic model of education deals with inputs and outputs.

The ‘economist’ view of education uses quantitative measurable outputs as a
measure of quality. For example, enrolment ratios and retention rates, rates of
return on investment in education in terms of earnings and cognitive achievement
as measured in national or international tests. (Barrett et al., 2006, p. 2)
This model is philosophically based on human capital theory which posited
that education was important to economic development and reduction
of poverty (Kumar & Sarangapani, 2004).
2. The humanist tradition emphasizes education as a process, with the student
at the centre of that process. Goals of education include wider social goals
(e.g., human rights, social justice and democracy) and personal goals.
The humanist tradition is based on the observation that children have an
innate interest and ability to learn. It aims to develop the whole personality
as well as creativity and problem-solving abilities. Currently, humanist
approaches are described with terms such as learner centred, participative
and democratic. Furthermore, they embrace contemporary concerns of
human rights and environmental sustainability (Barrett et al., 2006; Kumar &
Sarangapani, 2004).

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 229

3. The ‘learning as connection’ model of quality arose from sub-Saharan Africa

in the past decade. The learning as connection model of quality education
stresses the importance of connecting existing learner knowledge of local
context to the process of learning abstract concepts (Lotz-Sisitka, 2013).
A group of researchers in Southern Africa found that issues that threaten
sustainability are essential to quality education in the African context.2
Incorporating local issues is part of the learning as connection model of
quality education in which everyday knowledge is brought into relationship
with abstract and academic concepts so that both can grow together. The
learning as connection model is grounded in a constructivist perspective
of education.

Nikel and Lowe (2010), synthesizing many studies on quality education, proposed
a framework of seven dimensions of quality that are held in dynamic tension.
The seven dimensions are:

1. Effectiveness: the extent to which stated educational aims are met.

2. Efficiency: economic considerations, such as ratio of outputs to inputs,
to maximize the use of resources.
3. Equity: issues of access to education for all people regardless of gender,
ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, etc.
4. Responsiveness: meeting the needs of the individual learners in classroom
interactions by taking into consideration the uniqueness of the learner’s
abilities.
5. Relevance: the usefulness of education to the life of the learner immediately;
when the learner comes of age; and to more distant future later in the
learner’s life.
6. Reflexivity: the ability to adjust to change, especially rapid change, which
is important to engaging with an uncertain future.
7. Sustainability: ‘focuses on behaviour change and acceptance of
responsibilities...in a process of goal-setting, decision-making, and evaluation’
(Nikel & Lowe, 2010, p. 599). This dimension attends to ‘the longer-term
future over the present and to the global as much as the local’ (p. 599).

The seven dimensions incorporate aspects of the three models of educational

quality mentioned previously. The Nikel and Lowe (2010) framework acknowledges
important aspects of well-known models of quality in education. Furthermore, the
framework is useful to this research study on the contributions of ESD to quality
education.

Sustainability as a Purpose of Education

The concept of quality education is based on the premise that educational aims are
met and purposes fulfilled. In the Foreword to the 2005 Global Monitoring Report
for EFA, UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura wrote, ‘Quality must be seen
in light of how societies define the purpose of education’ (UNESCO, 2004). For
years, the purpose of education in the United States (US) and in other industrialized

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

230 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

countries was to educate a workforce. Then, the purpose of education shifted within
the economic realm to international economic competitiveness. Although economic
well-being remains an important outcome of education for countries, communities,
families and individuals, the focus seems to be drifting away from economic
competitiveness and towards global citizenship, social justice and sustainability.
Four examples of this change by senior leaders are:

