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Research is based on a project for infusing education for Sustainable Development in a teachers' college programme in Jamaica. Challenges include colleagues' scepticism, students' expectations of course, content vs the actuality of an "expanded" course with ESD input, an absence of policy, syllabus constraints, and ways in which these were addressed.
Research is based on a project for infusing education for Sustainable Development in a teachers' college programme in Jamaica. Challenges include colleagues' scepticism, students' expectations of course, content vs the actuality of an "expanded" course with ESD input, an absence of policy, syllabus constraints, and ways in which these were addressed.
Research is based on a project for infusing education for Sustainable Development in a teachers' college programme in Jamaica. Challenges include colleagues' scepticism, students' expectations of course, content vs the actuality of an "expanded" course with ESD input, an absence of policy, syllabus constraints, and ways in which these were addressed.
sustainable development in higher education Lorna Down The Institute of Education, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica Abstract Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address research on major challenges faced in attempting to mainstream education for sustainable development (ESD). Design/methodology/approach The research is based on a project for infusing ESD in a teachers college programme in Jamaica. Findings Challenges include colleagues scepticism, students expectations of course, content vs the actuality of an expanded course with ESD input, an absence of policy, syllabus constraints, and ways in which these were addressed. Originality/value In analysing the ways in which these challenges were addressed, important principles are uncovered that can guide the introduction of ESD in higher education: how threats can become opportunities, how constraints can make for creativity. Keywords Sustainable development, Education, Higher education, Jamaica Paper type Research paper Introduction The general context of ESD in Jamaica Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a fairly new concept in Jamaica, like many other parts of the world. The country has, however, since the 1970s been pursuing the issue of environmental education and since the UN Conference in Rio De Janeiro in 1992 has made a national effort to promote environmental education for sustainable development. In keeping with this a national framework the National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development has been developed. It is a plan that incorporates the concept of education for sustainable development. However, ESD has not been the focus of curriculum development in many areas. Attempts to date have largely centred on ESD within the sciences and social sciences in higher education. To mainstream ESD in non-science areas presents, therefore, many challenges. The challenges To implement any change in a curriculum requires the direct or indirect cooperation of a number of key stakeholders in that educational institution, particularly academic staff and students. The challenges faced in attempting to mainstream education for sustainable development in a teachers college curriculum in Jamaica were directly related to lecturers concept, knowledge of and attitude to the subject, students expectations and syllabus constraints. The recently documented Guidelines and The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/1467-6370.htm IJSHE 7,4 390 International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education Vol. 7 No. 4, 2006 pp. 390-399 qEmerald Group Publishing Limited 1467-6370 DOI 10.1108/14676370610702190 Recommendations for Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability (Hopkins and McKeown, 2005) categorizes the challenges faced by teacher educators in the network. These are: institutional awareness, support and resources; prioritising sustainability in the educational community; reforming education systems and structures; establishing and sustaining partnerships. The challenges faced in the Jamaican situation related mainly to the rst and second categories. In addressing such challenges, however, important principles that can guide the introduction of ESD in higher education in general have been uncovered. The research design The project that was undertaken was one of a participatory action research. Bogdan and Biklen (2003) describe this as one in which the researcher is both participant and researcher. The goal is to promote change that is consistent with the researchers beliefs. The researcher was one of the participants, who instituted action the infusion of education for sustainable development into two courses at a teachers college and one who was also conducting research on the project. The emphasis was on studying the challenges to change with the existing programme in order to nd out how to address them effectively. The questions guiding the research were: what are the main challenges to mainstreaming ESD in the curriculum? And how can these be effectively addressed? Data were collected mainly through eld notes, journal notes, observation, unstructured interviews, students on-going evaluation and related literature. Methods employed to measure success and limitations of the project were primarily qualitative and included: the extent to which the attitude of staff changed from accommodating to welcoming the infusion of ESD in the curriculum; the students response to the issue of a programmes relevance and signicance to their society; the outcomes/the impact of such a programme on students attitudes, behaviours, level of knowledge; the extent to which sustainability issues were integrated into the syllabus, the depth of exploration and critical analysis of these, and equally important what policy changes were effected as a result. Description