August 2017: The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Global Goals Educator Task Force have developed materials to enhance public awareness of and to assist in instruction regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNITAR has announced a 2017 edition of its online course titled, ‘Introduction to the 2030 Agenda: A New Agenda for a Sustainable World.’ The five modules of this Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) address the following topics:
- Introduction to the post-2015 process and the origins of the 2030 Agenda;
- From the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the 2030 Agenda: a call for transformative action;
- The Sustainable Development Goals: policy integration and synergies;
- Leveraging resources, working with partners: the implementation of the 2030 Agenda; and
- Follow-up, review and data for the 2030 Agenda.
Each module is expected to take from two to five hours, and modules can be followed separately, if desired. UNITAR designed the course, which is available for free, to raise public awareness regarding the 2030 Agenda. [Webpage for Introduction to the 2030 Agenda course][UNITAR’s capacity for the 2030 Agenda webpage]
The Global Goals Educator Task Force is working to strengthen the voice of educators in SDG implementation discussions and to develop a database of educators who are responding to a call to action to meet the SDGs.
The Global Goals Educator Task Force is working in partnership with the UN to strengthen the voice of educators in SDG implementation discussions. The Task Force is also developing a database of global educators who are responding to a call to action within education to meet the SDGs, and creating a database of open and accessible resources, lesson plans and global projects aligned with the SDGs. The #TeachSDGs website contains teaching materials and lessons for the K-12 grade levels.
In the Task Force’s six month report to the UN, delivered on 20 July 2017, the following recommendations were offered in relation to supporting classrooms of teachers and students to contribute to efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030:
- Create a comprehensive curriculum of high quality lessons/resources for students grades K-12;
- Create a professional development program with diverse offerings for educators who are interested in learning how to bring the SDGs into their instruction;
- Increase the opportunities for speaking engagements at international conferences to share the value of teaching about the SDGs;
- Continue to participate in UN events to represent the educator voice; and
- Continue advocacy and outreach efforts to build and support the database of educators committing to teach about the SDGs in their classrooms.
The #TeachSDGs resources webpage provides links to access free, online courses regarding the SDGs, guides and program kits produced by a variety of organizations, and examples of educational projects. Links to instructional material related to each SDG are also provided. The #TeachSDGs twitter conversation highlights teaching tools and resources. [About the Global Goals Educator Task Force][#TeachSDGs resources for educators]
In addition, the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) is offering a foundational course on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September-October 2017. This online course will include live online sessions as well as self-paced learning. The course will introduce participants to conceptual and practical aspects of sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda, with modules addressing means of implementation, localization of the agenda, and review and follow-up framework. This course was developed by the UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development in partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and is offered for a reduced fee based on the contribution of Germany. [UNSSC Foundational Course on the 2030 Agenda]