“Reflectories” for the Promotion of Competences in Education for Sustainable Development Using the Example of Climate Change

Abstract

In order to meet the challenges in a globalised world, appropriate competencies should be initiated among pupils in the sense of education for sustainable development. In Germany, the focus in this context is on systems thinking and evaluation competence. At the same time, the importance of digital media in the everyday lives of children and at school is increasing more and more. Both the promotion of ESD skills and the use of digital media in teaching are based on a constructivist approach to learning. The question therefore arose, how can ESD competences be promoted with digital media? With the help of a design-based-research approach online learning arrangements (so-called reflectories) were developed. The word “reflectory” is composed of the terms “reflect” and “(s)tory”. In concrete terms, the learners are integrated into a “story” within which they are invited to make reflective decisions. Then they are immediately confronted with possible consequences of their decisions, which in turn are starting points for further necessary decisions. On the basis of audio contributions, images and text materials, learners have to weigh up and finally make and reflect on complex and uncertain decisions. The content of the reflectories is based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a first step, content-related aspects and interactions were worked up on selected SDGs and reviewed by expert scientists. Subsequently, reflectories were developed with the involvement of teachers. The reflectories are beeing tested with teachers and students. In the paper, the criteria for the promotion of competences will be discussed based on the corresponding research results. Students were very motivated by the fact that they could make their own decisions on the basis of which they could continue to work. It was particularly emphasized that they learned that decisions can often not be right or wrong, but that these decisions can also have many consequences.