Resources for Education for Sustainability

Clarifications of Achievement Standards

For each level 2 and 3 Education for Sustainability standard, the basis of a sustainable future is outlined in Explanatory Note 3 (EN3). Students should be aware of this and use it when responding to all standards.

Several standards require or permit students to work in groups (AS 90810, 90815, 90828, 90832) . It would be helpful for moderation purposes if teachers included information on the size and formation of the groups. Experience indicates that groups of four or fewer are more effective.

AS90810 Plan, implement and evaluate a personal action that will contribute towards a sustainable future 

Students are asked to plan their action with detailed steps for Merit. It is more appropriate to write a plan at the beginning of the process and then show why and how changes were made. These details could be recorded in the logbook.

Students should be asked to evaluate the effects of their action i.e. how does or will their action contribute to a sustainable future. Part 2 of the evaluation requires students to identify their own personal response to the action (EN 4).

AS90811 Describe the consequences of human activity within a biophysical environment in relation to a sustainable future

Students are required to identify the biophysical systems that affect or are affected by the activity they choose. This means that the ecosystems of the area must be described to cover the "bio" part.

For example:

• fish farming - describe the food webs that would normally occupy that part of the harbour, hydrological systems (water flow, clarity etc) and probably geology and/or land use
• farming - describe ecosystems affected by the farm and whatever systems impacted most on the farm. This would be different for a Canterbury dairy farm compared to an East Coast North Island sheep station.

AS90813 Describe values and associated behaviours in relation to a sustainable future

This standard requires students to link people's values and attitudes to their behaviour. Students generally need to be prompted to discuss these links.

AS90815 Work cooperatively to develop and present a strategy or design for sustainability in response to a future scenario

EN 8 requires teachers to make observations on students' contributions to their group. A coverage sheet to record this should be included as part of the assessment schedule. Giving the students the opportunity to decide on the criteria for this sheet in an open discussion will help them recognise the types of contributions they will be expected to make.

Students are required to keep a learning journal. Some teachers have drawn up templates for students to fill in each lesson. Where a template or starter sentences are used, it is important that they meet the criteria in the standard and allow room for students to report creatively on what happens in each lesson.

The standard requires students to develop a strategy to implement a process or technology that will contribute to sustainability within a future scenario that they are given. A strategy is defined as "a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan". Students need to detail the steps to implement their strategy as well as justify their choice.

Last updated: 19 May 2009