Networking for education for sustainable development in Austria: the Austrian ECOLOG-schools programme

Abstract

This case describes networking for education for sustainable development within the Austrian ECOLOG-schools network. The article presents theoretical concepts of networks in education in general, and the organization of the ECOLOG-network in particular. Based upon these foundations, the concept and results of a participatory evaluation study are described and reflected. The article closes with a summary of the evaluation process and with an outlook for the future development of the network. ECOLOG-schools have to deal with tensions between different interests and stakeholders within education for sustainable development and schooling. Spaces for exchange and reflection offered by the network support the ability to deal with these tensions constructively. The overall challenge of the network might be described as keeping momentum between structures and processes or, in other words, between stability and flow to enable the sustainable development of learning.

Keywords:

• networks in education
• education for sustainable development
• school development
• participatory evaluation

Notes

1. ECOLOG is the abbreviation for the Ecologization of Schools.

2. See www.oekolog.at (accessed 16 January 2016).