Change the World through Education by RCE Tongyeong formal Education Committee

#SDGAction42789

Description

Intro

In 2005, Tongyeong city is designated as the 8th RCE(Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for sustainable development) in the world by UNU-IAS. 
To spread ESD in schools, RCE Tongyoung has organized a formal education committee(FEC) composed of school teachers to support the development of ESD curriculum since 2006. Cooperated with Tongyeong Education office, all 57 schools in Tongyeong designate one ESD teacher every year. And every year RCE Tongyeong conducts seminars four times and hold 1 night 2 days teacher training course twice to develop their knowledge and teaching skills for ESD for FEC teachers.

Objective of the practice

From classroom to Local community 
Teachers are one of the most important components in our society because they give the opportunities for next generation to learn culture of their society, local wisdom and intellectual knowledge. 
RCE Tongyeong have tried to make a strong bond among teachers since the beginning, because they knew sustainable society cannot be built only through political agreements, financial incentives or technological solutions 
We believe that one of the most important factors to achieve Sustainable Development Goals is education. Specially, because everyone mandatorily goes to school from elementary school to junior high school in Korea, the understanding of teachers about ESD and SDGs is significant. Even if Education for Sustainable Development is only one of the sub-goal (4.7), to achieve SDGs, ESD is necessary and truly inseparable. 
ESD engages formal, non-formal, and informal education and promote lifelong learning. In this point, school where an institution for educating children and youth, is the most important place to learn ESD. RCE Tongyoeng has focused on the importance of teaching institutions from primary school to colleges. They looked for teachers and made a network of teacher who has been interested in ESD since 2006. Teachers in the network led and run the ESD model schools and it was done successfully. After that, more and more schools and teachers began to get interested in ESD. Based on this case, per one teacher from all school has started to join formal Education Committee until 2011. They have researched curricula to connect all subjects and discussed how to teach ESD efficiently in School. The objectives of formal education committee is ‘from teacher to Classroom, Classroom to City’. The teachers believe that if teachers change, the students change and if students who are the future generation change, the world must change in the better way. Also, they believe the effect of education will influence the near school such as parents, neighborhood, and societies to make them to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Formal Education Committee aims EDS in classroom to SDGs in local community.

Partners

Tongyoeng Office of Education – Through MOU, they recommend and promote all school to appoint ESD teacher in school.
Schools – Even if office of Education recommended it, the most important thing is the willingness of chairperson of school. To promote the understanding of chairpersons, RCE Tongyoeng visits the school and persuades the importance of ESD and appointing teachers when new chairperson changes.
Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Office of Education – based on MOU with them, over 4,000 3rd year of Elementary school students visit RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest and participate in the ESD day-trip activities inspected by FEC teachers.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

At first, it was an urgent task to create an ESD program that could be applied to Korean curriculum. So, in cooperation with Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education and Tongyeong City Government, ESD research and model schools were conducted at elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and universities from 2006 to 2010. They have developed about 190 kinds of guidance that can be implemented through activities linked to school curriculum and extrcurricular activities.
ESD research school teachers realized the need for teachers’ network, and the first school education committee was established in 2006. Since 2011, we have started designating one ESD teacher for each school in elementary, middle and high schools in order to spread the ESD program to all schools.
Considering the importance of implementing ESD from early childhood, one kindergarten was selected as an ESD research school to develop ESD curriculum for preschoolers in 2012. Since that time, Formal Education Committee consists of about 60 ESD teachers from 52 all schools and 6 standing member of a committee who has expertise in ESD. Normally, the committee has proceed on a one-year cycle. In the beginning, there are a few of teaches who are not familiar with ESD. For them, RCE Tongyeong and standing member of committee give knowledge and share programme what they done before. After that, teachers discuss how ESD can be applied in their subject. After applying those programs at school, they have a place to share their achievement and get feedback from each other.
In 2018, Formal Education Committee is started beginning of March, every year. In April, the first seminar was held. In this place, chair-person of RCE Tongyeong and director of Tongyeong office of Education was attended. In May, the teacher training was conducted with RCE Penang in Malaysia. Through this teacher training, they can learn the good practice each other. Until December, every teacher has attended formal monthly meeting to study ESD, share good practices and discuss collaborative projects and challenges together. Because all teacher have different subject such as science, society, English and even Korean, they believe that they can help to achieve a variety of goals by developing educational programs and materials from various perspectives.
In order to strengthen the capacity of teachers, RCE Tongyeong have conducted 30-hour intensive training for teachers in Tongyeong from 2012 to 2014. Based on this, the Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education provides financial support for RCE Tongyeong to hold 15-hour, 1 night 2days teachers’ training for teachers in Gyeongsangnam-do province at the RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Center.
RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest, opened in 2015 as an Asia-pacific RCE’s ESD hub, is designed to learn sustainable life style by staying in its eco-friendly accommodation and facilities.
Therefore, trainees are learning to practice in everyday life not only by acquiring knowledge of 15 hours listening during lecture hours, but also by participating in clean plate movement, a three-stage dish- washing for saving the water, and using a personal cup and handkerchief.

