ESD through Technology Education: Contextualisation of Approaches

The importance of addressing education for sustainable development (ESD) through technology education has been argued by a number of researchers; it appears increasingly in curriculum document statements; and some resources have been developed for use by teachers. However, when the concept of sustainable development is discussed within technology education it is mainly focused on the ecological design of products with a major emphasis on limiting the environmental impacts of those products. This article examines the nature of sustainable development and argues for the basis of ESD in technology education. The ethics of weak anthropocentrism and a focus on the human condition are suggested as a guiding framework for the underlying philosophy of technology education. Value change and technical fix are proposed as interlinked approaches for the development of learning activities. The article proposes some applications of the above principles in technology education classrooms. Environmental and social emphases are identified as possible priorities within different contexts. The argument was supported by the UNEP analysis of challenges confronting countries internationally in terms of reducing per capita ecological footprint or increasing the human development index. Examples of classroom activities illustrate how the above differences could be addressed in the classroom.