Exploring a Whole-School Approach at Nonformal Folk High Schools in Norway Through Common Goals and Action Learning

Abstract

AbstractOver the last 9 years, the Norwegian Folk High Schools (FHSs) have engaged in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through common projects focusing on the school’s operation and teaching. This chapter critically analyses and reflects on two collective FHS initiatives the FHSs have engaged in. To consider the challenges and opportunities of the schools’ sustainability processes, a Whole-School Approach (WSA) flower model by Wals and Mathie (Whole School responses to climate urgency and related sustainability challenges. In: Peters MA, Heraud R (eds) Encyclopedia of educational innovation. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_263-1, 2022) is employed as an analytical lens. The chapter finds that the FHS pedagogy engages with all six elements of the flower model and when the FHS pedagogy is practiced, it provides living examples of learning sites practicing a WSA to sustainability. The FHSs participating in joint sustainability initiatives, seeing that neighboring schools also make changes, reinforce that the community and common goals of the FHSs matter. The chapter concludes that the FHSs WSA to learning is an ongoing process, involving dialogue and fostering democratic confidence.