By ‘Mantoetse Jobo
Lesotho College of Education
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Background
Contextual Framework
Government Initiatives to address Environmental
issues in Education
Teaching Education
Literature Review
Theoretical Framework Underpinning Study
Purpose of the study
Research Aim
Methodological Framework
Ethical Considerations
Validity
Data Analysis
Presentation of Results
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Lesotho is a country endowed with scenic
landscape and natural resources.
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Challenges
 high population growth before the HIV/ AIDS
scourge that led to depletion of natural
resources and many social conflicts.
 Lack of education on sustainability issues and
principles
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An overview of the Basotho education system;
 Developments in Lesotho Schools – re Environmental
Education
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National Strategy and Action Plan –
 Higher Education highlighted as a major instrument in
the unfolding United Nations Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development; (Ministry of Education and
Training 2008)
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LEESP Project Collaboratively sponsored
by Danida and Lesotho Government
running from 2001- 2003;
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Emphasis made in the Education
Strategic Plan for 2005-2015 to redress
low quality and increase efficiency in the
secondary education system (MOET
2005)
 Lesotho College of Education – Lack of inter/intra-disciplinary
Collaboration leading to poor learning connections by students
(NTTC, 1988; Burke and Sugrue, 1994; Lefoka and Sebatane,
2003)
 Efforts to enhance departmental collaboration made through
formulation of committees since 1988. ‘Teaching by subjects’
was presented as one of the greatest weakness by the
‘Integration Committee’ (NTTC, 1988).
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In the autonomy era - Lecturers at the College seldom
meet with their counterparts in other departments
(Lefoka and Sebatane, 2003)
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Lack of collaboration between subject areas on
the one hand and educational foundations on
the other … adversely affect the teaching of the
curriculum’. (Lefoka and Sebatane, 2003);
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Disciplinary boundaries hinder students from
using knowledge gained outside of the
disciplines they are studying for, thus using
knowledge in a narrow sense. This poses a
huge threat to the quality of teacher education.
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LCE has difficulties in the whole area of physical
resource provision’ (Burke and Sugrue 1994:22).
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The nature of the facilities and the institutional
infra-structure also has important repercussions for
the human resources of the College (Lefoka and
Sebatane, 2003: 67)
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Student teachers rely mostly on ‘handouts from the
lecturers in the form of photocopied texts or notes,
as well as on the chalkboard’.
What is Sustainable Development?
“Development that meets the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own
needs” (Brundtland Commission,
1987)
 Sustainable
Development is described as ‘a
dynamic process that enables all people to
realize their potential and improve their quality
of life in ways which simultaneously protect
and enhance the earth’s life support systems’
(Webster, 2004: 52).
Education
for Sustainable
Development is a process of
achieving human
development in an inclusive,
equitable and secure
manner(www.tbilisiplus30.org).
First described in Chapter 36 of Agenda 21
 4 major thrusts to begin work of UNDESD:
1. Improvement of basic education
2. Reorienting existing education to address
sustainable development
3. Development of public understanding and
awareness
4. Provision of training
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Pigozzi (2007) contends that we do not need a
subject called ‘sustainable development’ in the
curriculum, but to reflect the interaction of
numerous actions in many different spheres, so
the ideas, issues, topics and problems related
to Sustainable Development should be
integrated into all aspects of leaning, hence,
calling for a whole institutions approach to
education for Sustainable Development.
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In order for teacher education programs to be
effective, knowledge of environmental
problems and sustainable development,
theories of teaching and learning, and practical
knowledge of teaching skills or experience
should be integrated.
Higher education institutions should enable
teacher trainees to play a role in redressing
real socio-ecological and socio-economic
concerns and democratic values of society’
(Ketlhoilwe, 2008: 19).
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Also, that, student engagement and
understanding through multidisciplinary,
experiential, and intergenerational learning
that is not only relevant but potentially
contributes to the well-being of community life’
is essential (Gruenewald 2003: 7).
Multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and
learning could, therefore, be employed to
interrogate and address identified issues such
as loss of soil fertility and water holding
capacity of agricultural lands, flooding and
general unsustainable use of cropping lands
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The LEESP focused on four levels of knowledge as
pedagogical pillars that promote life-long learning
namely:
Data knowledge – the lowest form of knowledge, it asks
‘who, when, where’;
Explanation knowledge – this explains why things
happen the way they do, it asks ‘why, how’;
Judgment knowledge – this is whereby estimation,
evaluation, assessment or judgment of matters is done, it
asks ‘is it good or bad…, is it acceptable…, do we want
to…?’
