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Education for Planetary Futures (Part 2): Disrupting, Reimagining, and Co-Designing Pedagogies on the Edge

Sun, March 23, 2:45 to 4:00pm, Palmer House, Floor: 3rd Floor, Cresthill

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

While the first part of our transdisciplinary panel creates space to reimagine alternative futures ontologically, this second part concentrates on hands-on empirical data to redesign and redefine formal and informal classroom practices and pedagogies. Specifically, it examines action-oriented, future-focused, citizen-science and more-than-human pedagogies. In these educational alternatives, youth’s voices and choices were given great attention. The shift moves beyond developmentalist and individualistic paradigms to acknowledge youth as the future holders and changemakers of the times to come (Sadler et al., 2007). By dismantling traditional teacher-student and individual-collective dualisms prevalent in contemporary educational philosophies, this panel seeks to reconceptualize youth as an integral part of a social organism that is capable to co-produce impact for sustainable and just futures (Weinberg et al., 2024).

Furthermore, our panel addresses the urgent need for educational systems to adapt to the rapidly changing world in which we live. As students today face unprecedented global challenges, from the climate crisis to social inequalities, the role of education must evolve to meet these demands (Tannock, 2021). This requires a fundamental shift in how we think about learning wherein we are accustomed to think that students are separate from teachers and humans are separate from and in control over nature (Kumar, 2023). By looking beyond this assumption, we seek to prioritize student agency, collective action, and interdependence of all beings in our pedagogies and philosophies. Thus, by challenging traditional hierarchies and fostering a more collaborative, inclusive approach to education, we can prepare students not only to navigate the uncertainties of the 21st century but also to proactively shape and reimagine alternative futures.
By integrating action-oriented, future-focused, network-based and more-than-human pedagogies, we advocate for an education system that is responsive to the urgent demands of our time. Each presentation illustrates different facets of this transformation: from fostering futures thinking among middle school students, to developing participatory and transdisciplinary pedagogies for preservice teachers, to reimagining children’s relationships with nature through embodied methods.
The first presentation, “Co-Designing a Future-Focused Classroom Activity for Middle School Students,” focuses on the collaborative design of future-focused classroom activities for middle school students. By involving both students and teachers in co-design processes, this research nurtures futures thinking and agency in young learners. This paper explores the integration of futures thinking into education through the redesigned activity "Futures by Chance | Futures by Choice" (FbC|FbC), which encourages youth to envision potential future scenarios using storytelling. Co-design sessions with teachers and middle school students helped refine the activity, focusing on enhancing creativity, critical thinking, and imagination. Research supports the development of futures thinking skills in school settings, suggesting positive impacts on youth. Preliminary feedback indicates the need for further adjustments to make the activity more accessible and relevant for different age groups before widespread classroom implementation. Futures thinking has the potential to enhance educational alternatives by empowering youth with critical, creative, and interdisciplinary skills to confront structural inequalities and actively participate in the transformation towards a more equitable and democratic society.
The second presentation, “Preservice Teachers’ Visions for Action-Oriented Pedagogies for Sustainability Education,” examines how preservice teachers (PSTs) conceptualize and implement action-oriented pedagogies (AOP) in K-12 education. The study advocates for more participatory and transdisciplinary teaching practices that engage students in real-world, action-oriented teaching, thus fostering systemic change toward more just and sustainable futures. Through a thematic analysis of preservice teachers’ lesson plans, the research underscores the potential of AOP to enhance educational practices by positioning students to take consequential actions in response to the ecological and social challenges of our time. The findings suggest a shift towards more student-centered learning environments where students not only learn about sustainability but also become agents of change in their communities, contributing to ecological and social justice.
The third presentation “Understanding Children-Nature-Relationships through Embodied Research Method: Monsoon-as-Method” explores how children engage with nature through a summer camp centered on monsoon weather, focusing on rain, thunder, and wind. By involving young participants in hands-on, sensory activities related to these weather phenomena, the study aims to understand their interactions with the natural world in an informal setting. The research underscores the importance of rethinking human-nature relationships, especially in light of growing climate anxiety among children. It highlights the potential of informal educational spaces to challenge traditional separations between humans and nature, fostering a more interconnected and inclusive view of environmental interactions. The findings suggest that such educational settings can play a crucial role in deepening children's understanding of and connection to the natural world.
The fourth presentation, “Building a Regional Network of School-Based Citizen Scientists for Sustainable Energy Futures” examines how a regional network of K-12 teachers, students, and facilitators co-created a school-based citizen science (CitSci) program focused on sustainable energy futures through agrivoltaics, combining solar energy with agricultural practices. The study explores how teachers fostered student agency by building networks of support that connect students with their communities and external knowledge sources, making their contributions visible, believable, and meaningful. Using qualitative and social network analysis, the findings highlight diverse strategies teachers employed to frame student participation expansively, from leveraging social media to integrating local and Indigenous knowledge. The study provides insights for enhancing CitSci models and teacher professional development to promote student agency and community connections for sustainable planetary futures.
This session promises to be a transformative exploration of how education can evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century, focusing on climate change, and social justice. By critically examining the roles of language, digital media, and action-oriented pedagogy within educational contexts, our presentations collectively advocate for a reimagined approach to learning. This involves empowering educators and students to collaboratively develop learning experiences that not only respond to but actively shape our understanding of and responses to global crises. We aim to inspire attendees to consider how these alternative educational practices can be implemented in their own contexts, thus contributing to the global movement towards a more just, sustainable, and equitable world.

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