of the project There were two courses selected for integrating issues of sustainability. One was a basic computer course: introduction to computers, for student teachers pursuing a diploma in primary education and the other was a specialist course: Caribbean Literature, for student teachers pursuing the diploma programme in Secondary Education. Introducing ESD into Caribbean literature. The literature course began with an exploration of the concept of sustainable development through lectures, discussions and projects. In doing so, students were invited to reect on a number of issues related to the society, the environment, and the economy. They were also encouraged to pursue research in the area, particularly the question of sustainability in relation to the environment and the economy. This was done as the selected focus in literature was going to be that of the society and specically that of the issue of violence. The selection of violence as the focus for study was determined largely because of the high levels of violence in the society and the urgent need to change violent attitudes and behaviour. To begin the study of the literary texts set for the course, students examined the social/historical aspects as well as (though to a lesser extent) the economic and environmental aspects of the texts. That is, they critically analysed: Challenges of mainstreaming ESD 391 . the roots of violence in Caribbean society when, who, what, why; . the impact of violence then and now; and . alternatives to violence. These questions are explored fully by Caribbean writers who understand that unless a people openly recognize and acknowledge the latent violence in their society, it will erupt in unimaginable ways. The class also studied contemporary situations of violence in other literature texts. Parallel to this was their work in real time. Immediate situations of violence in society, recorded in journal entries, became another text. Lecturers encouraged students to apply the analytical skills employed in the study of set texts to this immediate text on violence, and as such journal entries and analyses were shared; consequently it was discovered that violence did not just exist in the society beyond the classroom wall but was also part of the psyche and thinking of those within the sanitised space of a teachers college. In responding to what emerged lecturers organized a conict resolution workshop by engaging the services of a conict resolution practitioner. Additionally, students engaged in visioning alternatives to violence by planning peace projects. Other practical work included an open dialogue with the police in order to examine and to begin to change the ambivalence many feel towards the police. Introducing ESD into the introduction to computers course. This was an elective course open to any student pursuing the primary curriculum at the teachers college. The course was a basic computer course. Because it was content-open, it was seen as ideal for introducing ESD. The ESD content would provide the content that the students could use as they learnt and practised their computer skills. Using the UNESCO online Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future as the base the lecturer proceeded to integrate issues of sustainability into this course. Findings The concept of and attitude towards ESD by staff One of the challenges faced in introducing ESD was how to get the staff involved in reorienting their course/programme to address sustainability. As both Calder and Clugston (2006) have pointed out innovations will not move into the mainstream until critical stakeholders demand it. The short-term objective was to introduce the theme of sustainability into two specic courses but our long-term aim was to have all staff at the college reorient their own courses to address that issue. To share plans for introducing ESD in the curriculum with colleagues was a necessary rst step. Their cooperation and receptivity to the concept of sustainability, of a futures-oriented curriculum, would be invaluable. As Malhadas (2003) explains: The priority is to motivate the educators to understand, to accept and to insert the sustainable development concepts and strategies in their teaching programs . . . if they really trust that sustainability is a solution for ecological, economical and social problems, they will succeed in stimulating the students to adopt these new concepts and behavior, and together they will build a sustainable future. To begin, dialogue on the concept of ESD was initiated. Responses varied from interest to scepticism. These included the valid questioning of how new the concept was as IJSHE 7,4 392 some colleagues argued that it was not anything different from what they were doing. Colleagues outside the department referred to the tautology of the term sustainable development; others saw it as the latest northern agenda. Signicantly, Miller (2005) in his address at the recent Regional Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Jamaica attempted to locate ESD in a Caribbean socio-historical context as he strongly interrogated the term sustainable development and urged that we Caribbeanize the concept by including issues of power and self-identity. The contestation of the term was also a feature of the focus group discussion (at the same conference) by teacher educators who raised issues such as whose development, and the meaning of development. The initial response was to dismiss such scepticism, to treat it as unnecessary, and to see such colleagues as focusing on the inessential and not on the bigger picture, but there was also some recognition of the legitimacy of the question, the necessary academic challenge to any agenda that is held up as the way forward. To address this challenge, the project staff conducted further research on the subject on ESD. They realized that in order to address that scepticism they had to research how having sustainability as a