Abstract
This article looks at transdisciplinary research and discusses the possibilities of translating this concept into a new type of education, which we will call Transdisciplinary Education. Following the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the community of states, there has been increased international recognition of education as being a key driver for sustainable development. Considering the global grand challenges of the 21st century, the integration of Education for Sustainable Development at all school levels ought to be prioritized in order to empower young people to contribute to sustainable development. Collaborating with out-of-school partners and doing research on real-world problems within their lifeworld, help students develop the competences necessary for responsible citizenship, while at the same time contributing to community well-being. Both concepts transdisciplinary research and Transdisciplinary Education acknowledge the responsibility of addressing social relevant problems and the significant role of those who are and who will be affected by these challenges. The project Science Education for Action and Engagement Towards Sustainability (SEAS) aims at analyzing different partnerships between schools and out-of-school institutions in European countries. By comparing the collaborative formats and providing a concept and method pool for educators, SEAS targets facilitating the integration of Transdisciplinary Education in formal schooling in the future. This article gives insights into the Austrian research-education collaboration k.i.d.Z.21. Drawing on experiences of k.i.d.Z.21 and taking up characteristics of transdisciplinary research, opportunities and challenges of integrating Transdisciplinary Education in formal schooling are discussed.
Highlights
This article looks at transdisciplinary research and discusses the possibilities of translating this concept into a new type of education, which we will call Transdisciplinary Education
Humans are increasingly faced with rapid changes and complex problems, like anthropogenic climate change (CC) or the current Covid-19 pandemic
Young people are the most affected by future sustainability challenges, and the decision-makers of today and tomorrow [22,23]
Summary
«There is nothing permanent except change» (Heraclitus, 540 BC). This famous quote from the Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus, made long before the beginning of the Anthropocene, can be applied to the dynamics, world society has to address in the 21st century. Against this backdrop, a claim in the world of science emerged, namely that science needs to become more socially responsible, recognizing the value to research problems in an inter- and transdisciplinary manner [7,8,9,10,11,12]. Considering the fundamental role of education and the value of TD research against the background of anthropogenic CC, the significance of the young generation in contributing to a sustainable present and future becomes apparent. This publication highlights system impedances, conflicts, and questions which might arise by introducing TD Education in formal schooling These questions will be addressed in future research within the EU funded Horizon 2020 project. A general and for k.i.d.Z.21 and SEAS, a specific conclusion is drawn
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