Field Of Education For Sustainable Development Research Articles

Development of teachers’ practices in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD): a discursive community of interdisciplinary practices focusing on the theme of chocolate

The aim of this article is to present a case study in the field of ESD for in-service teachers training conducted in a Swiss primary school . A Discursive Community of Interdisciplinary Practices (DCIP) has been created including researchers, teachers, and a pedagogical advisor in the context of ESD, focusing on the topic of chocolate. In this article, we discuss how the DCIP helped teachers to develop competencies in the field of ESD. Furthermore, we see how teacher training could lead to a transformation of teachers’ practices, moving from a normative education to a more reflexive one. We present the collaborative research and its theoretical context. The analysis of focus group discussions evidenced an evolution of ESD teachers’ points of view. The analysis of the teachers’ comments highlights the potential of the methods implemented to help teachers to enter into the process of conceptualizing knowledge in terms of ESD.

The role of ‘experience’ in teaching innovation in education for sustainable development in France

In the field of education for sustainable development (ESD), many authors refer to the notion of ‘experience’ and associated concepts. This highlights some of the theoretical underpinnings of ESD, a disciplinary field which, in France, became generalized in schools as of 2004. It has since been the subject of numerous research studies and undergone many institutional and professional changes. The present work first identifies the role that experience occupies in the educational field of ESD, according to educational researchers. It then explores the state and implementation of the notion in practice among professionals who use activities aimed at educating and training learners on the subject of sustainable development (SD). The gap we observe between various scientific meanings of the notion and its appropriation in professional contexts suggests that there are potential avenues for developing and improving teacher training by enriching ESD practices.

How Can Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Be Effectively Implemented in Teaching and Learning? An Analysis of Educational Science Recommendations of Methods and Procedures to Promote ESD Goals

Education for sustainable development (ESD) has been a task assigned to schools and universities since the mid-1990s. This global movement spawned ESD research in numerous fields, including, among others, didactics and educational sciences, as well as sustainability sciences. In this article, we analyze the state of research on reliable recommendations of means (more precisely, teaching and learning methods and procedures) to promote the ESD goals. Within the framework of systematic literature analysis, we compared and evaluated 17 scientific publications from the field of ESD. Using qualitative content analysis, we scanned the 17 articles for recommendations of means of ESD and the cited evidence for their effectiveness. The findings show two groups of recommended means, differing particularly in the degree of learner autonomy and the quality of evidence for their effectiveness. We discuss possible tasks that can be derived from these findings for didactic research on ESD, and we make a suggestion for further teaching action.

The effectiveness of education for sustainable development revisited – a longitudinal study on secondary students’ action competence for sustainability

This study revisits the seminal question of the effectiveness of education for sustainable development (ESD) by using a novel longitudinal approach. Scholarly attention in the past decade has been increasingly directed towards the concept of action competence for sustainability. However, little is still known about the effects of ESD as a teaching approach to help develop students’ action competence for sustainability. This study therefore adopts a three-wave longitudinal design, tapping into the development of 760 Swedish upper secondary students’ self-perceived action competence for sustainability as related to their experience of ESD teaching at their school. We can conclude that ESD has effect on students’ action competence for sustainability. Our longitudinal growth models show that it is possible to develop students’ action competence, which is affected by their experience of ESD teaching at their school. However, the students did not significantly develop the action competence component confidence under their own influence. Our findings reveal that developing students’ action competence by implementing ESD in formal education takes time, and they shed light on the need for longitudinal research studies in the field of ESD.

On the Application of Foresight in Education for Sustainable Development

Education is the most important mechanism for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the methodological difficulties in the implementation of education for sustainable development (ESD) is associated with its proactive, predictive nature. In this regard, when designing ESD, it seems appropriate to use technologies of futurology, particularly, the technology of foresight. The article considers the main features of foresight and examples of its application in Russian education. The results of the foresight session on the design of ESD as an innovative pedagogical system and the development of a “roadmap” for the implementation of ESD in the Russian Federation for the period until 2030 are presented. 14 experts took part in this work (21 % are with D. Sc. degree, 50 % are with Ph. D. degree; average teaching experience is 17,4 years, including 12,6 years in the field of ESD). During the STEEPV analysis, we identified the main social, technological, economic, environmental, political, and value-based factors that will affect both the education system in general and ESD in particular. The SWOT analysis allowed us to determine the characteristic features of ESD, regarding its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In the brainstorming mode, the main elements of the ESD roadmap for the next 10 years (trends, technologies, formats / social practices, and “jokers” / bifurcation points) were identified. In general, obtained results are consistent with the key directions of the development of Russian education to achieve the SDGs, and are also aimed at solving the main problems in the field of ESD. This research will be continued. Keywords: sustainable development, education for sustainable development, futurology, foresight, design

