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Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Adult and Community Learning in Wales – from Policy to Pedagogy / Alyson Jenkins

DOI (Published version): 10.23889/Suthesis.48775

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC) is an educational response to the Welsh Government’s commitment to sustainable development. This thesis provides a detailed case study of the implementation of a strategy for ESDGC in the Adult and Community Learning (ACL) sector i...

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Published: 2018
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48775
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Abstract: Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC) is an educational response to the Welsh Government’s commitment to sustainable development. This thesis provides a detailed case study of the implementation of a strategy for ESDGC in the Adult and Community Learning (ACL) sector in Wales. An international, UK and local Welsh policy background influenced the development and implementation of ESDGC. An examination of this policy background contextualises detailed qualitative research undertaken with those involved with developing the ESDGC strategy, as well as tutors and managers in ACL across Wales responsible for its implementation. A variety of research methods, including interviews, questionnaires and focus groups were employed, in an integrated fashion, to examine the policy process and the perceptions of the different groups of research respondents, as well as factors that influenced the implementation of the strategy. The findings demonstrate a range of features contributing to an inconsistent and ad hoc implementation, including difficulties posed by the ACL infrastructure; a marginalisation of the sector; and a policy-practice gap characterised by a lack of investment. ESDGC was not linked to wider government priorities, such as community development. Accordingly, synergies between ACL and ESDGC theory and practice were not fully realised. The research uncovered certain key deficiencies in articulating and communicating a sense of purpose and revealed varying degrees of conceptual confusion amongst respondent groups. Clarifying the conceptual basis of ESDGC - and education for global citizenship per se - is shown to be of vital importance. This, alongside a discussion of ACL learning theories, provides a rationale for a new approach to ESDGC through its re-conceptualisation. Threads from the findings and the theoretical literature are drawn together, and recommendations are made for policy and research with the aim of creating relevance so that policy may be translated into practice in the future.
Item Description: A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis.
Keywords: Education for Sustainable Development, Education for Global Citizenship, Adult Education, Community Learning, Policy, Pedagogy
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering