Science Education for Sustainable Development in Asia

This book presents an Asian perspective on transformative science education in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The chapters are written by contributors who practiced science education for sustainability in a research project entitled ＂Teacher Education for ESD in the Asia-Pacific Region＂ from 2017 to 2019, supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO. The book showcases the contributors’ innovations in science education for sustainability, presenting case studies of science teaching and learning, science curriculum and assessment, science education in collaboration with local communities, and science teacher education. Embodying Asian sustainability education paradigms, policies, and practices, these case studies depict the diversity and uniqueness of natural, social, and cultural contexts in Asia, while demonstrating their commonalities. Through examining these case studies, this book aims to provide examples for praxis, and prospects, for new science classes, curricula, and teacher education in implementing education for sustainable development.

Dr Hiroki Fujii is a professor of science education in the Graduate School of Education at Okayama University, Japan. He is also the director of the Okayama University Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Promotion Center, and the UNESCO Chair in Research and Education for Sustainable Development, Japan. Dr Fujii graduated from Hiroshima University, Japan, and after studying in Leibniz-Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN) at University of Kiel, Germany, he received a Ph.D. in the historical study of didactics in chemistry. His major area of work is the design and development of school science (chemistry) curricula and lessons to promote students’ scientific literacy. Dr Fujii served on vice president of the Society of Japan Science Teaching since 2019. Furthermore, he has been in the role of vice president of the East-Asian Association for Science Education (EASE) since 2021. He is currently interested in researching science lessons/curricula and science teacher training incorporating ESD.

Dr Sun-Kyung Lee is a professor of science education at Cheongju National University of Education in the Republic of Korea. Her major interests of research lie in curriculum development, teaching-learning strategy, and teacher education in the field of science education, environmental education, and education for sustainable development (ESD). She earned her Ph.D. in the department of Biology Education at Seoul National University, in 1993 and worked at Cornell University as a program evaluator for non-native introduced species management in 1999. She has been actively involved in ESD domestically and internationally since her contribution to the policy development of the national strategy for the UN Decade of ESD in Korea in 2005. Dr. Lee served as president of the Korean Society of Environmental Education from 2018-2019, and has served as Chair of the ESD Committee in the Korea National Commission of UNESCO since 2018. Dr. Lee is currently interested in research on integrating ESD into curricula, including science and social studies, and in whole-school approaches for ESD.