Study on Learning for Sustainability and digital education in primary and secondary schools : synergies, challenges, opportunities : final report

The European Union seeks to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies to advance its vision for a sustainable future and has called for the green and digital transitions to be attained jointly. The EU Commission's report 'Towards a Green and Digital Future' (2022) examined how the 'twin' transitions can be mutually reinforcing and identifies stepping stones that can help to align pathways. However, the report also recognises that these two priorities are not entirely complementary. Tensions add a layer of complexity to twinning efforts and are increasingly visible within schools and colleges that are seeking to advance green and digital agendas. This study investigates the relationship between learning for sustainability and digital education in formal education settings, seeking to identify synergies, challenges, and opportunities for practitioners and policy makers. It proposes pathways for harnessing digital technologies in support of learning for sustainability and in ways that can contribute to improving learner outcomes in schools. Specifically, it seeks to offer insights into how best to combine educational policy, action and investment in these areas. The report reviews the limited number of authoritative documents that exist on the twin transitions in education but that have nevertheless set a course for the sector. It identifies policy goals and priorities as well as ways to combine these agendas in schools. It also looks at the growing body of evidence that considers the value, opportunities and issues arising from the practice of sustainability and digital education in schools. Further insights were gathered from case studies as well as from the engagement of education experts. Together, these inputs help provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the emerging relationship between digital and sustainability education.