major focus in their courses would make a difference and a valuable difference. McKeowns (2002) acknowledgement that teachers and trainers will question the concept as there is a lack of clarity regarding ESD goals was useful. Her elaboration on the fact that talented educators already teach strands which could be expanded to include other concepts of sustainable development led them to examine the courses fromthat perspective. They were also mindful of Palmers (1998, p. 3) comments about reinventing the wheel as she explains in her work on environmental education: On my travels around the world I have many times encountered the frustration of discovering dedicated groups of people spending a great deal of time devising aims, objectives and guidelines for environmental education. Worthy as the outcomes of their strenuous efforts may be, they often do little more than replicate the products of previous workshops, conferences and publications. What they found what was that strands were already included in courses but that teaching strands of sustainability, though valuable, was a fragmented approach, whereas the concept of ESD offers a holistic, inter-disciplinary approach to learning, and because ESD makes explicit the goal of transforming the environmental, social and economical aspects of our society to sustainable levels, it offered a new/a different approach to teaching. What eventually became clear as they engaged in researching the issue of sustainability was the need for a paradigmshift in education. Ashift that Sterling (2001) describes as he speaks of the need for a transformative level of learning learning that helps us to see things differently, to have a deep awareness of alternative worldviews and ways of doing things so that we achieve a breakthrough in the sustainability crisis facing our world. Being involved with transformation is being involved with process for changing our world. Moreover, Sterlings (2001, p. 22) denition as a change of educational culture which both develops and embodies the theory and practice of sustainability in a way which is critically aware claried the direction in which change for a sustainable curriculum should go. And McKeowns (2002) insistence that ESD should be locally Challenges of mainstreaming ESD 393 relevant and culturally appropriate suggested the space in which each country can locate its own interpretation of a curriculum that aims to transform its society. The research motivated the project staff to continue with their work on integrating a sustainability focus in their courses. They believed also that the concrete results of their work would best address the response of other staff. Yet on reection it is clear that the project staff could also have engaged more in dialogue with their colleagues which would have likely allowed for more clarity and understanding of their goals. Malhadas (2003) brings to our attention the matter of improved communication, of a particular dialogue and diplomacy. What she refers to as the needed tools for promoting friendly cooperation, joyful complicity and sharing of good practices. Malhadas idea too about sharing of primary documents on ESD, such as Agenda 21 in a seminar approach, was an action that they could also have employed. That would not only have been invaluable in providing needed information but would also have been a great motivator in helping lecturers to see the global extent of the work. Hopkins et al. (1996) had also earlier made the point that educators will know or feel comfortable discussing at least one aspect of ESD from the many chapters addressed in Agenda 21 and the other emerging issues. He further pointed out that their becoming involved and taking action would follow once they became more comfortable and certain with the material. The challenge of student-expectations Another challenge is that of meeting student expectations. Students sign up for courses expecting a particular content, a specic syllabus. When that syllabus or that course is modied mid-stream by a lecturers attempt to reorient that course to engage with sustainability issues, it is likely that there will be some difculties. The course introduction to computers showed how challenging integrating a sustainability focus could be. What appeared ideal, as the technical course had no content of its own, turned out to be one of the major challenges. The course was selected because of a number of reasons. One is already listed above it was not content-bound. The other main reasons were that it offered possibility for transdisciplinary work; it was a course option for all student-teachers pursuing the primary education programme and it seemed perfect for using the UNESCO online Teaching and learning for a sustainable future. The major challenge proved to be that student expectations of the course did not meet the actual course delivery. Students selection of the course, an introduction to computers, was based primarilyonthe fact that theywouldbe learningto use the computer. They had been invited and had agreed to the inclusion of the content on sustainability. Their initial interest in the subject, however, declined after a while for a number of reasons. First, there was the major problem of the malfunctioning of the computers. The computer lab was new but the computers themselves, whichhadbeendonatedbya charitable institution from abroad, were old. The continual malfunctioning of the computers led to a fairly high degree of student frustration. Coupled with this was the overzealous approach of the lecturer to ESD. The students response to all of this was reected in their comments, this is too boring; its too difcult; its not what we want; we dont have enough ordinary practice time with the computers. Instead of a more constructivist approach in which students knowledge and experience would have been used to help them construct meaning in regard to IJSHE 7,4 394 sustainability, students received an overload of facts