Guiding question: How can creating a better future be the basis for educational improvement?

Summary: This session introduces sustainability education, an international movement that emphasizes how economic, environmental, and social well-being are linked, and how to apply this knowledge to better our lives and communities. With its focus on developing a positive future, sustainability education promotes students' sense of connection, purpose, and social consciousness while developing values-based decision-making and problem-solving skills.
     While the term "sustainability" may be new to educators, the pedagogy integrates the best practices of more familiar approaches, including thematic instruction, project- and inquiry-based learning, academic service learning, multicultural education, and authentic assessment.
     In this session, participants will

• See examples of how schools and teachers have integrated sustainability into instruction without adding to the curriculum
• Learn about sustainability education's core approaches: content integration within and across disciplines, meaningful inquiry around important questions, and authentic civic involvement.
• Explore examples of innovative, standards-based resources that engage students in addressing critical global and local issues.
• Develop strategies for invigorating instruction through sustainability.

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