A common educational vision
does not usually exist in the current educational life in the schools, so many
teachers use to follow a lonely route which is limited in their class or in
their teaching subjects. In this paper we present the findings of our study, in
which we set the question if such lonely routes of the teachers in the same
school, could lead to the transformation of the school to a “Sustainable
School”. Through our study we investigated the transformation
of the whole school culture trough the implementation of an educational project
in the field of Education for Environment and Sustainability. We decided to use
“Action Research” as the most appropriate methodological research approach for
our study, as we had as main goal to change a difficult situation in our school
where the teachers were working lonely, each of them in its own path. The
results of our study showed that this educational intervention, through the
procedure of participatory planning, reflection and re-planning, led to the
awareness of the whole school community and the transformation of the whole
school culture. The teachers changed their personal educational theories and
their teaching practices regarding the educational approach of Education for
Sustainability and also their collaboration framework. Through our overall refection combining with findings
of similar studies we were led to the major conclusion that the transformation
of the culture in a school is difficult to be succeed due to the fact that
continuous and daily participatory work is needed.
References
[1]
Barrett, J., & Sutter, C. (2006). A Youth Forum on Sustainability Meets the Human Factor: Challenging Cultural Narratives in Schools and Museums. Canadian Journal of Math, Science & Technology Education, 6, 9-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14926150609556685
[2]
Bubura, M. (2010). Action Research: “Improving Student Relations through Teamwork Teaching”. Postgraduate Work.
[3]
Dovors, N., & Makrakis, V. (2012). Transforming the Classroom into a Reflective Community: A Blended Learning Instructional Approach. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 14, 73-88. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10099-012-0010-z
[4]
Filippaki, A. (2021). Place-Based Environmental Education: An Educational Intervention at the School of European Education of Heraklion: Impact Research on Students and Teachers—Action Research. https://www.didaktorika.gr/eadd/handle/10442/50679
[5]
Flogaiti, E. (2011). Education for the Environment and Sustainability. Pedio.
[6]
Garitsis, I. (2016). The School Garden as an Entry Point for Changes for the Development of the School in the Direction of Sustainability. Doctoral Thesis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. http://thesis.ekt.gr/thesisBookReader/id/38144#page/1/mode/2up
[7]
Kamarinou, D. (1995). Research-Action in the Context of Environmental Education (Design, Implementation and Evaluation of an Educational Program of Environmental Education, for the Local Architectural Heritage). Doctoral Thesis, University of Patras. http://thesis.ekt.gr/thesisBookReader/id/8608#page/1/mode/2up
[8]
Katsarou, E., & Tsafos, B. (2003). From Research to Teaching. Educational Action Research. Savalas.
[9]
Katsarou, E. (2006). Educational Action Research. Critique.
[10]
Katsarou, E. (2016). Educational Action Research: Multi-Paradigmatic Inquiry for Reforming Educational Practice. Critique.
[11]
Kostoulas-Makrakis, N. (2010). Developing and Applying a Critical and Transformative Model to Address Education for Sustainable Development in Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 12, 17-26. https://sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/v10099-009-0051-0 https://doi.org/10.2478/v10099-009-0051-0
[12]
Levin, M. (2008). The Praxis of Educating Action Researchers. In P. Reason, & H. Bradbury (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Action Research, Participative Inquiry and Practice (2nd ed., pp. 669-681). Sage.
[13]
Liarakou, G., & Flogaiti, E. (2007). From Environmental Education to Education for Sustainable Development. Problems, Trends and Proposals. Nisos.
[14]
Nomikou, X. (2017). The Centers for Environmental Education as Learning Organizations: An Action Research. Doctoral Thesis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. http://thesis.ekt.gr/thesisBookReader/id/41551#page/280/mode/2up
[15]
Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (2001). Introduction: Inquiry and Participation in Search of a World Worthy of Human Aspiration. In P. Reason, & H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of Action Research: Participative Inquiry and Practice (pp. 1-14). SAGE.
[16]
Somekh, B. (2006). Action Research: A Methodology for Change and Development. Open University Press.
[17]
Stern, M., & Hellquist, A. (2017). Trust and Collaborative Governance. In A. Russ, & M. Krasny (Eds.), Urban Environmental Education Review (pp. 94-102). Cornel University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501712791-012
[18]
Styliadis, K. (2014). Conclusions of the 1st Scientific Meeting of Doctoral Candidates and Postgraduate Students of the Hellenic Scientific Society for Environmental Education for Sustainability (EL.E.ET.PEA). Research in Environmental Education/Training for Sustainable Development. Journal for Environmental Education of PEEKPE, 6, No. 51.
[19]
Trikalitis, A. (2014). Sustainable Greek School: We All Care, We All Participate. Environmental Education, 5, No. 50. https://www.peekpemagazine.gr
[20]
UNESCO (2005). UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014. UNESCO.
[21]
UNESCO (2016). Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action: Towards Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000243278
[22]
Witta, L. E., Flanagan, S. A., & Hagan, L. P. (2012). Culture: The Missing Aspect of the Sustainability Paradigm. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 6, 37-48. https://doi.org/10.18848/1833-1882/CGP/v06i09/52149