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The progressive development of environmental education in Sweden and Denmark

Breiting, Sören and Wickenberg, Per LU (2010) In Environmental Education Research 16(1). p.9-37
Abstract
Our paper traces the history and progressive development of environmental

education and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and

Denmark. Our main focus is on work in primary and lower secondary schools as

part of a search for trends of international interest related to the conceptualisation and practice of environmental education and ESD in both countries, as well as the role and significance of democratic perspectives to their development.

Traditionally, Sweden has a more centralised approach to change compared to a more decentralised approach in Denmark. Accordingly, the interplay between the State, the individual and private initiatives has differed over the past half-century, and... (More)
Our paper traces the history and progressive development of environmental

education and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and

Denmark. Our main focus is on work in primary and lower secondary schools as

part of a search for trends of international interest related to the conceptualisation and practice of environmental education and ESD in both countries, as well as the role and significance of democratic perspectives to their development.

Traditionally, Sweden has a more centralised approach to change compared to a more decentralised approach in Denmark. Accordingly, the interplay between the State, the individual and private initiatives has differed over the past half-century, and this has given rise to interesting effects on the development of environmental education as well as ESD. The discussion of their development in Sweden draws on historical, political and organisational perspectives, while for Denmark, we focus on how these perspectives relate to a series of challenges; for example, the

epistemological challenge of the development of environmental education that

resulted in ‘the new generation of environmental education’, and the effects of taking an action competence approach to environmental education. In both countries the links between the development of environmental education and ESD and the discourse of environmental protection and democracy are highlighted, as are the interplays between the State’s agenda on education, the actions of research institutions, and the provision of in-service teacher training. Sweden has become a world leader in initiatives for ESD promotion and joint efforts to spur innovations and clarification of ESD, while Denmark has mainly put its efforts into developing science education, and in this regard, has sacrificed the development of ESD. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
education and sustainable development, Sociology of law, democracy, participation, norms, ESD, environmental education
in
Environmental Education Research
volume
16
issue
1
pages
9 - 37
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000276343900002
  • scopus:79956360483
ISSN
1469-5871
DOI
10.1080/13504620903533221
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
03086bd5-8f35-4180-af65-bb1789890bcc (old id 1528794)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:19:14
date last changed
2022-03-27 07:10:02
@article{03086bd5-8f35-4180-af65-bb1789890bcc,
  abstract     = {{Our paper traces the history and progressive development of environmental<br/><br>
education and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Sweden and<br/><br>
Denmark. Our main focus is on work in primary and lower secondary schools as<br/><br>
part of a search for trends of international interest related to the conceptualisation and practice of environmental education and ESD in both countries, as well as the role and significance of democratic perspectives to their development.<br/><br>
Traditionally, Sweden has a more centralised approach to change compared to a more decentralised approach in Denmark. Accordingly, the interplay between the State, the individual and private initiatives has differed over the past half-century, and this has given rise to interesting effects on the development of environmental education as well as ESD. The discussion of their development in Sweden draws on historical, political and organisational perspectives, while for Denmark, we focus on how these perspectives relate to a series of challenges; for example, the<br/><br>
epistemological challenge of the development of environmental education that<br/><br>
resulted in ‘the new generation of environmental education’, and the effects of taking an action competence approach to environmental education. In both countries the links between the development of environmental education and ESD and the discourse of environmental protection and democracy are highlighted, as are the interplays between the State’s agenda on education, the actions of research institutions, and the provision of in-service teacher training. Sweden has become a world leader in initiatives for ESD promotion and joint efforts to spur innovations and clarification of ESD, while Denmark has mainly put its efforts into developing science education, and in this regard, has sacrificed the development of ESD.}},
  author       = {{Breiting, Sören and Wickenberg, Per}},
  issn         = {{1469-5871}},
  keywords     = {{education and sustainable development; Sociology of law; democracy; participation; norms; ESD; environmental education}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{9--37}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Environmental Education Research}},
  title        = {{The progressive development of environmental education in Sweden and Denmark}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504620903533221}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13504620903533221}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}