Sustainability in education falls under the cross-curriculum priorities in AusVELS. Aligning with the general crux of the curriculum, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority suggests that students develop the knowledge and skills to act sustainably for the future. “Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living” (para. 2). Sustainability Education is further broken down into Organising Ideas and when considering teaching about the effects of consumerism, one could reflexively reflect on or explicitly outline the effect, justifiable under: Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems (OI.3). It could also become part of an investigation into our responsibilities as citizens in a global community (Civics and Citizenship). The Sustainability Curriculum Framework suggests years 3 to 6 should investigate an issue of sustainability, researching, planning and implementing action, the project I have undertaken here.
In reflection on the sustainability aspects of Australian curricula, and on my research so far, what is becoming clear to me is that consumer culture and waste is a vast issue, with problems that span across many areas: waste management, sustainable production, sustainable extraction and material sourcing, finite resources, e-waste, historical factors, social or societal impacts, cultural changes, etc. Because the issue is so vast, perhaps it would be more meaningful, rigorous, and produce a richer outcome if students developed research on a more targeted issue. Perhaps if proposing this investigation to my class, I would show them my own investigation, introducing them to a broad theme, and modelling those integral investigative behaviours, then allow them to choose part of the investigation to collaborate with me on thus providing a scaffolding for further student investigation.
References:
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2012) Sustainability. Retrieved from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/CrossCurriculumPriorities/Sustainability
Australian Government: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2010) Sustainability Curriculum Framework. Retrieved from http://leo.acu.edu.au/pluginfile.php/821796/mod_resource/content/1/curriculum-framework.pdf
The Sustainable Consumerist 