and gures on sustainable issues. A greater familiarity with the interactive section on the UNESCO programme would have helped as this would have allowed for more active computer use. Students were thus disappointed as they were unable to receive the quality instruction of and practice on the computers and had to manage as well the subject content of sustainability issues. Students responses to the literature course On the other hand, the responses to this course were mainly positive. Students felt that the ESD content had enriched the course. They saw themselves as being extended, as becoming educated in a way that was remarkably different fromthat of their pre-college period. Exploring the concept of sustainability was for them highly relevant. Learning about and researching environmental and economic issues were not only of interest but also engaged themin much independent learning and helped themto make sense of their world. Sharing journal entries was for many of them cathartic. Moreover, treating such entries as a text to be analysed like their literature text provided them with an opportunity to practise applying their critical thinking skills developed through their study of literature. The workshop in conict resolution management was found to be very helpful, and meeting with the police provided new insights into police/citizen relation as well as the issue of violence and ways to prevent it. Most of all students reported that the methodology used modelled what they were requiredto practise inschools. That is, lecturers practisedthe methodologytheypreached. The challenge of syllabus demands One of the rst challenges in relation to the syllabus was how to deal with aspects of sustainability that were outside the lecturers area of expertise. In the main attempt to infuse ESD into the curriculum, the project lecturers chose the language arts and to begin, a 2-semester, 90-hour literature course for our student teachers in language and literature. (See Down (2003) for a detailed description of this work) The literature course was selected for a number of reasons rstly, the lecturers were following the strengths model as advocated by Hopkins and McKeown and secondly, literature allowed for extended exploration of values, perspectives aspects that naturally tted in with the selected focus on the society component of ESD. At the time, too, they felt that the components of the environment and economy were outside their area of expertise and better left for the science and social studies classes. The initial response then was simply to treat such issues in a general way and to centre attention on aspects that not only tted comfortably with the course but lay also within their area of expertise. This of course, also meant that the syllabus content remained manageable. But in doing that they missed an opportunity for transdisciplinary work, of inviting in colleagues from other disciplines to participate in the selected course offerings. Though in doing so they would have had to deal with the problem of time constraint, as in treating more fully the subject of the environment and the economy they would have extended the syllabus offerings considerably. (Yet the value of doing so is evident and as a result they are now attempting to do just that, i.e. have a transdisciplinary approach). It is also clear that each teacher has to work out the focus for her/his course and has to consider the reason for that focus. The project lecturers wanted their students to focus on values, attitudes and perspectives and to modify their behaviour. The major Challenges of mainstreaming ESD 395 aim was to address violence through literature and to engage with transforming a violent culture to one of peace. Balancing ESD content and syllabus demands Additionally there was the challenge of howmuch ESDcontent should be includedand what exactly constituted that content. While it was clear that there were many aspects of the course that could be seen as focusing naturally on societal issues violence, race, feminism, there were the other sustainability issues of the environment and the economy that did not relate readily. Hopkins et al. (1996) diagrammatic overview of what could constitute the basic content of ESD based on Agenda 21 and related conventions strikingly indicated their gaps. The question that emerged then was whether in omitting such areas they would really be addressing sustainability issues. To resolve this issue they revisited their syllabus objectives and based on that maintained focus on societal aspects even as they introduced students to key global issues related more specically to the environment and to the economy. Moreover, they provided references that would expand students awareness of those sustainable development aspects. Yet in studying that initial approach it is evident that a more holistic approach would have been effective. The selected theme could have been the focal point around which they could have explored aspects of the economy and the environment. Specically, they explored the causes, effects of violence as presented in literature texts by Caribbean writers such as Jean Rhys, Earl Lovelace, Lorna Goodison, and Dennis Scott among others. These writers not only explored the causes and impact but also suggested alternate approaches to dealing with the crises of injustice, racism, gender discrimination that led to violence. Yet these same texts in their treatment of violence also at various levels introduced questions related to the economy. Lovelace, for example, in his portrayal of violence uncovers the unequal economic relations that exist in society and the consequences. This could have led to an exploration of international economic relations. Or lecturers could have examined more incisively the issue of poverty deconstructing the term itself so that the stereotypical responses to it could have been examined and hopefully have led to attitudes and actions that could seriously