1. Matsuura also wrote, ‘Primary and secondary education...are expected to

ensure that all pupils acquire the knowledge, skills and values necessary
for the exercise of responsible citizenship’ (UNESCO, 2004, foreward).
2. ‘I have been left with a greater sense of urgency about the necessity to
improve the education of our children by better supporting the development
of their higher order thinking skills and their ability to apply these skills
effectively to a broad range of problems. It is, in part, these skills that
will enable them to invent and contribute to the new world’ (Wilhoit,
2011, p. viii).
3. The Minister of Education and Advanced Learning of the Province of
Manitoba in Canada wrote in his online letter to the public: ‘We are
committed to providing Manitoba students with engaging and high quality
education that prepares them for lifelong learning and participation in a
socially just, democratic and sustainable society’ (Allum, 2012).
4. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), launched the
Global Education First Initiative (UN, 2012). This initiative seeks to answer
the call of parents everywhere for the schooling their children deserve—
from the earliest years to adulthood. The Global Education First Initiative
focuses on three priorities:
• Putting every child in school. Every child—regardless of gender,
background or circumstance—must have equal access to education.
• Improving the quality of learning. Many children are in school but are
learning very little year after year. Also, too many young people graduate
without the tools and skills for today’s job market. Children need to
acquire relevant skills to participate successfully in today’s knowledge-
based society.
• Fostering global citizenship. Education is more than literacy and
numeracy and preparation for entry to the job market—it is also about
citizenry. Education has the power to shape a sustainable future and a
better world. It must fully assume its central role in helping people to
forge more just, peaceful and tolerant societies (Ki-moon, 2012).

The following analysis of studies in 18 countries on ESD’s contribution to quality

education reaffirms these trends to shift the purpose of education from the decades-
long focus on economics.

ESD Pedagogies
Research results show that primary and secondary education is transformed by ESD
pedagogies as much as it is by the sustainability content. Pedagogies associated with

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 231

ESD stimulate students to ask questions, analyze, think critically and make good
decisions. Such pedagogies move from teacher-centred to student-centred lessons
and from rote memorization to participatory learning (UNESCO, 2012a).

ESD pedagogies are often place-based or issue-based. They encourage critical thinking,
social critique, and analyses of local contexts. They involve discussion, analysis and
application of values. ESD pedagogies often draw upon the arts, using drama, play, music,
design, and drawing to stimulate creativity and imagine alternative futures. They work
towards positive change and help students to develop a sense of social justice and
self-efficacy as community members. (UNESCO, 2012a, p. 15)

Tilbury (2011, p. 29), in an international literature review, has identified essential

ESD learning processes that encourage learners to: ‘ask critical reflective questions,
clarify values, envision more positive futures, think systematically, respond through
applied learning, and explore the dialectic between tradition and innovation’.
Some ESD pedagogies promote cooperation and collaboration, issues investigation,
using multiple perspectives and real-world problem solving, as well as equity in
the classroom by meeting all student needs (McKeown & Hopkins, 2010; Kappa
Delta Pi, 2015; Nolet, 2016; Tilbury, 2011; UNESCO, 2012b). Admittedly, many ESD
pedagogies have been in practice within different disciplinary traditions for years.
These pedagogies are now in use in interdisciplinary contexts and applied to pressing
issues of sustainability. This study shows that ESD pedagogies do more than facilitate
learning of knowledge—they promote learning of skills, perspectives and values that
sustainable societies require.

THE NEED FOR RESEARCH

In spite of widespread implementation and success of ESD during the Decade,

ministries of education require evidence that ESD contributes to quality primary
and secondary education so that they can write and implement new policies that
incorporate ESD. UNESCO has documented this need.

More research is needed to document that ESD is quality education. Much anecdotal
evidence exists that ESD is related to academic gains as well as boosting people’s
capacities to support sustainable development. Research will provide a solid evidence
base and firmly establish that ESD is quality education. (UNESCO, 2012c, p. 5)

The research reported here directly addresses this need.

RESEARCH METHOD

Common questions were used to solicit education leaders and practitioners’ views
on the outcome and implementation of ESD across countries. The questions were
broad and open-ended to capture the breadth of ESD. Countries produced a report
based on interviews conducted in their countries, and this research synthesizes
the findings across the 18 reports. In April 2013, the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

232 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

Teacher Education to Address Sustainability at York University (Toronto, Canada),

in collaboration with the Working Committee on ESD of the Chinese National
Commission to UNESCO, invited researchers from primarily high-scoring Programme
for International Student Assessment (PISA) countries to conduct research related to
ESD’s contributions to a quality education in their respective countries. PISA tests
are designed to assess to what extent 15-year-old students can apply their knowledge
and skills to real-life situations and are equipped for full participation in society. The
reason high-scoring PISA countries were selected for this study is that their methods
of education are often studied and emulated by education officials and leaders from
low-scoring PISA countries.
Researchers were asked to study ESD implementation in their respective jurisdictions
and to report their findings based on the following five essential questions:

1. How can ESD update and improve educational purposes and outcomes?
2. How can ESD help to improve and enrich school curriculum development?
3. How can ESD guide students to have the knowledge, skills and values to
care for and solve the sustainable development issues that will arise in their
lifetime?
4. How can ESD help strengthen the partnerships between schools and other
stakeholders, including the surrounding community?
5. How can ESD promote innovation in the teaching–learning conceptual
framework?

