Summer Workshop
Environmental Education, Community Development, and Integrated Learning
As of last year, integrated learning classes have started in schools nationwide. High schools began such classes this year. Integrated learning is a place to link the meaning that students learning has for society and the relationship of schools to community. Environment, welfare, human rights, international understanding, etc., are all themes in integrated learning. These themes are connected to the types of equality I mentioned. The classes are activities to create sustainable individuals and community. Integrated learning, in a broad sense, is education for sustainable society.
Currently activities nationwide are taking advantage of integrated learning as an opportunity to unify school and community. Kawamata-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, was a silk and weaving town that suffered financial collapse. However, adults from local community and women's groups have taken advantage of integrated learning classes to begin interacting with and being supportive of schools, and working to create children proud of their community. Community members have helped with classes to build a silk worm hut and use a nearby forest to grow mushrooms. Both children and adults work together to discover the positive side of their community through such activities.
There is a movement in communities all over the country to have schools be a meeting place for not only children but adults too. Schools can serve as community centers for community development. At Akitsu Elementary School, Narashino, Chiba, community members are involved in various activities. At the school, both children and adults are able to interact on a daily basis. Toyosaka City, Niigata, has taken on environmental education very seriously. The community is trying to create a school that is open to the public 24 hours a day. While the school acts as a place for learning for children, it also becomes a center for community. Here we can see a new relationship between children and adults. integrated learning classes are one place to start sustainable community making.
At the Johannesburg Earth summit last year, a proposal suggested by Japanese NGOs has become a global movement. Education in schools and communities is of the utmost importance in creating sustainable societies. We recommended that a "Decade of Education for Sustainable Development" be carried out by the United Nations, and the plan is to be initiated in 2005. Civil organizations in Japan advocated the proposal, the Japanese government presented the proposal to the United Nations last year, and it has since become part of an international movement. Problems with education in Japan and assistance to developing countries are of equally high importance. In order to create sustainability in the world, we need to make changes in Japan's education. Asking, "What kind of community is necessary to make such changes in education?" is an issue for community development.
Copyright ECOPLUS, 1998-2003. No reproduction or republication without written permission.
Send feedback to info@wschool.net