address that issue. In reading Lovelaces novel this way it has also become clear how his representation of the physical environment is intricately linked to all this. What is being suggested here is that analysing a subject in relation to all three components of ESD: the environment, the society and the economy is possible and will signicantly help ESD practitioners to achieve their goals. Using that approach also indicates the ways infusion of ESD could take place in the syllabus a challenge that most teachers have. Moreover, it makes clear the relevance of education to society. In other words, the ivory tower in which education often insulates itself is opened as teachers learn to bridge the gap between the classroom and the world beyond. The challenge of moving ESD from a personal initiative to policy This is the major challenge to mainstreaming ESD in the curriculum. Individual lecturers are often free to introduce, modify and add content to their syllabus. Choice of methodology is also the prerogative of the lecturer. So a personal initiative of infusing ESD into a course offering, despite its particular challenges, is not difcult to accomplish. However, to move from this stage to one where it becomes the policy of the IJSHE 7,4 396 college can be a slow process. The approach has been to engage with curriculum reform and with other lecturers. McKeown (2002) explains that to be successful, ESD will need to be part of educational reform. Curriculum reform by its very nature invites reection and is open to current educational trends. The present reform of the language arts syllabus, which is a common syllabus for all teachers colleges in Jamaica, is providing the opportunity to do that. Additionally, the present crises in our society are also forcing educators to rethink very carefully educational objectives and plans. The value of an education that centres on sustainability issues cannot be dismissed. So the narrative of a specic ESD initiative, which addresses such crises, can become an important blueprint for others to follow. Yet attempting curriculum reform across a number of institutions is not without its peculiar challenges. In Jamaica, the Joint Board of Teacher Education (The University of the West Indies) with committees comprising principals and lecturers of teachers colleges, representatives of the ministry of education as well as a number of other organizations, is responsible for the development of the curriculum and quality assurance of teachers colleges. The development of curricula is actually effected through boards of studies in the various disciplines offered in the colleges. Each lecturer is automatically a member of the board of studies. The board functions are organized mainly through its elected chairman and chief external examiners, appointed by the JBTE. To change curricula requires, therefore, the participation and consensus of a large number of participants, particularly at the board of studies level. To sensitise the board of studies to address education for sustainability is a continuing process. One way of doing so has been to work with existing concepts and programmes such as environmental education and an attitudes and values campaign that had been mounted some years ago in the island. Most educators are aware of these and readily recognize the need to incorporate these. So building on these through dialogue with lecturers in the board of studies and in small teams assigned to the actual writing of new courses has been the approach. What has been achieved so far is a general framework that includes ESD objectives and topics that are related to ESD. The challenge of a comprehensive, systematic approach to learning for sustainability, however, remains. How this is to be achieved requires further research. The challenge of limited support for ESD programmes Another serious challenge is the lack of support that exists generally for mainstreaming ESDat the present time. Journal notes andinterviewnotes of the lecturers involvedin the project revealed how isolated they sometimes felt when they rst introduced ESD in their programme. The lowvisibility of the subject on the national agenda and the lack of a local community of ESD practitioners at the time produced anxious moments. Moreover, attempting to include a subject into an arts programme which seemed to be the purview of scientists or social scientists created a certain tension. To address this challenge lecturers were greatly helped by the work of the regional and international community for the mainstreaming of ESD through curriculum reform. Governments though they may have signed various treaties to indicate their support of sustainable development do not necessarily follow through on implementation. Of great inuence, however, is the work in sustainability that is being done internationally. As a result of this, ESD research, action plans, and activities can be communicated to other educators through conferences, journals and international networks. Challenges of mainstreaming ESD 397 Regional and international partnerships and networks have also played a signicant supporting role. International networks, for example, The International Network of Teacher Education Institutions for the reorientation of teacher education to address sustainability and its sub-networks, in this case the Caribbean Network of Teacher Educators, have gone a far way in supporting local initiatives. Working within such a community of teacher educators has allowed for the exchange of ideas, expertise and experience. An invaluable source of support. Having a UNESCO Decade for ESD has also made a signicant impact. The recent regional conference on ESD in which the DESD was launched brought together a number of regional and international major stakeholders, including a minister of education, representatives of the regional university and the national organization for environment planning. This has had the effect of highlighting