High-ranking ministry of education officials in five countries (Canada, China, Finland,

Latvia and Scotland) ensured the question’s relevance and usefulness.
These five questions correspond to three main models of quality in education
described in the ‘Literature Review’. Because ministries of education around the
world use different models of quality, the research design reflected that diversity
by asking questions that are aligned to different models and dimensions of a quality
education. Table 1 shows how the five research questions align with dimensions of
quality education from the Nikel and Lowe model (2010).

DATA

The data for this study are the reports from the countries based on the above-
mentioned five questions. In May 2014, the researchers presented their preliminary
findings from the past year at the research seminar on ‘ESD and Quality Education’
(Beijing, China). The presentations were based on interviews with senior education
leaders and practitioners who had significantly embedded ESD in schools within
their jurisdictions. After the seminar, the presenters submitted written reports.
Additionally, other researchers who could not attend the meeting submitted written
reports. In total, findings from 18 countries3 were included in the research project. It is
important to note that these reports feature a small number of schools or participants
within each country; they do not necessarily represent all primary and secondary
schools in each participating country.

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 233

Table 1  Alignment of Research Questions with Dimensions of Quality Education

Dimension(s) of
Research Question
Quality Education
1. How can ESD update and improve educational purposes and Effectiveness
outcomes?
2. How can ESD help to improve and enrich school curriculum Effectiveness
development?
3. How can ESD guide students to have the knowledge, skills and Equity, relevance &
values to care for and solve the sustainable development issues sustainability
that will arise in their lifetime?
4. How can ESD help strengthen the partnerships between schools Efficiency
and other stakeholders, including the surrounding community?
5. How can ESD promote innovation in the teaching–learning Reflexivity & respon-
conceptual framework? siveness
Source: Authors’ construction.

When studying the daily operations of schools and education systems, some overlap
in the answers to some of the questions arose. Such lack of compartmentalization
is indicative of ESD content and pedagogies when interdisciplinary approaches are
used. Indeed, the lack of compartmentalization emerges in some reports; researchers
sometimes present somewhat similar results under more than one question.
In synthesizing the reports, we have taken the liberty to place the research results
under only one of the five questions. In addition to answering each of the five
questions, several reports highlight specific challenges in implementing ESD in schools.
In presenting these challenges, it is our intention to inform educators, administrators
and other stakeholders on important aspects that require specific attention in further
implementing ESD approaches in schools and school systems.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND FINDINGS

How Can ESD Update and Improve Educational Purposes and Outcomes?
This question pertains to traditional perceptions of quality and better outcomes.
Researchers provide evidence showing that ESD improves test scores and helps
achieve other desired outcomes, such as improved student attendance and problem-
solving skills—outcomes typically associated with schooling. Some of these outcomes
are academic in nature and are sometimes measured by local, provincial/state, national
and international standardized tests.
Eight countries report increased academic performance in ESD schools (Australia,
China, England, Estonia, Peru, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States of
America), although no country claims a cause and effect relationship between ESD
and test scores. In fact, several reports indicate that a strong link between ESD
implementation and student performance cannot be considered causal due to lack

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

234 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

of evidence. Yet, researchers in 14 countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, China,

England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mongolia, Peru, Scotland, Sweden, and the
Netherlands) report that students of ESD schools develop stronger critical thinking
skills, deeper understanding of the topics under study and better research skills. In
addition, one country (Latvia) reports students are better prepared for the job market.
Students also demonstrate excellent communication, writing and mathematical skills
(Finland, Germany, Scotland), problem-solving skills (Korea) and abilities in forming
and defending their opinions (Estonia). University professors also state that ESD
school graduates enter university with excellent post-secondary studies preparation
(Sweden); that ESD students contribute to creativity and character education (Korea);
and that student attendance rates increase in ESD schools (Australia, Belgium, Canada,
the US). No reports mention negative relations between ESD implementation and
student performance.
Selected researchers’ quotes:

