An Introduction to the 17 UNSDGs: Personal Reading

The UNSDGs call for global thought and local action. They must be adopted and integrated, considering the people's culture, needs, and readiness for change in each country. The initiatives in Thailand, as explained in the text, ' Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: Thailand's Path towards Sustainable Development Goals, were praiseworthy and exciting. There were lessons and examples that social organizations and governments could emulate. 

Micro-efforts by various organizations in Thailand toward achieving the! 7 SDGs were a testament to the government's dedication to the UN Mandate around the Sustainable Development Goals. The enjoyable efforts in Thailand around the SDGs led me to explore more literature on the topic, specifically from the point of view of education.

I found a 2020 UN document on "Education for Sustainable Development: A Roadmap." This document expounded the pathways in which school could work toward creating greater awareness and knowledge for action around the 17 SDGs.

My mind began to savor the exciting possibilities that could emerge from a possible training program for teachers on the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the curriculum. ESD can encourage students to think critically about micro-solutions that could lead to better stewardship of the earth's resources and genuine respect for the connectedness of all humanity. Shouldn't schools help form students who are global citizens who feel responsible for each other?

I am in the process of crafting a four-course program called “Leadership for Sustainability.” The main objective of this course is to empower K-12 school leaders and teachers with the understanding and the tools needed for developing curricular designs to nurture sustainability within their schools. The outcome that I envision from this program is that each school becomes a microcosm where sustainable development is valued and treasured.

Ph. D. Standard 7

Program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to cultivate relationships with members of the business, civic, and policy community in support of their advocacy for the organization and larger community needs.