Results/Outputs/Impacts

Since 2006, RCE Tongyeong has worked with Tongyeong Office of Education and Gyeongnam Provincial Education Office, Ministry of Education to designate the first ESD model schools in Korea to develop ESD programs in school; this is an attempt to redirect the existing educational curriculum toward ESD. Between 2006-2012, RCE Tongyeong completed ESD model schools in all school levels; 1 kindergarten, 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 1 high school and 1 university. Now, all educational levels are included the ESD program. To be able to promote ESD more effectively in schools, the teachers of the ESD model schools took the lead and the first Formal Education Committee was formed; thereafter, to expand the ESD program to all the other schools effectively. One teacher in charge of the ESD program was assigned to every school by 2011. The Formal Education Committee, which is the network of these teachers in charge of ESD program, was expanded in 2011.
2019, the Committee is formed with the participation of all 57 schools in Tongyeong. 19 kindergartens, 21 elementary schools, 1 special education school, 11 middle schools, 5 high schools and 1 university; it meets by quarter and strengthen its ESD capabilities through seminars and events. Particularly they collaborated with RCE Penang to share the opportunity for local ESD teachers to be interested in other areas. They have selected excellent teachers who have worked hard to spread ESD of Tongyeong for a long time, and have been able to participate in RCE meeting in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Tongyeong showed the slogan that it is the home of ESD, and ESD teacher training that all teachers of Gyeongsangnam-do can access not only Tongyeong, but also progressed 4 times to 30 teachers to form 120 Gyeongsangnam-do education network. Also, based on ESD model schools experience, Formal Education Committee published Teacher’s guide of ESD activity which could be adopted in the classroom.
Introducing and expanding ESD in schools was possible as a result of the close cooperation with the Tongyeong Education Office. Since 2009, Tongyeong Education Office declared 'Strengthing ESD' as one of the top five institutional goals and has assigned a supervisor in charge of ESD to make sure that the target is achieved at every school. In 2014, RCE Tongyeong and Tongyeong Education Office has signed an MOU to utilize Sejahtera Forest for various school educational activities in close cooperation. And also 2017, RCE Tongyeong and Gyeongnam Provincial Edcation Office has signed an MOU for ESD. Based on this achievement, Formal Education Committee won RCE Awards , Outstanding Flagship Project (SDGs 4), in the 11th Global RCE Conference.

Enabling factors and constraints

It was able to build such a sustainable teacher network, although it can build a connection with the size of a city of a suitable size, but above all, it is the existence of a management RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest. Then, on these small scales, any attempts can be rapidly disseminated and have positive possibilities. However, Tongyeong is located very far from the capital city, so it is not easy to access the latest education and various educational benefits.

It is 57 schools in Tongyeong, which 20 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, 5 high schools and 1 special school and 19 kinder garden. After the administration has been designated as the RCE city, RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest has been studying ESD practice in the school and the research model from kinder garden to university. At the beginning, teachers interested in ESD began to gather voluntarily.
It can not help but to say that the reason why it was able to start and maintain this network was that started with the courageous actions of some teachers who love the city of Tongyeong and have an interest and enthusiasm for ESD. RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest have installed various devices to keep this valuable network since 2006.
The RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest opens a place where these interested teachers can meet each other and at the same time offers opportunities for education, workshops etc. that can enhance their abilities.
However, not all activities cruise. This is because the circumstances are different for each school. Teachers are also short of time to process their work at school not only. Even if there are many intellectual teachers, it is difficult to continuously participate in these networks if the school administrator like principal is not interested. Therefore, RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera Forest solved these problems and at the same time, in order to raise the ripple power to the integrated conservation area, concluded a business with the management education support agency of Tongyeong and put efforts on the spread of ESD.
Particularly, by designating specialty Supervisor for ESD parts, they were able to take advantage of the expertise of being able to spread ESD at each school. In addition, by promoting Tongyeong's educational motto as 'Strengthing ESD', they created an environment where all schools can become interested in ESD.
In addition, due to active cooperation of about 60 principals, at the beginning of the semester, encourage students to participate in the ESD program as well as to encourage participation in the active network of ESD teachers directly visiting the school.
Considering the roles of these administrators, consisting of administrators of schools, we operate the School Education Committee Headquarters Committee and are striving to improve activity feedback and school attendance. In 2019, it would like to make efforts to become even more successful ESD teacher networks by the inflow of principal teacher of a new public school.

