Embedding Environmental Sustainability Education in a Master of Teaching Program: Reflections on Improvisation and Learning-by-Doing at OISE, University of Toronto

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to share our story about introducing environmental sustainability education (ESE) in an initial teacher education (ITE) program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at University of Toronto, starting in 2018. In so far as narratives motivate reflection and action, the goal is to encourage readers to start a conversation with colleagues at their respective institutions (university or college) about how they might do something similar. Consideration is given to how this case fits what Neus (Snowy) Evans refers to as a “systems approach” to implementing ESE in ITE, even if more in retrospect and through improvisation than through foresight and technical prowess.