Engaging Learners in Cooperative Learning Through Environmental and Cross-Cultural Activities

There is a definite intersection of targets and intentions between education for sustainable development (ESD) and cross-cultural education (CCE), since both ESD and CCE aspire to pursue and develop values such as equity, democracy and quality of life in a multicultural setting. Apart from their common philosophical basis, ESD and CCE endorse similar teaching methods, i.e. experiential and cooperative learning, and pursue the development of abilities such as research interest, critical thought and political awareness, with the intention to develop a learning community intrinsically connected with the wider community and society. This study aspires to explore the possibilities of cooperative learning to effectively promote the aims of both ESD and CCE. The children of a public school in Thessaloniki, Greece, were involved in this action research related to their local environment. The methodological tools used included walk mapping and landscape analysis charts combined with environmental assessment sheets. The ensuing discussion facilitates reflection on the prospects of cooperation in a class with a mixed ability population.