The project aimed to enrich sustainability education by integrating a critical socio-economic perspective into the curriculum. Our objective was to challenge the traditional focus on individual actions and incorporate an examination of economic and political structures that impact sustainability. We sought to provide both educators and students with a more comprehensive understanding of sustainability, covering both micro and macro perspectives. This included: -Enhanced Teacher Training: Develop resources and programs to equip teachers with the tools needed to address both individual and systemic aspects of sustainability. -Development of Educational Materials: Create practical resources to support a holistic approach to sustainability education. -Promotion of Alternative Economic Models: Explore models like Post-Growth Economics to encourage critical thinking about the limitations of growth-oriented capitalism. -Fostering Critical Thinking: Enable students to analyze economic policies and sustainability, and propose solutions that balance economic growth with sustainable development. By achieving these objectives, we aimed to foster a more informed and engaged approach to sustainability among students.
The project was initiated to address a critical gap in sustainability education, which often focuses on individual behaviors like consumption and mobility while neglecting systemic and structural dimensions such as economic and political frameworks. This gap is particularly evident in vocational schools, where there's a need for a more comprehensive approach to sustainability education. It was motivated by the recognition that educational institutions often lack resources to explore these broader aspects. The prevailing neoliberal focus on growth limits the exploration of alternative economic models. We aimed to fill this gap by offering educational tools and materials that incorporate a critical socio-economic perspective. This approach was designed to help both teachers and students understand and engage with sustainability more holistically, considering the complex interactions between economic policies and sustainable development. By addressing these needs, we sought to enhance educators' ability to teach sustainability in a way that encompasses both individual and systemic levels, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability issues and prepar students to contribute effectively to sustainable development.