On Friday 28 July, attendees at the SI Dublin Convention 2023 witnessed an engaging presentation by Felisa Tibbitts, a prominent figure in the field of human rights and education. With an emphasis on transformative education’s role in tackling climate change and fostering global citizenship, Tibbitts outlined a vision for empowering individuals to catalyse a sustainable future.
Our Advocacy and Communications Coordinator, Joe Mason, provides a summary of this talk below.
Felisa Tibbitts, a leading researcher based at Utrecht University, shed light on the pressing need for education to address climate change, considering it as a vital tool in steering societies towards a sustainable path. She delved into her research encompassing curriculum development, pedagogy, critical pedagogy, and higher education transformation, emphasising their significance in fostering awareness and action on climate-related challenges.
Key to her message was the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – a paradigm that empowers learners of all ages to make informed decisions and take collective action for societal change while nurturing the planet. Tibbitts urged the integration of ESD across curricula worldwide, advocating for a comprehensive approach that engages the head, the heart, and the hands, and equips children with fact-based opinions.
The presentation underscored the role of ESD in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which calls for education approaches capable of addressing the global challenges of our times, including climate change and economic disparities. Tibbitts illustrated a value-based approach within this framework, encompassing education for sustainable development, global citizenship education, and peace and human rights education, all interconnected through cross-curricular integration.
Another pivotal aspect of the presentation was the call to transform teaching and learning processes into platforms that empower individuals to modify the structures of an increasingly complex world. Tibbitts advocated for elements such as critical analysis of one’s environment, dialogue and discussion, acquisition of new knowledge, development of agency and imagination, application of learning outside school, and self-reflection.
The audience was treated to insights from various studies facilitated by Tibbitts, including a comprehensive study that involved secondary students from four different countries – India, Sweden, South Africa, and the United States. This study demonstrated the crucial role of education in promoting human rights and civic engagement. Further research focused on US youth activists, revealing the significance of open classrooms, discussion-based learning, and service-learning opportunities in nurturing civic development.
In conclusion, Felisa Tibbitts urged an inclusive approach, soliciting insights and preferences from youth themselves. She emphasised the importance of supporting ESD within and beyond schools, listening to the voices of the youth, enabling them to lead, and adopting sustainable lifestyles collectively.
As the weeks and months following the SI Dublin Convention 2023 unfold, the presentation by Felisa Tibbitts continues to serve as a guiding light, igniting conversations and inspiring action towards a sustainable and equitable future.