Should We Use Wood for Energy? An Education for Sustainable Development Case Study

Abstract

Local issues that combine economic, environmental, and equity impacts make excellent contexts for interdisciplinary teaching. An instructional unit, Should We Use Wood for Energy? A High School Education Program, was developed by the University of Florida's School of Forest Resources and Conservation to engage high school students in examining the possibility of using wood for energy in their community. This program incorporates the concept of sustainability into activities and engages students in applying critical and systems thinking skills. This case study provides an overview of the program, summarizes the pilot test results, and offers recommendations for future education for sustainable development programs.