Education and Social Perspectives (ESP) Home
Environmental technologies, policies, and management plans often produce social consequences as they are distributed and applied. Policies designed to protect the environment can, and often do, require changes in behavior in civil society, business, and government sectors. The ways in which environmental problems and solutions are constructed often affect decisions about the use of natural and other resources in neighborhoods and societies. These decisions in turn can affect social institutions, local to global communities, and individuals. Information exchange about environmental issues among diverse constituents is important to form feasible, lasting solutions. That is, the more scientifically literate citizens are, the more effectively they can enter the public debate and influence decisions about sustainability. And with a greater understanding of social context, researchers can shape technologies, policies, and management plans that account more fully for the well-being of human populations within a sustainable development framework.
Informed citizens—as individuals, in community groups and not-for-profit organizations and private businesses, and as government representatives—have important roles with regard to the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens and the adoption of environmental technology, policy, and plans. Educational exchange, outreach, and research with such constituent groups are goals for this program. Because elementary and high schools provide the only formal exposure to science for half of the nation’s population, K-12 curricula must incorporate education for sustainable environments. K-12 students and teachers must be educated in environmental sciences and about sustainability. Literacy about sustainability among college and university students remains inadequate and must also be addressed. Within all levels of formal education, there is a particular need to engage more students from underrepresented demographic groups in environmental sciences. Additionally, there is a need to evaluate and develop education models for conveying information about sustainable environments to all constituent groups.
The Education and Social Perspectives Program aims to enhance the communication of knowledge about scientific, technological, policy, management plans, and social consequences of environmental issues among constituent groups, including students, educators, public stakeholders, scientists, environmental professionals, and governmental officials. To that end, this Program focuses on 1) identification of, research on, and application and development of educational models regarding environmental problems and sustainable environments, and 2) development of an educational and outreach infrastructure that relays comprehensive, consistent, and accessible information about environmental issues and sustainable environments among divergent constituent groups.
Whenever possible, existing organizations—youth groups, professional and civic organizations, educational and government institutions, and technology-based businesses—are involved as conduits for connecting information about sustainability with constituents. In collaboration with UT faculty and staff, primarily from the colleges of Engineering, Education Health and Human Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Extension, Veterinary Medicine, Arts and Sciences, and Sociology and Social Work, participants in this ISSE Area pursue resources and seek funding from local, state, federal, and international government; NGOs; and private business entities.
