Sustaining Innovation in Education: Experiences in the Learning for a Sustainable Environment Project

Abstract

This paper provides a discussion about what education and development planners can learn about initiating and sustaining innovation at the teacher education level from the Learning for a Sustainable Environmentproject. It reflects upon how research processes can contribute to sustainable (long-term) developments within teacher education. Essentially, it seeks to address questions about how to make environmental education a permanent feature of teacher education practice and curricula.The chapter begins with arguments why the issue of sustaining innovation has become an important one. It then identifies the principles and processes within the Learning for a Sustainable Environmentproject which support its innovative components on a long-term basis. The final section reflects upon the next stage of the project which is to involve the setting up of action research networks within different countries. It discusses how the principles and processes of sustainability identified, may be used to support the national process. The value of the Learning for a Sustainable Environmentmodel for developments in education at the practical level is also briefly considered. The chapter argues that the action research network model used in Learning for a Sustainable Environmentproject provides a democratic, culturally relevant and sustainable approach to development in education at the cross-cultural level.