Action knowledge – the highest form of knowledge,
where one is able to act using one’s experience in
different matters, it asks ‘what can I do…, what could be
done…
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The extent to which individuals within and as a
group exhibit traits or sets of skills and abilities
for ‘action competence (AC) which at some
time or another will result in concrete actions
(A) which in turn brings about a strife for
change’ (CH) (Jensen and Schnack, 1994: 74).
Following ‘action knowledge’, an individual
willingly takes an action on an issue that could
be:
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Critical Pedagogy:
Critical pedagogy explicitly makes the limits and
simulations of classroom problematic’ (Gruenewald,
2003: 9). It is these problematic situations that provoke
critical thinking and creativity in learners as they begin
to seek solutions to problems at hand. Gruenewald
argues that teachers and students should indeed
explore and ‘interrogate the places outside of school –
as part of the school curriculum – that are the local
context of shared cultural politics’ (Gruenewald, 2003:
9).
The purpose of this study is to:
 Investigate the historical culture of structure and
agency at the Lesotho College of Education in relation
to environmental education and education for
sustainable development as educational interventions.
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To find out how teacher trainers’ agency for change
could be enhanced through a participatory action
research approach to develop an integrated critical
curriculum model for mainstreaming education for
sustainable development;
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What is the historical culture of structure and
agency at Lesotho College of Education in
relation to Education for Sustainable
Development as a change initiative?
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What mechanisms enable/constrain teacher
trainers to interact within and across
disciplines in order to interact and bring about
change for sustainable development
How has Education for Sustainable
Development as a change initiative come into
play at Lesotho College of Education?
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What is the role of teacher trainers at Lesotho College
of Education in institutionalizing Education for
Sustainable Development?
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What institutional structures enable /hinder the
adoption of Environmental Education/ Education for
Sustainable Development at Lesotho College of
Education?
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How do the teacher trainers perceive themselves as
change agents for sustainable development?
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To what extent do teacher trainers at
Lesotho College of Education portray
‘action competence skills in and out of
their classrooms in order to become
agents of change?
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What behavior is held by teacher trainers
at Lesotho College of Education that
indicate positive attitude leading towards
action competence?
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How do the teacher trainers perceive and value
environment and Education for Sustainable
Development?
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What enabling environment is created for students to
acquire knowledge and skill in identifying,
interrogating and addressing environmental issues?
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What pedagogical approach is employed by teacher
trainers when teaching for sustainable development?
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What process is followed by teacher trainers in order to
identify, interrogate and address environmental issues
pertinent to their courses?
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What criteria are used by teacher trainers to identify
themes that emanate from these environmental issues?
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Margaret Acher’s theory of critical realism will be used.
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The historical culture of structure and agency will be
studied through to find out what empowering or inhibiting
structures exist; the nature of agency and teacher trainers’
attitudes towards education for sustainable development.
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An institutional audit that indicates the engagement of the
College with environmental education/education for
sustainable development will be carried out.
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Focus group discussions will be used with participating
teacher trainers.
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Multidisciplinary participatory action research will be
used to develop an integrated curriculum model with
teacher trainers at LCE.
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Case-study for examining instances of ‘action’ in the
classroom of participating teacher trainers will be
used.
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Classroom observations by participating teachers
followed by reflexivity by individual and teams of
observing teachers
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A meeting with the three Faculty Deans
and Heads of Departments to explain the
purpose of this study and to solicit
support will be held.
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Two participants from each of the three
Faculties will be invited to join the study.
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The study will be validated through the
following means:
 multi-method approach to data collection
 Catalytic validity
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I will observe protocol by involving all relevant parties
from the beginning of the study
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I will always obtain authorization for using quotations
and I will take responsibility to maintain confidentiality
of the study.
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I will retain the right to report my work at various
stages still ensuring that no account ill represents any
of the participants (Cohen and Manion, 1994).
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Acher’s theory of critical realism will be used for
analysis.
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Deconstruction of data will be done to understand
events and to emancipate the agents in order to enable
them to make meanings of ideas and their values, also
reconstruction will be carried out in order promote
agency
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Reporting at various stages of the study will be done,
first to participants then to their departments also as a
validation procedure.
 Thank
you