‘ESD has a positive influence on learning and possibilities to take part in school
affairs.’ Finland
‘ESD allows students to improve their problem-solving skills as it focuses on actual
practices as opposed to only learning theories. This is in my opinion because Korean
ESD tends to be accompanied by students’ projects and campaigns.’ Korea
‘The students are excited; they get far in terms of knowledge development and
appreciate the contacts with the surrounding society. They work on something
they perceive as important and real.’ Sweden
‘ESD is part of a larger process for “growing great people”.’ the US
‘I have seen test scores rise, student attendance improve, and children who for
disciplinary reasons are normally on the radar go off the radar.’ Australia

How Can ESD Help to Improve and Enrich School Curriculum

Development?
This question pertains to the relevance of current curricular content as well as student
intellectual engagement with the content. The focus here is on outcomes other than
student performance, both of which are very often the stated goals of education
systems. While outcomes such as curricular relevance and student engagement
are rarely formally measured, their importance is well established. Hence, they are
included in this study.
Observations include student, school or systemic level. At the student level,
11 reports (Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, England, Mongolia, the Netherlands,
Peru, Scotland, Taiwan, and the US) state that students find the ESD approach in-
creases the relevance of their learning content. ESD is reported to give more meaning
to school curriculum that is well adapted to local themes and priorities. ESD creates
a more interesting learning context for students (Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Scotland, Sweden, the US) and helps students recognize their roles in society
(Korea). Increased curricular relevance associated with ESD leads to increased
student engagement and commitment (Canada, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands,

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 235

Peru, Scotland, Sweden, the US), self-confidence (Germany), self-esteem (Finland,

Korea) and self-awareness (Estonia, Korea). ESD perspectives foster further engage-
ment with ESD topics in students’ private lives, including lifelong learning, informal
learning and social entrepreneurship (Finland, Germany). In addition, ESD promotes
students’ spiritual development and helps them treat their surrounding world and
cultural heritage with sensitivity, care and respect (Latvia). ESD perspectives also
increase student influence on their education (Scotland, Sweden), while projects
such as twinning schools in different countries increase empathy, understanding,
stewardship and intellectual engagement (Canada).
ESD approaches lead schools and school systems to a comprehensive focus in
school education and management plans, as well as to a framework of competen-
cies (Finland, Japan). In some cases, ESD is integrated and prescribed in the overall
curricula and several syllabi throughout the basic education programme (Scotland,
Sweden); and in others, an increase in the number of school projects related to ESD
is indicated (Japan, Sweden). The Netherlands is considering integrating the four
UNESCO competencies (learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learn-
ing to live together) (Delors et al., 1996) into its curriculum. Elsewhere (Australia,
Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Peru, the US), ESD curricular outcomes are integrated within
school curricula and not forced on schools as ‘add ons’. This approach leads to a
greater impact than a simple supplement to the prescribed curriculum. In Mongolia,
integration is uneven, more in some subject areas than others. Integrating ESD into
school curricula leads to a focus on outcomes other than student performance, such
as students’ well-being (China, Germany, Korea, Latvia, the Netherlands, the US), and
provides reason and purpose for developing historical and geographical knowledge
and skills (Peru). Global environmental issues such as climate change adaptation,
disaster preparedness, green economy, social justice and global partnerships are the
main suggested topics for inclusion in curricula (Taiwan).
Selected researchers’ quotes:

‘ESD can provide a rich, exciting, engaging and relevant school curriculum by educators
choosing contexts, choosing themes, choosing problems for kids to solve that are local
and real.’ Australia
‘The core idea and the practice of ESD will become the standards of quality education and
quality learning, which are necessary for the sustainable future.’ China
‘ESD improves the outcomes of education by putting emphasis not only on cognitive
aspects of teaching but on developing the spiritual [so that] a person...treats the
surrounding world, people, and cultural heritage with sensitivity, care, and respect.’
Latvia
‘ESD encourages interdisciplinary and cross-curricular work, and when developed through
the use of Inquiry Based Learning strengthens research skills, questioning,
risk-taking, critical thinking and collaborative learning.’ Peru
‘Staff and pupils reflect on and debate the purposes of education and schooling and
contribute to formulating and taking forward the school’s vision and values.’ Scotland
‘Education for sustainability entails a very different approach than education about
sustainability.’ the US

