9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
[U08-03] The process of the ESD platform creation from the case study of RCE Hyogo-Kobe, JAPAN
★Invited Papers
Keywords:ESD, ESD Platform, Self-directed Learner, RCE (Regional Center of Expertise on ESD), Hyogo, JAPAN
The UNU-IAS launched a global multi-stakeholder global network: RCE (Regional Center of Expertise on ESD) for promoting ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) since 2003, there are about 180 RCEs in the world. The RCE is one of the models of the partnership for SD (Goal 17) of SDGs. RCE Hyogo-Kobe was approved in 2007, which secretariat is Kobe university. RCE Hyogo-Kobe arranges activities related to ESD of Hyogo, Kobe area in the basic idea that “ESD has been already performed in each area”. This organization makes it a principle to collaboration, cooperation, and conjunction. In this presentation, the process of platform creation of RCE Hyogo-Kobe will be focused on.
In this presentation, the platform is a mechanism that aims to break through the limits of efforts by a single person and utilize various social resources in combination and is a basic mechanism for creating connections. Individuals and groups can gather as needed, and the combination of members that change from time to time and the gathering of the members to collaborate is called a "Ba(place)" or "platform".
The process of the platform creating in RCE Hyogo-Kobe has consisted of three stages. The first stage was in 2007 when the "ESD Volunteer Development Program Promotion Project (Boraban Project)" was started. Boraban Project consisted of the home program and trip program, which supported growing members as self-directed learners (Kobayashi et al., 2010). This trip program has been taken over as the current ESD Study Tour Program in 2015, which was the second stage. The ESD Study Tour Program is a practice carried out by members belonging to RCE Hyogo-Kobe. Events that anyone can participate in as volunteers are uploaded to the ESD Study Tour Program website, and it has become a system where you can apply on the web. The difference from the trip program of Boraban project is that the former matching was on paper or face-to-face, while the latter matching was on the website and E-mail. Matching on the website has made it possible for potential learners of ESD (university and high school students as well as the general public, anyone) to check ESD events anytime, anywhere, and to apply for participation at any time. It is to make it easier to enter the entrance to ESD. Also, the feature of this program is that events in various fields of ESD (environmental conservation, human rights, town development, etc.) are prepared. The field of ESD is not limited to the field of environmental conservation. The problem with this program was that this website wasn't always viewed by anyone, and even if a lot of events were uploaded, it wasn't used very often, so potential learners of ESD were not motivated to select and join an event. Thus, it was necessary to increase the number of registered events to solve this problem. Besids, It was necessary to translate the interestingness of the event into potential learners of ESD and coordinate it to invite them to the event. Therefore, an organization called ESD platform WILL (WILL) was newly established in 2019, which was the third stage. It is organized around the younger generation and is a platform for the younger generation to improve their readiness toward practices. On the other hand, there are around 100 members in RCE Hyogo-kobe, but they do not understand what they are doing. Therefore, we started the ESD talk in 2021. Members of RCE Hyogo-kobe introduce their activities, which will be an opportunity for WILL members to seek out the interestingness and the motivation to join events.
It is important that the platform does not have the unified will and consistent command that characterize the organization, and it brings people together under a purpose or mission constructed by members. In the case of the ESD platform, the purpose is ESD, and the mission is various practical activities to promote ESD. It is worthwhile to decide the detail of practical activities together. It is also important that the members of the ESD platform are free to enter and leave, the projects are diverse, and there are various participants. From the learner's point of view, this place has a wide range of choices regarding the program, degree of participation. The nature of ESD platform makes it easier for learners to stay connected even when they get lost or stop, and guarantees fluctuations, reflections, and continuity of activities during learning. By ensuring freedom of entry and exit, diverse projects, and diverse participants, "something new" can be "planned with a different member" and "stimulation can be obtained from new points of encounter." The role of the secretariat is to maintain these characteristics will affect the quality of the ESD platform.
In this presentation, the platform is a mechanism that aims to break through the limits of efforts by a single person and utilize various social resources in combination and is a basic mechanism for creating connections. Individuals and groups can gather as needed, and the combination of members that change from time to time and the gathering of the members to collaborate is called a "Ba(place)" or "platform".
The process of the platform creating in RCE Hyogo-Kobe has consisted of three stages. The first stage was in 2007 when the "ESD Volunteer Development Program Promotion Project (Boraban Project)" was started. Boraban Project consisted of the home program and trip program, which supported growing members as self-directed learners (Kobayashi et al., 2010). This trip program has been taken over as the current ESD Study Tour Program in 2015, which was the second stage. The ESD Study Tour Program is a practice carried out by members belonging to RCE Hyogo-Kobe. Events that anyone can participate in as volunteers are uploaded to the ESD Study Tour Program website, and it has become a system where you can apply on the web. The difference from the trip program of Boraban project is that the former matching was on paper or face-to-face, while the latter matching was on the website and E-mail. Matching on the website has made it possible for potential learners of ESD (university and high school students as well as the general public, anyone) to check ESD events anytime, anywhere, and to apply for participation at any time. It is to make it easier to enter the entrance to ESD. Also, the feature of this program is that events in various fields of ESD (environmental conservation, human rights, town development, etc.) are prepared. The field of ESD is not limited to the field of environmental conservation. The problem with this program was that this website wasn't always viewed by anyone, and even if a lot of events were uploaded, it wasn't used very often, so potential learners of ESD were not motivated to select and join an event. Thus, it was necessary to increase the number of registered events to solve this problem. Besids, It was necessary to translate the interestingness of the event into potential learners of ESD and coordinate it to invite them to the event. Therefore, an organization called ESD platform WILL (WILL) was newly established in 2019, which was the third stage. It is organized around the younger generation and is a platform for the younger generation to improve their readiness toward practices. On the other hand, there are around 100 members in RCE Hyogo-kobe, but they do not understand what they are doing. Therefore, we started the ESD talk in 2021. Members of RCE Hyogo-kobe introduce their activities, which will be an opportunity for WILL members to seek out the interestingness and the motivation to join events.
It is important that the platform does not have the unified will and consistent command that characterize the organization, and it brings people together under a purpose or mission constructed by members. In the case of the ESD platform, the purpose is ESD, and the mission is various practical activities to promote ESD. It is worthwhile to decide the detail of practical activities together. It is also important that the members of the ESD platform are free to enter and leave, the projects are diverse, and there are various participants. From the learner's point of view, this place has a wide range of choices regarding the program, degree of participation. The nature of ESD platform makes it easier for learners to stay connected even when they get lost or stop, and guarantees fluctuations, reflections, and continuity of activities during learning. By ensuring freedom of entry and exit, diverse projects, and diverse participants, "something new" can be "planned with a different member" and "stimulation can be obtained from new points of encounter." The role of the secretariat is to maintain these characteristics will affect the quality of the ESD platform.