Ecoliteracy: First principles for radical change

Photo: Azul Thome

22 March – 1 April, 2010

One and two week options

Teachers on this programme include: Fritjof Capra (teaching via video link), Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Satish Kumar, Emily Ryan (course facilitator), Anne Miller, Jon Rae, Jonathan Crinion, Martin Crawford, Oliver Greenfield, Mark Burton, Gill Wyatt For full details and biogs of course teachers, click here.

Course now open for bookings.

Already booked on the course? Click here for course resources

NB. Week two of this course will begin on a Sunday and complete on a Thursday to account for a UK Bank Holiday on the Friday directly following.

Course overview

Transforming the way we live on the planet is vital, and to do that we need a whole new set of skills that enable us to act effectively in a complex world. Fundamental to this is the ability to understand ecosystems, society and people in a holistic context which mirrors the interdependence found in the natural world.

Finding a way to do this through a systematic approach is a unifying narrative for all Schumacher College activities. Ecoliteracy: First Principles for Radical Change will enable students to appreciate and understand what an ecological world view is and how it can be applied in their lives and work.

This course offers an opportunity for those wanting to make a real difference in their lives and work through a deep understanding of theory and practice in this area. In the first week, participants will explore the elements of an ecological world view focusing on key concepts such as self-organisation, resilience, connectivity and adaptation. In the second week, they will look at how these concepts can be applied in areas such as design, social activism, energy and food production to support the transition to an ecoliterate future.

Photo by Daniel Thistlethwaite

Week 1 (Monday – Friday)

Topics to be covered include:

Teachers include: Fritjof Capra (teaching via video link), Stephan Harding, Philip Franses, Oliver Greenfield, Mark Burton, Gill Wyatt

Week 2 (Sunday – Thursday)

Topics to be covered include:

Teachers include: Anne Miller, Satish Kumar, Jonathan Crinion, Martin Crawford

Photograph: Daniel Thistlethwaite

For full details and biogs of course teachers, click here.

This course is intended for: Everyone who wants to engage with ecoliteracy and a deep understanding of why and how it can help transform our way of living and working. This course acts as a stand alone programme but is also an exciting introduction to any other Schumacher course in specialist areas such as new economics, business, design and science. Through this course, those new to Schumacher College can gain a foundation in the central themes of the college. Schumacher alumni have the opportunity to reconnect with holistic thinking in a new context.

What is Ecoliteracy?

Fritjof Capra defines ecoliteracy as follows: The great challenge of our time is to build and nurture sustainable communities …The first step in this endeavor is to understand the principles of organisation that ecosystems have developed to sustain the web of life. This understanding is what we call ecological literacy. Teaching this ecological knowledge will be the most important role of education in this century.

That our society is not sustainable in so many ways is self-evident. Most examples result from the optimisation of one or a few aspects of a system without appreciation of the whole. Learning to think and feel your way into an ecological world view is a big undertaking, but it has never been more important that we begin this process.

We need to change our relationship to nature and the basis of how we study science, economics, business and psychology, in order develop a systemic understanding of how to address current ecological and social challenges. Since 1991, Schumacher College has been running courses that explore, from a range of perspectives, the foundations of an ecological world view, in the belief that if we are to live sustainably on the planet we need to change at a deep level.

Anne Miller: Similar principles underpin both ecoliteracy and creativity: Intuition, questioning, seeing the big picture and recognising diversity are all as valuable for encouraging creativity as they are aspects of ecoliteracy. My teaching on this course will explore how to develop your creativity and use it in addressing ecological problems.

Oliver Greenfield: I see ecoliteracy as the understanding of the interactions between natural systems and human systems. This understanding is important so that we can change the human systems of specifically economy, finance, food, housing, transport and energy, in order that we can live sustainably and well, whilst at the same time maintaining and improving the health of natural systems and the diversity of life.

Mark Burton: The rapid expansion of human economic activity has taken place without regard to our dependence on the world around us or to any limits of that world. Rather than the narrow focus of the western economy on increasing financial returns, ecoliteracy gives us a more holistic perspective compelling us to organise the economy in ways consistent with ecological principles and with the purpose of systemic well being.

Emily Ryan: In Ecoliteracy, First Principles for Radical Change, course participants explore a diverse range of theoretical and practical approaches to building a foundation of ecological literacy. The course is designed to have a “something for everyone” feel, with a balance of conceptual and experiential material that is both challenging and inspiring. Perhaps most importantly, participants are invited to inquire into their own unique understanding of ecoliteracy and to experience for themselves what it means to gain knowledge and wisdom into how to live as a part of, rather than apart from, the web of life. They are supported in this endeavor by a community made up of their fellow participants and the entire network of college teachers and staff. Schumacher College is able to offer this potent opportunity for embodied knowledge because it integrates ecoliteracy into every aspect of its learning environment.

Satish Kumar: These days children know and recognise logos and brand names of big companies such as Coca Cola, McDonalds, Nike, Adidas but how many children can recognise trees and differentiate between oak, elm and ash? How many children can recognise and differentiate between wheat, barley and oats? There is a great lack of knowledge about the natural world, if you don’t know nature how are we going to love nature and if we don’t love nature how are we going to respect her and protect her? Therefore knowledge of the eco system is an imperative for a sustainable future. In my talk I will explore how important and significant nature studies are in schools and universities.

Jonathan Crinion: We tend to see ecological systems as something ‘out there’, as opposed to seeing ourselves as part of a combined social-ecological system. Ecological literacy is about making this link.

“An excellent balance between theory and practice, learning, living and doing.” Course participant, Ecoliteracy: First principles for radical change, October 2009


Transformative educational space to think outside the box: Schumacher College

The course takes place within the holistic educational model promoted at Schumacher College, where practical work, meditation and the development of community are all important parts of the learning experience. Participants, teachers and staff work together to combine and learn from diverse experiences and knowledge. The context of individual and group learning provides a powerful platform for deep and holistic engagement with transformative learning for sustainable living.

The College attracts a diverse participant groups. Our experience has shown that there is also much knowledge within the course participant group, which means that a great deal of learning takes place outside of the actual teaching sessions. For more information about Schumacher College click here.

Eve Annecke, co-founder and director of the Sustainability Insitute in South Africa has been an occasional short course participant at Schumacher College. Seven other members of the Sustainability Institute team recently attended Ecoliteracy: First principals for radical change. Hundreds of miles away from the Sustainability Institute in both distance and context, she talks about the work at Schumacher College as being deeply influential. “In all the creative work we have done in the last 10 years the work we have done with Schumacher has been one of the highlights.” Read more of Ecology and Equity: Transformational learning from Schumacher College and the Sustainability Institute

Course Fees

For businesses: One week £1,200, Two week £1,800

For individuals, NGOs, Educational & Public Sector Organisations: One week £700, Two week £1,300

All course fees include accommodation, food, field trips and all teaching sessions.

Apply

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Schumacher College

Discounts
10% for residents of South West England
20% with five or more people coming from the same organisation on the same course

(only one discount applicable per booking)

For further information about Schumacher College please see About the College

Reserve your place now

To provisionally reserve a place for 5 days, email us your contact details and the name of the course admin@schumachercollege.org.uk

We will hold the place for five working days for reservations – three weeks before a course or earlier. After five days we will automatically offer your place to someone else if we have not received your application.

Schumacher College is part of the Dartington Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and as a charity (company no. 1485560, charity no. 279756). Registered office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL, UK.