Measuring System Competence in Education for Sustainable Development

This paper presents the development of an instrument for the assessment of system competence in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Based on an already existing, more complex model of system competence for the school subject geography, we have developed a test that refers to central themes and principles of ESD using exclusively closed answer formats. Building on the results of cognitive laboratories and expert feedback from various fields, the instrument was (further) developed in an iterative process of feedback and revision. We conducted a quantitative pilot study with N = 366 8th and 9th grade students. The results indicate that the development of our system competence test was successful—the overall test yielded a high reliability and only very few items were not working as intended. Furthermore, the difficulties of the items were appropriate for the ability levels of the students and the results of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggest that the newly developed test measures system competence with one dimension. As the test is compact, easy to interpret, and yet reliable, it is particularly suitable for monitoring purposes in the field of ESD.

Innovation in Engineering Education for Sustainable Development—Introduction to a Special Issue

Sustainability plays a key role in engineering education. Engineering students must learn to think long-term and understand that, in order to achieve a better world, they must situate their future professional activities within the framework of sustainable solutions. To this end, future engineers must be aware of the complexities of the social environment in which they are developing their work, and of the need to harmonize short-term improvements with sustainable development based on the long term. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in engineering is essential for the training of agents of change and transformation that can promote policies, strategies, and methods that enable a more sustainable future to be built. This Special Issue gathers six original research papers in the field of ESD in engineering, ranging from general issues such as formulating key issues required for any course in EDS, to the experience of introducing sustainability into very specific subjects. Therefore, this Special Issue is of particular value for both academic researchers and lecturers interested in introducing sustainability into their own teaching subjects.

A Comparative Study of Curriculums for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Sweden and Japan

This study examined the curriculums and implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in upper secondary schools in Japan and Sweden and examined and compared the policies and cases of ESD practice. The comparison showed that ESD is present in the national curriculums of both countries, but is emphasized differently. In Sweden, it is more a matter of mentioning ESD as part of the principles that guide education, while in Japan, the integration of ESD into the subject syllabus is emphasized. The schools visited strove to implement ESD in their work. ESD is not an exclusive approach in addition to other school activities, but rather a central part of the schools´ work. Many issues are included under the umbrella of ESD, not only environmental issues. International contacts are one of the most important elements of the work, but this does not exclude local engagement. In fact, the schools have established impressive networks. Project work is an important approach in supporting students’ learning about sustainable development. A prerequisite for the successful work of the schools, which all have a certain reputation in the field of ESD, is the dedication of the teachers and the equally dedicated principals who support the work.

Comparative analysis of the application of educational technologies for sustainable development

It must be admitted that education is the necessary requirement, and educational technologies are the important tools of implementation for sustainable development. This study is based on a comparative and pedagogical approach. Having used the content analysis method we have considered the data of national reports (2018) from 31 countries on implementing the Strategy of education for sustainable development (ESD) of UNECE (sub-indicator 2.1.3) and defined pedagogical technologies applied at different levels of formal, non-formal and informal education. Besides, the rating of technologies according to the frequency of their usage for 0–8 levels has been made. The revealed differences we explain by age-related psychological features of students and pupils, as well as the national peculiarities of educational systems. Moreover, a brief overview about additional educational technologies and methods that are outside the framework of the current ones (non-formal and informal education in particular) has been prepared. The results of experts’ survey in Russian Federation carried out in 2019 have been introduced. The general evaluation of progress in the field of ESD with the 3-point scale (0.7; in progress) and estimation of indicator 2.1 (0.9; in progress) has been defined. We also characterised the revealed educational-methodical achievements.

