UNESCO's Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future: A critical evaluation of underlying unsustainable progress myths

Abstract

The paper examines a representative internet/computer based Education for Sustainability (EfS) learning program aimed at teacher training. Looking at the concept of culture in the program, it provides a critical reading of its implicit and explicit attitudes to science and technology. In order to assess these attitudes, an understanding of science and technology is presented that should form the framework of educational programs committed to sustainability. In addition, the program’s understanding of and attitude towards science is measured against its own criteria. The analysis uncovers a startlingly uncritical attitude to Western science and technology and its associated progress myths, as well as an even more far-reaching, naive advocacy of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and internet as learning tools for EfS. This not only leads to contradictions with the program’s stated aims and some of its content, but is hardly conducive to sustainability. The paper argues, therefore, that we need a far more critical approach to Western myths of development and scientific progress if we are to encourage a move towards sustainability through education.