Outdoor Education for Sustainability with Systems Thinking Perspective

Abstract

AbstractIn order to achieve the goals of ESD and build a sustainable society, we need a new line of thinking. This new way of thinking is called systems thinking, which is a key component of ESD. It is clear that we need more systems thinkers to find sustainable solutions to today’s complex problems: systems thinking should be integrated into school curriculum, and learning activities should be designed to introduce systems thinking to both students and teachers. In this chapter, I offer outdoor education for sustainability as a pedagogy to develop young people’s systems thinking skills. Outdoor education provides a diverse learning environment and helps the youth understand the interactions between the Earth systems and build a strong relationship with our planet. In the chapter, I first examine the theoretical foundations and practical applications of systems thinking within the ESD context and describe some systems thinking components in the science and sustainability context. Then, I explain the relationship between outdoor education, ESD, and systems thinking. I conclude this chapter with an outdoor learning activity example which can be applied in an urban environment. Teachers can use or adapt this activity to improve students’ systems thinking skills.Keywords Systems thinking ESD SustainabilityOutdoor educationYoung people