Education for sustainable development: new opportunities with the rce network

The goals of sustainable development can not be achieved only through technological innovation, policy decisions and financial support. Education for sustainable development (ESD) makes it possible to deal constructively and creatively with current and future global challenges and to create a sustainable society. A special place in the global distribution of ESD is currently played by the network of Regional centres of expertise (RCE) established under the auspices of the UN University. The RSEs form a global network of formal and non-formal educational institutions and organizations to mobilize them in the field of ESD. Currently, this network includes more than 168 centers, two of which are located in Russia. According to the profiles of RCEs worldwide the main objective of their activities is consolidation of educational efforts of universities and different cultural and environmental institutions and organizations, together with the municipality, for increasing public awareness of sustainable development. The key partners of RCEs, the leading regional Universities, combined on one platform, are acting as an educational consortium, which is mainstreaming ESD by its appropriate integration in the curricula of formal education, from early childhood rearing to primary, secondary, technical and vocational and higher education, and also nonformal education initiatives, particularly through sustainability-related intended learning outcomes. The article summarizes the experience of RCEs in the field of ESD, highlights the most promising activities, forms of implementation of RCE projects together with universities, identifies the most urgent needs of educational institutions in the field of ESD. The authors of this article found themselves in a situation where after the merger of two regional universities the RCE previously hosted by one of them (RCE Samara, Russia) requires brand new start. Obviously there was a lack of a formal conceptual framework for development in the previous period. Thus, the article is an attempt to find new ideas and new ways of development for the existing center, to make it a leading example in Russia of the power of education for sustainable development, where people of all ages are given the knowledge and tools they need to assume responsibility for creating a better tomorrow and a sustainable future.

Designing Powerful Learning Environments in Education for Sustainable Development: A Conceptual Framework

Policymakers have pinpointed the importance of living in a more sustainable society. Education for Sustainable Development aims at developing future citizens competent to take actions in order to cope with Sustainable Development issues. The instructional design that teachers apply in class play a crucial role in students’ learning. This study is a conceptual analysis based on a narrative review of the literature in the field of Environmental Education/Education for Sustainable Development. It makes use of the CLIA-model (Competence, Learning, Intervention, Assessment), developed by De Corte, Verschaffel and Masui in 2004 to prescribe how a powerful learning environment in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) could be developed. In particular, the study focusses on the Intervention component. Holistic, pluralistic as well as action-oriented teaching in Education for Sustainable Development are thought to be effective in cultivating students’ action competence. This paper presents first the Action-oriented ESD framework. This framework consists of five components: (a) action-taking, (b) students’ leadership in their learning and teaching, (c) peer interaction, (d) community involvement and (e) interdisciplinarity. We then integrate the Action-oriented ESD framework with Holism and Pluralism into the Holism-Pluralism-Action-orientation in the ESD framework. Integrating holistic, pluralistic as well as action-oriented teaching in ESD is highly important in theoretical discussion as well as in instructional design. The Holism-Pluralism-Action-orientation ESD framework addresses the lack of an integrated conceptual framework in the field of ESD. This framework is motivated by a growing consensus on the importance of these three approaches in ESD teaching. The Holism-Pluralism-Action-orientation in ESD Framework is based on more than three decades of efforts to define knowledge on Environmental Education/Education for Sustainable Development teaching and on the rich and growing body of research on effective ESD teaching.

How education for sustainable development is implemented in Germany: Looking through the lens of educational governance theory

The United Nations (UN) Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aimed to integrate the principles, values and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning around the world. The authors of this article address the implementation process of ESD in Germany during the UN Decade (2005–2014). By undertaking a meta-analysis of the findings of four related sub-studies they carried out during a three-year project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the authors contribute to the understanding of the process of transferring the concept of ESD within a multi-level education system. They investigated this process at two levels – the federal state (a sub-national entity in Germany) and the communal level. Drawing on educational governance theory, the authors unveil principles, norms, rules and procedures in the coordination of action within constellations of heterogeneous actors contributing to the implementation of ESD in their social entities. The outcome of the meta-analysis describes an emerging governance regime in ESD, taking into consideration the following features impacting the coordination of action being carried out by the actors involved: (1) the understanding of the normative concept of ESD as content of negotiation; (2) the perceived opportunity for actors to gain and increase appreciation within the field of ESD as an incentive for and driver of engagement; and (3) the dynamic quality of the set-up, rules and principles of the coordination of action, which renders these subject to situative changes. In the final part of the paper, the findings are discussed from the perspectives of the theory of transfer and the current empirical basis of ESD policy and governance.

