Action research for education for sustainable development in teacher education: Research and learning environment at daugavpils university

Abstract

Although numerous attempts have been made to date to rise to the challenge of overcoming the crisis of sustainability (Orr, 1992), we are still grappling with this complex and demanding task. Therefore, it becomes acutely necessary to review best current initiatives of implementing sustainability oriented educational endeavours, not least in the context of higher education, in order to shed some light on the specifics of approaches and pathways pursued by separate individuals or groups, which might serve to inform practices in similar contexts. Recent reports indicate that the need to encourage the discussion and dissemination of good practices in the European Higher Education Area is recognised on the level of the European Commission (Tauch, 2011). We believe these discussions should be placed in the broader context within which higher education institutions of today are functioning.