Competences to Address SDGs in Higher Education—A Reflection on the Equilibrium between Systemic and Personal Approaches to Achieve Transformative Action

Dlouhá Dlouhá,Henderson Henderson,Heras Heras,Salgado Salgado,Mulà Mulà

doi:10.3390/su11133664

Dlouhá Dlouhá, Henderson Henderson + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133664

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Abstract

Competence-oriented teaching that leads to the sustainable transformation of both the individual and society requires a holistic learning process that addresses the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural domains of learning in a balanced way. This article questions whether a personal dimension of competences (addressing the individual’s values, attitudes, and lived experiences) is relevant for higher education in addition to the systemic dimension (learning objectives emphasizing cognitive processes). A theoretical concept for analysing competence frameworks from this point of view was developed in a multi-step qualitative research process: two existing competence frameworks underpinning international ESD policies were compared and, based on the findings, an analytical tool to analyse competence dimensions was drafted as a two-dimensional matrix. This tool was tested on competence frameworks reported in the literature and on examples from practice in confrontation with related academic discussion. The analysis of sustainability competences with this tool illustrates the transformative dimension on a scale from holistic thinking through future orientation to achieving transformation, and the normative dimension that indicates the complementarity of the personal and systemic character of competences. The analysed competence frameworks include competences more or less evenly distributed in both dimensions; the competences in the socio-emotional learning domain were often associated with envisioning change and achieving sustainable transformation. As anticipating the future in an active way is relevant for sustainability-oriented HE programs, not only should this dimension of competences be afforded greater consideration, but pedagogies addressing the personal level should also be further investigated and implemented in HE.

Highlights

Due to its complex and normative nature, sustainability requires the involvement of different stakeholders, each with their specific interests, experiences and tools, to achieve their distinct but related goals
To test its analytical character, the UNECE [47] table was used to develop categories that allow the positioning of competences or their elements from other explored frameworks on a scale within the two dimensions, which we further describe as transformative and normative—see Figure 2
The point of departure was a theoretical comparison of cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural learning domains identified by several authors (Table 1), which suggested the prevalence of systemic approaches

Summary

Introduction

Due to its complex and normative nature, sustainability requires the involvement of different stakeholders, each with their specific interests, experiences and tools, to achieve their distinct but related (sustainability-oriented) goals One of these significant stakeholder groups are scientists who cooperate across disciplines to find new solutions to sustainability-related problems. Educators who prime new generations to face the challenges of current unsustainable development have a role in shaping the future as well Both science and education have made changes in practices, perspectives, scientific (disciplinary) or educational methods and policy frameworks in the face of pressing global issues. From a policy point of view, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been accepted internationally as a proxy for SD, to be implemented in specific, diverse contexts These goals were set within a broad, international debate among different social groups under the initiative “The Future We Want”. Drawing on recent discussion on education for sustainable development (ESD), we pay attention to the concept of competences as formulated by UNESCO [3], how these are articulated through all the SDGs and to what degree competences are applicable to, and learnable in a HE context in particular

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