Exploring the concept of sustainable development within education for sustainable development: implications for ESD research and practice

This paper explores how three major factors in education for sustainable development (ESD) practice view the concept of sustainable development (SD). These are (a) international policy documents which shaped ESD, (b) the academic discourse in the field of ESD and (c) students and teachers. SD is a complex concept, and it can be interpreted in several ways. This paper adopts a holistic approach to SD, according to which SD is considered an integrated concept of three dimensions, namely the environment, the economy and the society. The significance of the holistic approach to the SD concept is emphasized in the recent international policy documents and by the academic discourse, as well. However, teachers and students do not hold yet a holistic understanding of the concept. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this ESD policy–practice gap and to propose implications in ESD practice and research.

The Potential of Non-Formal Laboratory Environments for Innovating the Chemistry Curriculum and Promoting Secondary School Level Students Education for Sustainability

Developing skills and attitudes among students in terms of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) requires that educators address issues of sustainability in both formal and non-formal education. However, up to now, ESD seems to have been insufficiently implemented in secondary science education in many countries in general, and in high school chemistry learning in particular. A lack of suitable experiments, coupled with missing teaching and learning materials and insufficient teacher professional development have been identified as the reasons for this gap. This paper describes a project of innovation and research in the field of ESD for secondary school chemistry education. Within the project, both half- and full-day learning environments have been developed for non-formal, laboratory-based learning of secondary level students at the university. The research-based development focuses on teaching-learning modules which link formal and non-formal learning. The pedagogy employed is both learner-centered and inquiry-based. All the modules focus on sustainability issues in chemistry-related contexts. Data was collected by questionnaires from teachers and students both prior to and after the visit of the non-formal learning environment. Likert-items were analyzed statistically and the evaluation of the open-ended questions was done by Qualitative Content Analysis. An overview of the project, a case from the non-formal laboratory setting, and findings from accompanying research and evaluation are discussed in this paper. Potential impacts on teacher professional development and curriculum innovation are also outlined.