the work of ESD locally and giving credence and general support for the work. Additionally, it has stimulated genuine academic interest in the subject and encouraged a re-thinking of existing approaches to education. This is important, as academics focused on their own research agenda are unlikely to become involved in another agenda without being strongly motivated to do so. How to get the sustained commitment of these colleagues, driven by college/university demands to be experts in their eld, to pay attention to a subject that crosses disciplines is another challenge, another area for research. Conclusion This paper has sought to address challenges to mainstreaming ESDinthe curriculumthat are related to staff, student, syllabuses, policy and support. The discussion reveals that in order to involve a wide cross section of staff in an institution and to create a demand for change will necessitate anon-going and open dialogue with them. It will meana sharing of the work being done in the area of sustainability at both the local and international level. It will also mean an invitation to participate in transdisciplinary work that increases knowledge and provides insights into meeting the critical needs of a society. Staff will become involved as well when they see the concrete results of courses/programmes focusing on sustainable development and will be motivated to pay more attention to the subject when they see its acceptance at the regional and international level. To ensure student support for the programme, it is necessary to bring them on board very early. Attention has to be paid to what students have signed up for and that has to remain primary. An infused ESD curriculum must maintain its focus on the course objectives so that the demands of sustainability issues do not displace those of the selected course. Lecturers also need to use natural entry points to the introduction of the concept of sustainability, that is, areas of the subject that can dovetail easily with reection on and learning about sustainability. Sustainable development issues have also to be made relevant to students needs and interests, especially as suggested by their course choice. Infusion of SDfor the literature course, unlike that of the computer course, tted more naturally with the existing course objectives and content. One of the major objectives of the course was that of reading literature as a way of understanding society. A sustainability focus enhanced the course. So students learnt how to make sense of the violence in their society and were given the opportunity to confront and to change that situation. It was an education that truly attempted to address critical social and economic issues and was, therefore, extremely meaningful for the students. IJSHE 7,4 398 The paper also showed the importance of moving from practice in a special programme to policy for an institution. It revealed how the regional and international community as well as local changes, such as curriculumreform, can enable the creation of an ESDpolicy for teachers colleges. It indicated, too, howsupport for local initiatives can emerge through regional and international partnerships and exchange of ideas. Finally, what clearly emerged is that to meet successfully the challenges to mainstreaming ESD, lecturers have to conceptualise it in ways that are relevant and appropriate to the local context. It is about working collaboratively with major stakeholders in the system so that the main objective of education becomes that of producing students who are actively engaged in addressing and intervening in the crises in their society and in the world. References Bogdan, R. and Biklen, S.K. (2003), Qualitative Research for Education, An Introduction to Theories and Methods, Pearson, Boston, MA. Calder, W. and Clugston, R. (2006), Progress toward sustainability in higher education, ELR News and Analysis, available at: www.eli.org (accessed January). Down, L. (2003), Infusing key issues of sustainability in the teaching of literature, Institute of Education Annual, Vol. 4, pp. 90-104. Hopkins, C. and McKeown, R. (2005) Draft Report Guidelines and Recommendations for Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability. Hopkins, C., Damlamian, J. and Lopez Ospina, G. (1996), Nature and Resources, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 2-11. McKeown, R. (2002), Education for a Sustainable Development Toolkit, available at: www.esdtoolkit.org Malhadas, Z. (2003), Contributing to education for a sustainable future through the curriculum, by innovative methods of education and other means, paper presented at the International Conference on Education for a Sustainable Future, Charles University, Karolinum, Prague, Czech Republic, 10-11 September. Miller, E. (2005), Address on October 20, 2005 at the Caribbean Regional Conference on Education for Sustainable Development New Approaches for the Future, in Kingston, Jamaica. Palmer, J. (1998), Environmental Education in the 21st Century, Routledge, London. Sterling, S. (2001), Sustainable Education Re-visioning Learning and Change, Green Books, Totnes. Further reading Jickling, B. (1992), Why I dont want my children educated for sustainable development, Journal of Environmental Education, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 5-8. Scott, W. and Gough, S. (2003), Sustainable Development and Learning Framing the Issues, Routledge, London. About the author Lorna Down is a Lecturer in Literature and Language Education and has recently written the course, Literature and Education for Sustainable Development for graduate students. Her research interests include ESD, Literacy and Literature. E-mail: lornadown@yahoo.com Challenges of mainstreaming ESD 399 To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.com Or visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints Reproducedwith permission of thecopyright owner. Further reproductionprohibited without permission.