This essay explores a central question for all those involved in ESD: What are you really most interested in, educational or social outcomes—what learners learn, or what they do? The paper argues that it is an issue that needs to be emphasised at a time when we see a tightening focus on modifying behaviours, and the conscription of educational institutions and programmes to these ends. The essay takes the promotion of Fairtrade, a contemporary conceptualision of ESD, and Ofsted’s most recent report, to explore where an appropriate balance might be struck between these, arguing that, although both educational and social outcomes are important, when it comes to making judgements about school effectiveness, this needs to be tightly focused on what young people are learning rather than on, say, the amount of energy they have saved or waste they have recycled.
Scott WAH (2009) Judging the Effectiveness of a Sustainable School: a brief exploration of issues; Journal of Education for Sustainable Development 3:1 35–41.
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