Call for papers – thematic issue Competences in Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Competences have been identified as legitimate educational goals wherever it is not only knowledge that counts in learning (and educators are concerned with not only the cognitive domain in their teaching). There is an ongoing discussion on “key competences for all” identified by the European Parliament as a necessary prerequisite for personal fulfilment, active citizenship, social cohesion and employability in a knowledge society (cf. EP, 2006). Also in the field of EE and ESD, there have been attempts to find appropriate operationalisation of action-oriented, learner-centred, and socially and environmentally responsible educational strategies which would help to realize a transition of the whole education system towards sustainability. Competences appear to be an appropriate concept providing an opportunity especially for a change of traditional teaching/learning practices and proper assessment of these innovations at the level of the student, educational module or programme, and also the policy level – they might be specifically designed for different disciplinary and cultural contexts and easily adjusted for all ISCED levels. As a proper tool for setting transformative educational goals and reflection of the prerequisites/outcomes of the relevant learning processes, they have been stressed in prominent ESD policy documents (UNECE, 2011, 2013), in theoretical discussions (Wiek et al.,2011) as well as in practice (growing knowledge base of case studies in relevant journals).We encourage concerned experts to enrich this debate and contribute to the pool of knowledge by providing results of their original research and share their experience with practical implementation of the concept – and submit their work for the thematic issue of Envigogika. We accept articles in the category of research papers and case studies; moreover, there is a possibility to provide multimedia presentations of existing learning programmes and other activities. The deadline for submission of the manuscripts is 15 September 2014; the thematic issue will appear after the review process by the end of the year.The theme of the Envigogika issue is closely related to the international COPERNICUS Alliance Conference to be held on 3 October 2014 the outcomes of which are expected to be one of the main contributions to the UNESCO Decade for ESD (2005‑2014), ending this year. Conference-related themes cover curricular aspects of university education; thus they provide an opportunity to reflect ESD-oriented higher education in all disciplinary fields from the perspective of the educator and his/her professional development. Articles related to the themes of the Conference can be presented in parallel sessions as part of the afternoon programme (see here) if they are submitted in the form of abstracts through the registration system on the conference website by 15th July 2014. Other competence-related themes may be submitted for the special issue of Envigogika as well.Authors are warmly welcome to attend the COPERNICUS Alliance Conference to meet top European experts in the field and discuss issues of common interest. The Conference is closely associated with the UE4SD project which links the competence theme with professional development of university educators in the field of ESD. In the project, 55 partners from 33 countries are represented, the majority of which are expected to attend the Conference as it is a constitutive part of their cooperation. Four regions (East, West, North and South) are evenly covered by the partners’ consortium and thus the Conference will be a unique opportunity to also make links with these regional networks. Authors from the Czech Republic and its neighbours are therefore especially encouraged to consider their involvement in the Conference programme as the transition towards sustainability is an issue to be highlighted in this part of the world.ReferencesEP, (2006). Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning. European Reference Framework in the EC. Official Journal L 394 of 30.12.2006. [online] [cit 2014-05-12] available from http://www.cmepius.si/files/cmepius/userfiles/grundtvig/gradivo/key_competencies_2006_en.pdf (see also http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/lifelong_learning/c11090_en.htm ).UN ECE (2011). Learning for the future: Competences in Education for Sustainable Development. Geneva: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Steering Committee on Education for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/ESD_Publications/Competences_Publication.pdfUN ECE (2013). Empowering educators for a sustainable future: Tools for policy and practice workshops on education for sustainable development Competences. Geneva: , United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Steering Committee on Education for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/8thMeetSC/ece.cep.ac.13.2013.4e.pdfWiek, A., Withycombe, L., & Redman, C. L. (2011). Key competencies in sustainability: a reference framework for academic program development. Sustain Sci, 6(2), 203-218. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11625-011-0132-6 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11625-011-0132-6

A comparative study of education for sustainable development in one British university and one Chinese university

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to identify learning points and inspirations from two different approaches by examining how education for sustainable development (ESD) initiatives are delivered in the University of X in the UK and Tongji University in China. Design/methodology/approach – Through comparison of case studies, the pros and cons of each approach are made clear. The paper adopts semi-structured interviewing among staff and group interviewing among students as its main data collection methods. A snowball sampling strategy is employed to select potential interviewees in addition. Findings – Learning points are drawn from each institution which could be useful in informing the strategy of other higher education institutions. The main learning points for UoX are: first, engage as many students as possible through linking extra-curriculum activities back to the curriculum and offer opportunities for students to take part in campus operations. Second, a project-oriented approach could be employed to enhance interdisciplinary cooperation. The main learning points for Tongji are: pedagogic changes are required to realize a transformative education and additions of more active learning into the curriculum are needed. Third, policy support is necessary to promote the ESD agenda but only when the top-down approach mixes with a bottom-up approach significant changes will happen. Practical implications – ESD is transformative education rather than traditional education. It will guide students to study and live in a more sustainable way, which is promoted in both the formal curriculum and informal areas (including campus greening and extra-curriculum activities) in UoX as a model for developed countries and Tongji as a model for developing countries. As a dynamic whole, both of them comprise students' learning and living experiences in a microcosm of a pilot sustainable community through inter-disciplinary approaches. Originality/value – Little comparative and international research has been done in the field of educational ESD. The research seeks to address the deficiency by comparing the ESD approaches in one British and one Chinese university.

Teachers’ Competencies for the Implementation of Educational Offers in the Field of Education for Sustainable Development

The term of education is an integral part of any programmatic political document on sustainable development. This fact underlines the significance that is assigned to education in the context of sustainable development. It leads to the question of what competencies teachers need in order to develop and implement educational offers in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) so that they can aspire to and attain specific educational goals with their students. This touches on the question of the building of corresponding competencies in teacher education and further education. So far, few attempts have been made to describe teachers’ competencies regarding ESD and to develop corresponding competence models. The following article presents two models—Curriculum, Sustainable Development, Competences, Teacher Training (CSCT Model) and Learning for the future: The Competences in Education for Sustainable Development (ECE Model)—and discusses their benefit for teacher education and further education. These models differ in how broadly they define ESD and in what audiences they target at. This comparison shows and explains why competence models should focus on profession-specific core competencies if they are to be used as a basis for the conception of educational offers in the field of ESD in education and further education of teachers. The drawn conclusion consists in initial considerations for the conception of another competence model.