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

236 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

How Can ESD Guide Students to Have the Knowledge, Skills and Values
to Care for and Solve the Sustainable Development Issues that Will
Arise in their Lifetime?
This question pertains to educating today’s students for an uncertain future and to face
the complexity of future challenges to global sustainability. ESD provides students
with opportunities to identify relevant issues and work through the process of finding
appropriate solutions. It is feasible to implement strategies that help students to
observe the complex connections between local and global issues, appreciate entire
systems and question and engage in focused inquiry. The more practice students have
in facing today’s real-world issues, the more likely they will be able to address the
problems they face in the future.
ESD contributes to developing student’s abilities and confidence. Students learn
to adapt to evolving complex situations (Finland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Mongolia,
Scotland, Korea, Sweden) and develop better systems thinking skills (Finland, Japan,
Mongolia, Sweden, the US), problem-solving skills (Australia, China, England, Estonia,
Finland, Korea, Sweden) and values for sustainable development (Taiwan), while
understanding that sustainability is not just about the environment but primarily about
the reconciliation between environmental sustainability and human development
(Peru). ESD helps students develop competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes)
through constant interaction and evolvement (Germany, Sweden). ESD also helps
students recognize interrelations and interconnections in ESD issues and positions,
and to incorporate such perspective when solving problems and addressing issues
(Australia, Belgium, England, Finland, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Peru, Scotland, Sweden,
the US). Students who follow ESD curricula become attentive to global issues (Korea),
learn to act as responsible citizens locally and globally with respect to ESD issues
(England, Germany, Latvia, Peru, Scotland, Sweden), build an empathetic outlook and
commitment (Peru) and participate in democratic decision making (Mongolia). ESD
also inspires students to create solutions for the future (Australia, Belgium, Latvia,
Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden); to become future leaders and managers (England),
and to foster a sense of hope, appreciation and respect for humans and nature
(the Netherlands, Sweden). Mongolia reports that curriculum and textbook analyses
show that ESD has led to an increased emphasis on skills and competencies rather
than values.
Selected researchers’ quotes:

‘ESD helps prepare our students for a sustainable future by ensuring that they are
environmentally responsible, globally aware, economically astute, socially responsible,
and technologically proficient citizens who are capable of coping with the emerging
challenges and opportunities we are facing now and will continue to face in the future.’
Canada
‘Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is the way students change their own
lifestyles, values, and behavior toward building a sustainable future.’ Japan
‘ESD provides students with opportunities to face complex issues dealing with a
wide range of projects, especially in middle and high schools. With club activities
and other extra-curricular activities, students can further develop problem-solving
skills and values.’ Korea

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 237

‘ESD shares many similarities with entrepreneurial pursuits. The ability to deal with
problems from different perspectives, to creatively find solutions and move forward
are common features.’ Sweden
‘In addition to knowledge which is emphasized by most subjects, ESD highlights the
importance of skills for action and values for SD.’ Taiwan
‘ESD can provide knowledge that is driven towards taking action on issues; it can also
provide knowledge that allows kids to look at the reality of what’s going on around
them, the complexity of decisions that they’re hearing at the political level.’ Australia
‘Society does not need people that know how to save water. It needs people that actually
do save water.’ the Netherlands
‘The more practice students have with solving real world problems today, the more
likely they will be able to address the problems they face in the future.’ the US

How Can ESD Help Strengthen the Partnerships between Schools

and Other Stakeholders, Including the Surrounding Community?
This question pertains to the usefulness of the school to its local community and vice
versa. Students need opportunities to become meaningfully and authentically engaged
with community issues. Schools focusing on ESD can help create these opportunities
and foster strong collaborative ties between schools and their community. When
students are offered meaningful and relevant learning opportunities, they become
increasingly engaged, which often increases attendance and academic achievement.
This logical sequence exemplifies the strong link between the five questions in this
report.
Research shows that ESD helps connect schools and stakeholders within the
community. When students engage in local issues, opportunities arise for them to learn
more about their community. In turn, this provides a way for community members
to become directly involved with the school. When students engage in community
issues, communities often invest better in solutions. Such evidence is shown with
respect to local communities, organizations, universities, local governments and
UNESCO (Belgium, Canada, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Mongolia, Peru, Korea, Scotland,
Sweden, the Netherlands, the US). Further, reports show that ESD schools contribute
to their communities (Australia, Sweden, Korea) and have become role models for
other schools (Germany). In some cases, they also strengthen collaboration between
schools (Estonia, Peru), help reinforce relations between schools and parents (Latvia,
the Netherlands, Peru, Korea) and improve principals’ philosophies of school
management (China). ESD school projects are increasingly mentioned in local media
(Sweden) and more student exchanges are occurring between countries (Belgium).
Selected researchers’ quotes:

