•How do you or your organisation keep abreast of the key issues/research being conducted in this sphere?

 

•Is there merit in those doing research in HEIs coming into schools or other relevant bodies / organisations to promote a research culture and awareness of their research?   

 

•Are young people in early years and school settings (primary and post-primary) engaging in research based activities (e.g. through classroom based assessment/non exam assessment components) or sustainable development based projects?  What can we do to promote a culture of research/investigation at these levels?

 

•Is there a gap in knowledge in terms of what courses and research is available at Further and Higher Education levels?  How would you address such gaps? 

 

•How might we identify available funding streams and support educators to engage in research/investigation projects?

 

·Are you aware of any education setting- based project(s) around sustainable development taking place within your wider community?  Are these working well?  How can learning be shared?  

 

·What could education settings do to help promote ESD projects within communities – what collaborations already exist?  

 

·Are there challenges/barriers in terms of members of the community working with/going into education settings?  What are these and how can we overcome them?

 

·How would you monitor/oversee/measure progress of such projects?  

 

·How do we encourage and engage young people to be involved in decision-making processes?  E.g. student councils and student unions, membership of working groups etc? 

·How can they be included in the design, delivery and monitoring of policies and programmes?  What further actions do we need to include to ensure this?

 

·Should we be providing training and development opportunities and tools to young people to encourage their involvement in designing and delivering and monitoring of policies and to support and utilise their strengths?  

 

·What are the benefits or merits of youth-led groups, young people being involved in same, peer education approaches, and in young people coming into schools etc? 

 

·Do you think those who already have participated in professional development, have a good understanding of ESD?  Are further training or supports needed more at pre-service/induction or at the in-service stage?  

 

·What opportunities are there to support and create good learning and practice in the area of ESD?  How might we enhance or create opportunities to support lifelong learning in ESD?

 

·Do you think incentives are useful to effect change or better practice in this area?  What has the greatest impact - accreditation, micro badges, research fellowships, highlighting education settings that do well in this space etc -  is it worthwhile introducing such initiatives?

·How do we promote a whole of education setting approach or do we need to give individuals responsibility for sustainability within their workplace organisations?

·Is there more that can be done in this respect?

 

·In terms of the cultural environment, what can we do to foster behavioural practices in educational settings to support diversity, inclusion and other sustainable development principles?  

 

·What needs to happen in education settings, both from a physical and cultural standpoint, to embed an ethos and practice of sustainability?  What is already in place?
 

·What do you think about the current interaction and cooperation between the formal, non-formal and informal education settings? How can this be strengthened?

·How can we ensure that ESD becomes integral to the development of policies and strategies at every level of education?     

·How can we raise awareness of ESD at all levels of Education?

·What can be done in terms of developing a shared understanding of ESD and support policy coherence?   

  

·How best should we approach this – what kinds of indicators do you use, are there others you are familiar with, what might be feasible for ESD?