Mentoring as a strategy for empowering Education for Sustainable Development in schools

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a demanding new field in terms of content and context and requires whole-school approaches and changes in educational structures. The field’s implementation constitutes a great challenge for teachers, novice in the field of ESD. Teacher education for ESD needs to effectively transfer knowledge and skills related to the concepts of sustainable development and reflect the relation of ESD to values education, systemic thinking and an interdisciplinary approach. The teaching methods employed by teacher education need to be in accordance with ESD methods and to empower teachers for integrating ESD in the teaching–learning process. For this purpose, we used a mentoring system to introduce experienced and newly appointed teachers, all novice in the field of ESD, to planning and implementing ESD and evaluated the potential of mentoring as a form of education for empowering teachers for ESD. Results highlight the value of mentoring since it encompasses all of the attributes that ESD teacher education requires in an experiential and practical form, it promotes teacher interaction and the formation of professional learning communities for ESD and it increases teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of the subject.

Towards a Framework for University-wide Postgraduate Programmes in Sustainability

It is intended that this paper add to the current literature and case studies detailing good practice lessons in embedding and promoting education for sustainable development within Higher Education Institutions (HEI's). At the mid-point of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) it is crucial that educators, particularly HEI's, who are more autonomous in their policy making than pre-16 education, share their experiences and good practice methods of incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within the curriculum. To this end, the paper describes research that has taken place at the University of Strathclyde since January 2009, with the aim of developing a framework for university-wide, cross disciplinary research and postgraduate teaching in the area ESD. The vision for the Strathclyde Masters programme in Sustainability (SMS) is introduced as the objective for the three main stages of the research which have been undertaken: (i) a review of current thinking in ESD, (ii) a structured consultation programme and (iii) the creation of both a current and future 'sustainability map' showing postgraduate provision of ESD within the University. The narrative is preceded by a brief summary of the definitions of sustainable development (SD) before exploring the concept of ESD and its inherent disciplinary nature. The paper then examines the role that universities play in addressing the challenges of SD and describes the achievements that have established the University of Strathclyde to be a leader in the field of ESD. The review of current thinking in ESD uses literature and case studies detailing initiatives to embed ESD within Higher Education Institutions, to draw on recurring themes, graduate attributes and associated pedagogies. The paper then details the conclusions drawn from the initial multi-stakeholder consultation process involving external stakeholders, students, academic staff and the university's professional services. In addition, the model 'Sustainability Map' is presented offering an overview of postgraduate provision of ESD within the institution as a whole, alongside sample details of the courses offered and contributing departments.

「持続可能な開発のための教育」（ＥＳＤ）の現状と課題

This paper examines “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD),” clarifying the current situation of research, activities, and future perspectives on ESD. It must first be noted that ESD is closely related to the concept of “Sustainable Development”, and that the idea of ESD first clearly appeared in the Thessaloniki Declaration of 1997. In 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, the Japanese government and NGO committee members advocated introduction of ESD into every effort for achieving a sustainable society and sustainable education systems by developing a United Nations international project. Therefore in 2005, the United Nations launched the “UN-Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). Since then, the number of research results and practical reports on ESD has increased. In Japan, the national government has been promoting ESD, for example, by arranging several laws and systems concerned with ESD. Furthermore, many educators and practitioners have also endeavored to implement ESD in many fields, such as school education, social education, and in local communities where networks and communities hold consultations for improved environments and amenities. Research outcomes such as ESD theory, ESD in school education, and ESD in community-building education are also taken up in this paper in order to explain current research contents, methodologies and findings. Regarding the volume and quality of research outcomes in the field of ESD, there is still a need for further consideration. In respect to the works mentioned above, there are ten points on problems, prospects, and themes that need to be henceforth addressed and are briefly mentioned.