8th International JTEFS/BBCC Conference "Sustainable Development. Culture. Education"

BBCC Mission - Reorientation of Teacher Education and Research in Education for Sustainable Development
May 17-19, 2010
Paris, France

We are proud to announce the 8th International Conference "Sustainable Development. Culture. Education" of JTEFS/BBCC (Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability/Baltic & Black Sea Circle Consortium in Educational Research) and UNESCO Network on Reorientation of Teacher Education towards Sustainability. The idea of Conference was suggested by the Faculty of Education and Management and the first time it was held at the Daugavpils University in 2003 when it was closely intertwined with the establishment of the European Network of the UNESCO/UNITWIN project. From 2004 to 2008 the Conference was organized by the members of BBCC - Tallinn Pedagogical University (Estonia), Vechta University (Germany), University of Helsinki (Finland), University of Debrecen (Hungary), and Anadolu University (Turkey) and Daugavpils University (Latvia). This year the Conference will be organized by BBCC in close cooperation with UNESCO and will be held in UNESCO building (7 place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP France) in Paris.

May 17-18 will be dedicated to JTEFS/BBCC Conference and work in plenary sessions and different sections. May 19 will be a larger joint meeting of BBCC and Global UNESCO Project Network for Reorientation of Teacher Education towards Sustainability, where we will invite UNESCO staff and the country delegates from UNESCO national commissions.

As usual, the Conference will coincide with the publication of spring volume of Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability and Conference proceedings (see website section Publications).

Also, it is a tradition since 2006, that all the participants of the Conference become the members of Baltic and Black Sea Circle Consortium in Educational Research established in 2005 during the 3rd JTET Conference at the Vechta University.

UNESCO Network on Reorientation of Teacher Education towards Sustainability was established in October 2000 and its first big success was creation and publication of UNESCO Educational Sector Guidelines and Recommendations for Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability in 2005. In 2006 and 2008, the biannual meetings of network have become the satellite events for JTET/BBCC Conferences signifying the next phase of UNESCO Network activities - the international dissemination and implementation of Guidelines and Recommendations.

The sub-theme of the Conference this year is "BBCC Mission - Reorientation of Teacher Education and Research in Education for Sustainable Development" that allows for a great diversity of contributions under the suggested sections of Conference. The main emphasis is put on the synergy between efforts made to reorient teacher education towards sustainability and research in the field of education for sustainable development by seeking to enrich research methodology and methods to be used in the current context of education for sustainable development. The proposed sections entail a wide scope of research and practice aspects initiated during the previous conferences and suggested by BBCC and UNESCO network members. Time will be afforded for everyone in attendance to exchange ideas, share research results and introduce new research and development projects in the area.

The association "Education for Sustainable Development" established in 2007 by the Institute of Sustainable Education will work in close cooperation with the host universities to ensure the successful work of the Conference.

Host universities and organizations
Daugavpils University (Latvia)
Tallinn University (Estonia)
University of Vechta (Germany)
University of Debrecen (Hungary)
University of Eastern Finland (Finland)
Anadolu University (Turkey)
Institute and Academy for Multimedia (Slovenia)

The list of host universities and organizations will be complemented by and by as our other partners send in their confirmation of hosting the Conference.

Preliminary Sections of Conference
We suggest the following sections for the 8th International JTEFS/BBCC Conference. Some questions just to elicit the thinking about the topic are provided for each section.

Phenomenology of Education for Sustainable Development
What is ESD? How is it manifested in research, educational practice, community, etc.? Construction, deconstruction, re-construction of ESD phenomenon.

Research for Education for Sustainable Development
What research is necessary for ESD? What is needed to conduct such research? What kind of methodology and methods prevail and why? What are the main issues of research for ESD?

Teacher Education for Education for Sustainable Development
How can teacher education foster Education for Sustainable Development? What are the main successes and issues with the implementation of UNESCO guidelines?

Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education
How can higher education foster Education for Sustainable Development? What are the main success and issues with the implementation of ESD on HE level?

Organisation of Learning and Research Environment in Education for Sustainable Development (pre-school, primary, and secondary level)
What learning and research environment is necessary for ESD at pre-school, primary, and secondary school level? What are the pedagogical and psychological conditions for the organization of such environment? What competences teachers should have in order to organize learning and research environment for ESD?

Education for Sustainable Development and Social Work
What links can be developed between ESD and social work? What issues have to be studied in this relation? 

Education for Sustainable Development and E-learning
What are the challenges of e-learning/blended learning for higher education institutions? E-learning as the issue of non-formal education. E-learning and communication, etc.

Earth Charter as a Framework for Education for Sustainable Development
The Earth Charter is a widely recognized and global statement on ethics and values for a sustainable future that recognizes that environmental protection and human rights, equitable human development and peace are interdependent and indivisible. Promotion of a sustainable way of life in educating society based on respect and care for the community, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace are the issues suggested for a dialogue in this section.

Earth Charter Youth Initiative and Multicultural Approach to Education for Sustainable Development (Students' section)
This section is particularly designed for youth and students from different countries engaged in promoting the Earth Charter and its contribution to ESD. The Earth Charter Youth Initiative (ECYI) is a diverse network convinced that urgent action is required to bring about a just, sustainable and peaceful world. The ECYI holds that sustainability must be understood and implemented in a holistic and integrated manner, inclusive of ecological integrity, social and economic justice and democracy, non-violence and peace.

Following modes of participation are suggested for the Conference participants:
Paper presentations have been allocated 20 minutes and have been grouped into paper sessions. Dissemination of handouts is highly appreciated. Each paper session will have a chair person.
Workshops provide training in the area of research, methods, interventional programmes, etc. The length of the workshops will range between 90 and 120 minutes depending upon their scale and scope.
Symposia comprise several presentations, from different countries, dedicated to one topic. The convenor is responsible for the 90-120 minute programme and its content.
Presentations at the plenary session are given by Keynote speakers, who are invited by the Scientific Committee of the Congress and who are recognized specialists in the area.
Posters are presentations of scientific work in a graphical form. Maximum size will be 90 cm width by 190 cm height. At the time of poster presentation, at least one of the authors must be present.

Venue:
The Conference will take place at UNESCO building (7 place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP France) in Paris. 

Language of the Conference: English

Important dates:
Registration and abstract submission deadline: early registration and abstract submission deadline February 15, 2010; final registration deadline March 15, 2010.

Paper submission deadline: papers for publication in conference proceedings are accepted throughout January and February 2010. All papers that will be submitted after March 1, 2010 will be published after the conference.
Registration fee deadlines: early registration fee deadline March 15, 2010; final registration fee deadline May 5, 2010.

To proceed with online registration, please follow this link.

In case you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Ginta Gedzune ingint@inbox.lv