‘ESD makes students understand the importance of relationships, and how everyone and
everything is connected. When we know each other and know our environment, the
commitment to each other improves.’ the Netherlands
‘ESD must be locally relevant. In this way, schools are no more institutions separated from
the real world, proposing abstract general knowledge, but become institutions active in

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

238 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

the society, recognized as relevant stakeholders in the development of

the community.’ Finland
‘Educational institutions can be role models with regard to sustainable action and
management.’ Germany
‘ESD motivates students to participate in community-oriented activities...involving them
actively in the community activities.’ Latvia
‘Staff demonstrate a highly developed understanding and awareness of the needs of their
communities. Members of the community see the school as central to community life.’
Scotland
‘Students work in local civil society organizations or autonomously organize voluntary
group activities. There has recently been an active movement to establish more
networks between schools and local communities, but there are still not
enough of them. These partnerships can partially be supplemented with smart
applications.’ Korea
‘Activities involving museums and local communities are good opportunities
for students to better understand local society and environments. ESD activities involving
local community role-players, led to reciprocity by helping improve partnerships between
schools and local societies.’ Korea

How Can ESD Promote Innovation in the Teaching–Learning

Conceptual Framework?
This question pertains to improving our understanding of how teachers learn to teach
throughout their careers and how to engage learners in a way that helps them master
the curricula. Education systems strive to have students perform at very high levels
regardless of the measure used to determine student performance. It is well known
that the most important factor in student learning is quality teaching. Therefore,
having ESD contribute to improved teaching makes a strong argument to maintain
and even augment its role in education systems. Research results presented here
support this view.
ESD has prompted innovative teaching approaches and methodologies, such as
project-based learning, experiential education, cooperative and peer learning and
teaching and feedback (Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, England Germany, Japan,
Latvia, Mongolia, Peru, Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, the US). ESD has also increased the
use of information and communication technologies (Estonia, Japan, Latvia, Sweden).
In some cases, incorporating ESD into education systems has developed and increased
the use of new educational materials (Belgium, Japan). The implementation of
innovative teaching approaches and materials has, in turn, increased the variety of
assessment methods (Canada, Estonia, Peru, Sweden, the US), including the assessment
of competencies and deeper knowledge. In some countries (China, Germany), this
has led to new standards for evaluating schools. The focus in many ESD schools is
changing from teaching to learning (Australia, Germany), as teachers understand their
role as coaches and change agents and are no longer constrained to their traditional
role (Australia, Belgium, Latvia). Teachers report authentic learning experiences for
themselves and their students (Canada, Korea, the US), and also report learning from

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 239

their students (England). Cases of teachers and students designing school activities
collaboratively are also reported (Finland). Such evolutions have prompted more
enthusiastic and engaged teachers (Peru), increasingly aware of their lifelong learning
opportunities (Germany).
Research shows ESD is best implemented when issues are addressed in multi-
disciplinary ways and across curricula. Teachers confirm the holistic paradigm as
more efficient to reach curriculum goals and promote broad knowledge (Belgium,
Peru, Sweden, the US). When collaborating on interdisciplinary projects, multidisci-
plinary approaches enable teachers to learn about curriculum content in areas out-
side of their specialty (Belgium, Germany, Sweden). Because ESD issues are multidisci-
plinary and value laden, several countries have identified and addressed the need for
improved teacher training regarding values and awareness about sustainability and
sustainable development (Germany, Latvia, Korea). ESD pedagogy and its associat-
ed training show development in teacher ability to cultivate student values towards
sustainable development (China). ESD is the driving force in Beijing’s Shijingshan
Education Commission alignment of its educational vision, curriculum, teacher train-
ing and creation of a ‘campus culture’ that leads to better educational outcomes.
Another country reports analyzing textbooks, which include elements of the five
questions used in this study, and then developing numerous ESD-related policy docu-
ments (Mongolia).
Selected researchers’ quotes:

‘As with any new initiative, the key to success lies in teacher capacity.’ Canada
‘Including ESD in teaching requires constant updating, which creates a need and
inspiration in continuous professional development of knowledge and pedagogy.’ Sweden
‘The implementation of ESD promotes and supports the collaboration of science
and practice (e.g. action research).’ Germany
‘ESD provides an integrated perspective on education. However, teacher capacity
is important when it comes to adopting the ESD approach in classes.’ Korea
‘The teachers believe in us, they look at us as competent adults and not as incompetent
17-year-olds. That gives you confidence.’ Sweden

