Conley-Wilson+Heart+of+Sustainability


 * Describe and critically evaluate the arguments made in "The Heart of Sustainablity: Big Ideas from the field of Environmental Education and their Relationship to Sustainability Education, or 'What's love got to do with it?' "**
 * Word Count: 530**

The argument made in the article “The Heart of Sustainability” is questioning human’s motives and value for the environment around them. The author wonders why people do not spread alarm about ecological dangers like other species of the world. The problem is that humans have not found a way to balance ecology, society, and economy; Humanity as a whole has not found a way of live that values all of these aspects of life. The authors of the article attribute these lacking aspects of society to the teaching in this nation and the inability to properly provoke students into action and thought.

Although the points made in the article are very articulate and have good points, I do not agree with what this article is arguing that currently sustainability education is lacking the main concepts outlined in the article. I believe this article did not understand that sustainability studies is the study of the integration of environment, society, and economy and would include much of the each other respected studies. I am unsure of what other curriculums are like in other schools but I can speak on my personal, academic, and professional experience as a student gaining literacy in sustainability.

I believe that it is important to cultivate a lot of the ‘Big Ideas’ into the world’s education. To cultivate in the American school systems we would need to see some reform in public teaching. The Five Big Ideas include biophilia, building a relationship with humans and environment, adaptability to changes, sharing experiences in a participatory and democratic way, and acknowledging it is way of life. I believe many of these can be taught in an environment full of diversity, acceptance, and positivity. Many of the things outlined in this article I had learned at a very young age, based on my background many of these lessons I have been able to apply in twisted ways in secondary education. I was able to further improved aspects like a love for nature, a connection with the world, resiliency and adaptability upon being an active student at RPI.

In my experience with Sustainability Studies and the Science Technology Studies department at RPI these topics may be lacking in primary education, but not secondary teaching. I have learned how to understand to look at a problem not only from a diverse set of perspectives based on my educational and personal experiences, but how to work cooperatively with people from difference backgrounds, majors, and belief systems in primarily project-based activities. The key idea are not only learned in the class room and with academics but through extracurricular activities, leadership positions, professional development, and personal relaxing time.

Although the authors assume that sustainability is trying too hard to become its own distinct field of study, I feel quiet the opposite from my experiences. This may be because I see the world much differently from the way the “average American” sees the world, but I feel that my field of study is interdisciplinary itself. Although I may not know the details to how the environment works, I think it is more important that we have graduates that can communicate with a variety of professionals of multiple fields or study to get to an ultimate solution.