Sustainability and replicability

RCE Tongyeong Formal Education Committee will have its 11th committee by 2019. In order to ensure the sustainability and scalability of the committee, it was decided to establish a committee with the Tongyeong Education Office in 2011, and the committee was obliged to provide one or more ESD have appointed a teacher in all school in Tongyeong. Since 2011, the activities of these committees have become more regular, and through the support of the Tongyeong Education Office, they have been able to create institutional devices for ESD teachers in all schools in Tongyeong. The Tongyeong Education Office has appointed a supervisor who is currently responsible for ESD education. RCE Tongyeong will provide training, seminars and workshops for ESD teachers in the Tongyeong region, together with a strong support team, by developing competent ESD teachers and their networks this year.

Since then, in order to broaden the scope of operation not only in Tongyeong but also in Gyeongsangnam-do through the MOU with the Gyeongsangnam-do Education Office, they have trained ESD teachers to train competent teachers in the ESD field to inform teachers in Gyeongsangnam- do, Provide opportunities to learn. Approximately 60 teachers attended the training each year, and after their participation, teachers returned to schools in their area to organize clubs and teachers for ESD development. In addition, they provided students with the opportunity to visit the RCE Tongyeong Sejahtera forest to gain access to ESD experience and education. This year, about 60 Gyeongsangnam-do teachers will be trained, and we will have an opportunity to share about how to integrate global civic education, SDGs, etc. into the curriculum.

In the same vein, a high school teacher in Geoje city, around Tongyeong, participated in the special teacher training for ESD. After that, he was interested in ESD and wanted to make a place for teachers and students of his school to understand ESD with RCE Tongyeong. In addition, the school will also be participating in schools in the Geoje area, which will also provide opportunities for the network to expand. In addition, using the global RCE network, Tongyeong ESD teachers also provide opportunities for overseas RCEs and teacher training opportunities. In 2018 Together with RCE Penang in Malaysia has been cooperating with the training of teachers. As a follow-up to this training, Tongyeong ESD teachers plan to visit the ESD-accredited schools in Malaysia directly in the upcoming year.

RCE Tongyeong will continue to support the activation of school education network as Formal Education Committee. In order to promote the network of about 60 teachers, the school proposes active teachers who have good examples of ESD practice or act as committee members, giving them the opportunity to attend the Asia-Pacific RCE meeting or the global RCE conference. Through this, other committee members are working hard to create an environment where they can work hard on this committee, and plan to establish a network with overseas partners as well.

Conclusions

The key message is that “as education changes, the world changes”. 
RCE Tongyeong has been making various efforts to make Tongyeong a sustainable city since it was designated as an RCE city. 
RCE Tongyeong have run various ESD programs for diverse age groups from children to adults, such as running a civic education committee to strengthen civic education, managing youth problem solving projects for youth education, and running youth clubs in high schools. 
But we have realized how much one motivated teacher have influenced than all of that. 
Teachers lead the way for sustainable Tongyeong Education that is changing from school. 
In fact, it is difficult all teachers from each school has the same level of motivation as each other. There are always very active teachers, and non-active teachers. 
School teachers in Korea have too many things to do, not only teaching the curriculum but also administrative works. Because of that, many teachers are too exhausted to do something new. 
In addition, even if the teachers are motivated, it is also important for school principal to understand the worth of ESD. 
In this regard, RCE Tongyeong visited all schools when school year starts and had a meeting with the principal.

Other sources of information

http://ecopark.rce.or.kr/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS8uLVM03XU&list=PLg779G1g7yjR-BxadFpqX…
http://www.rcenetwork.org/portal/11th-global-rce-conference
http://www.rcenetwork.org/portal/node/3651?user=110&year=2018
http://www.hansannews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=59524
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfjw5VvxQ4&list=PLg779G1g7yjR8RvtcU4D8…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5UQUNnHHUg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA5z4zIwQ18&list=PLg779G1g7yjR-BxadFpqX…

SDGS & Targets