FUTURE CHALLENGES

The results of this preliminary international research have identified a number of

challenges to implementing and broadening ESD across countries. The challenges
highlighted in the reports can be summarized as a framework for next steps in ESD:

1. Integrate ESD across the primary and secondary curriculum: It is

important to fully integrate ESD in curricula across all subjects (Australia,
Japan, Mongolia, Korea, the US) and within a clear framework (Sweden).
Failure to do so could prompt ESD to be considered as one of several
competing priorities (Japan), as deviating from already existing priorities
(Peru) or to be perceived as imposed on schools (Germany).

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

240 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

2. Provide professional development for teachers to ensure ESD policy

implementation: Student learning suffers if teachers fail to understand
ESD. ESD involves knowledge in several disciplines, often beyond teachers’
areas of specialization (Canada, the US). Some teachers may reduce ESD
to recycling and green projects (Australia, Peru) and may not emphasize
sustainability in broader contexts. Others understand its complexity and the
need for systems thinking, but they view ESD as an overwhelming challenge
and responsibility (Germany). However, others do not understand it as
important to their courses (Japan, Peru). These challenges underscore the
difficulty in changing teachers’ values and behaviours. Thus, there is a need
for a coherent system of professional development aligned with teacher
education programmes (Germany, Mongolia, Peru, the US), accompanied by
quality teacher resources (the US).
3. School leaders should adopt ESD management practices to complement
and support ESD in the curriculum: With teacher education and training
opportunities in place, there is also a need for strong educational leadership
of principals and teachers, including high expectations towards teachers and
management support (Sweden). School administrators also need to adopt
new management practices and structures, such as different time schedules
in schools (Germany, Korea).

ESD can have a positive impact on academic outcomes but more research is
needed to identify best practices. The three challenges noted here are typical for new
educational domains such as ESD; and none are impossible to address. In fact, what
is reported as challenging in some countries is reported as strength in others. Thus,
opportunities abound for the worldwide ESD community to share and learn from
each other’s experiences and expertise.

CONCLUSION

The results of this international research project provide abundant qualitative evidence
that ESD contributes in many ways to a quality education. When the curriculum
includes sustainability content—delivered in terms of local, social, economic and
environmental contexts—teaching and learning transforms primary and secondary
education in all contexts. Research also provides evidence that ESD pedagogies
facilitate the learning of knowledge, and promote the learning of skills, perspectives
and values necessary to foster and maintain sustainable societies. Nevertheless,
the authors recognize the need for more research which clearly demonstrates the
contributions to quality education and the extent of those contributions.

Acknowledgements: This research synthesis report was based on research projects carried
out in 18 countries. The authors include: Australia: K. Malone & M. Sommerville; Belgium:
W. Van Buggenhout; Canada: A. MacDiarmid, H. Creech; China: Shi Gendong, Wang Guiying,
Wang Qiaoling and Sun Yun; England: A. Finlayson; Estonia: M. Viesson; Finland: P. Immonen and
A. Nuutinen; Germany: U. Stoltenberg, V. Holz and K. Bruhn; Japan: T. Ichinose; Korea: S. K. Lee and
S. Baek; Latvia: D. Iliško and I. Salite; Mongolia: J. Badrakh and T. Baljir; Netherlands: A. De Hammer,

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

 Contributions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to Quality Education 241

G. Devries, J. Bot, H. Schweitzer and J. Kenter; Peru: J. Perrin and C. Stayte; Scotland: B. Morton,
B. King, I. Menzies, M. Watson, M. Mackenzie and P. Higgins; Sweden: M. Persson, U. Lindquist, T.
Almgren and M. Bengtsson; Taiwan: T. C. Chang and J. Wang; and US: V. Nolet. The authors thank
the John Dearness Environmental Society for making this publication free for all.

Notes
1. ESD is generally explained as ‘integrating the principles and practices of sustainable
development into all aspects of education and learning, to encourage changes in knowledge,
values and attitudes with the vision of enabling a more sustainable and just society for all’
(UNESCO, 2014, p. 5). ESD is thought of to have four thrusts: (i) access and retention in basic
quality education; (ii) reorienting existing education to address sustainable development;
(iii) increasing public awareness of sustainability; and (iv) providing training for all sectors
of the workforce (McKeown, 2000).
2. See Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, Volume 25 (2008). Available at
http://www.eeasa.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68:southern-
african-journal-of-environmental-education-volume-25-2008&catid=45:journals&Itemid=72
3. Countries included Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Japan,
Latvia, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Peru, Scotland, Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, the United
Kingdom and the United States of America.

