An Action Research Network as a Strategy for Educational Change: The “Learning for a Sustainable Environment” Project

Abstract

This paper provides a case study of the“Learning for a Sustainable Environment”Project which illustrates how educationalchange may be fostered at a regional levelthrough the professional development of teachereducators. The purpose of this project was toexpand the range of innovative practices usedin teacher education programmes in theAsia-Pacific region by introducing educators tothe curriculum planning skills and teachingmethodologies of environmental education. Thiswas done through an action research network ofteacher educators who shared in the developmentand evaluation of workshop modules as a vehiclefor collaborative professional development.This paper outlines the details of thisstrategy for change and uses the findings of aparticipatory evaluation of the project toargue that the action research network approachused in this project can provide a relativelyinexpensive and egalitarian approach torethinking professional development andeducational change. This is of particularsignificance in `southern' settings such asAsia and the Pacific where professionaldevelopment, especially in higher education,tends to be dependent upon outside expertisefunded by aid agencies and the multilateralbanks.