THE CORE AND FEATURES OF «EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT» PHENOMENON

Abstract

The growth of the role of education in modern society has caused changes in understanding of the concept. Education is considered nowadays as a process of external influence on the accepting by the individual generalized objective social experience, norms, values among other factors. The concept acts as an essential characteristic of society, determines not only the ways of its development, but also vectors of its preservation. Education for sustainable development (ESD) in the circumstances of Ukraine’s reality should function as a direct generator of a new socio-economic existence and produce social, environmental and economic changes towards sustainable development. An analysis of modern body of literature on pedagogics shows the multidimensionality and diversity of the concept of ESD which began to acquire independent content and new emergent features that differ from those of its structural components. As a pedagogical phenomenon, the ESD requires a clear definition of conceptual and methodological foundations that will become an important condition for the realization of its functions. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to define the essence and features of the concept «education for sustainable development». It has been established that education for sustainable development has such content features as a combination of environmental, economic and social issues, as well as concentration on security issues and the formation of individual’s values system. Methodological features of education for sustainable development are its dialogue nature, wide use of active teaching methods, formation of transversal skills. Education for sustainable development is interdisciplinary, inclusive and continuous phenomenon. It has a forward-looking character, is oriented on practical implementation and integrates not only the sphere of formal education, but also the whole system of education in the unity of learning and enlightenment. The above mentioned characteristics of ESD make it possible to define the notion as a style of continuous inclusive quality education that draws attention to the issues of sustainable development, is based on its values and principles, aimed at the disclosure of the individual’s potential at all educational levels to ensure a high level of security for present and future generations. Consequently, education for sustainable development is not a part or some new form of education. The notion is a new concept and purpose of the modern education as a means of preserving and developing the existence of human civilization. ESD formulates new goals, expands content, changes traditional forms of environmental education. The scientific grounds of education for sustainable development are only emerging, but it is evident that ESD is a systemic approach and should apply to all academic disciplines and courses. First and foremost ESD should develop in the fields with already existing conditio ns for inclusion of sustainable development in the educational process, in particular, in natural sciences and in the process of preparing future biology teachers. The further development of the ESD is considered as going beyond purely environmental vision and increasing the focus on teacher training on the basis of sustainable development.