References
Allum, J. (2012). Minister’s message. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/minister.html
Barrett, A. M., Chawla-Duggan, R., Lowe, J., Nikel, J., & Ukpo, E. (2006). The concept of quality
in education: A review of the ‘international’ literature on the concept of quality in
education (EdQual Working Paper No. 3). Bristol, the UK: EdQual RPC.
Cooper, A., Levin, B., & Campbell, C. (2009). The growing (but still limited) importance
of evidence in education policy and practice. Journal of Educational Change, 10(2),
159–171.
Delors, J., Al Mufti, I., Amagi, I., Carneiro, R., Chung, F., Geremk, B.,… & Zhou, N. (1996).
Learning: The treasure within. Paris: UNESCO.
Kappa Delta Pi. (2015). Equity: Teaching to engage all learners. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from
http://www.kdp.org/chapters/programmingideas/advocacyandleadership.php
Ki-moon, B. (2012). Global Education First Initiative. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://
www.globaleducationfirst.org/289.htm
Kumar, K. (2010). Quality in education: Competing concepts. Contemporary Education
Dialogue, 7(1), 7–18.
Kumar, K., & Sarangapani, P. M. (2004). History of the quality debate. Contemporary Education
Dialogue, 2(1), 30–52.
Lotz-Sisitka, H. (2013). Conceptions of quality and ‘learning as connection’: Teaching for
relevance. Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, 29, 25–38.
McKeown, R. (2000). Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit. Knoxville: Waste
Management Research and Education Institution, University of Tennessee. Retrieved from
http://www.esdtoolkit.org
McKeown, R., & Hopkins, C. (2010). Rethinking climate change education: Everyone wants it,
but what is it? Green Teacher, 89, 17–21.
Nikel, J., & Lowe, J. (2010). Talking of fabric: A multi-dimensional model of quality in education.
Compare, 40(5), 589–605.
Nolet, V. (2016). Education for sustainability: Principles and practices for teachers.
New York: Routledge.

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242

242 Robert Laurie, Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi, Rosalyn McKeown and Charles Hopkins

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2007). Evidence in

education: Linking research and policy. Paris: OECD. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://
www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/evidenceineducationlinkingresearchandpolicy.htm#1
Tikly, L., & Barrett, A. M. (2013). Education quality and social justice in the global south:
Challenges for policy, practice and research. New York: Routledge.
Tilbury, D. (2011). Education for sustainable development: An expert review of processes
and learning. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/
images/0019/001914/191442e.pdf
United Nations (UN). (2012, September 26). Remarks on launch of Education First Initiative.
New York: UN. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/
sgspeeches/search_full.asp?statID=1676
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2000). The Dakar
Framework for Action. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://unesdoc.unesco.
org/images/0012/001211/121147e.pdf
———. (2004). The quality imperative: Education for all global monitoring report 2005.
Paris: UNESCO.
———. (2005). Contributing to a more sustainable future: Quality education, life skills and
education for sustainable development. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001410/141019e.pdf
———. (2012a). The education for sustainable development sourcebook. Education for
Sustainable Development in Action, Learning and Training Tools No. 4. Paris: UNESCO.
Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002163/216383e.pdf
———. (2012b). Exploring sustainable development: A multiple perspective approach. ESD
in Action, Learning and Training Tools No. 3. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002154/215431e.pdf
———. (2012c). Shaping the education of tomorrow: 2012 report on the UN Decade of
Education for Sustainable Development (Abridged). Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://
unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002166/216606e.pdf
———. (2014). Roadmap for implementing the global action programme on education for
sustainable development. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2016, from http://unesdoc.
unesco.org/images/0023/002305/230514e.pdf
Wilhoit, G. (2011). Foreword. In V. B. Mansilla & A. Jackson, Educating for global competence:
Preparing our youth to engage the world (pp. viii–ix). Washington, DC: Council of Chief
State School Officers’ EdSteps Initiative & Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning. Retrieved
16 July 2016, from http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/GlobalCompetence-04_21_11%20
(2).pdf

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  10:2 (2016):  226–242