UNU IAS Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE)

1. Promoting innovative collaboration in schools, locally and towards global learning space ofUNU IAS RCEsNuutinen Anna Maaria 1, Immonen-Orpana Paivi 2, Ahlberg Mauri 31City of Espoo, Espoo, Finland mari.nuutinen@gmail.com2Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Espoo, Finland paivi.Immonen-orpana@laurea.fi3University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland mauri.ahlberg@helsinki.fi

2. Narratives are important in teaching, learning and research: UNU IAS RCE Espoo has its history. In 2005-2006 Mauri Åhlberg and Taina Kaivola applied for UNU IAS RCE Greater Helsinki. This application was not successful. During 2009 – 2011, Mari Nuutinen and Päivi Immonen-Orpana (members of Åhlberg’s R&D Group) succeeded in their application for UNU IAS RCE Espoo. They were able to get needed political committment, money and broad social engagement. • Prof. Mauri Åhlberg is a member of the official supervising group of UNU IAS RCE Espoo

3. UNU IAS Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) Definition: ”An RCE is a network of existing formal, non-formal and informal education organisations, mobilised to deliver education for sustainable development (ESD) to local and regional communities." (NOTE: From ”whole school approach” to ’a whole regional community approach’.) ”A network of RCEs worldwide will constitute the Global Learning Space for Sustainable Development.” Neglected?: Shared cumulative digital collaborative knowledge building platforms like Knowledge Forum or Facebook etc? (E.g. UN Decade of Biodiversity (2011 – 2020) has a Fb page.)

4. ”RCEs aspire to achieve the goals of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005-2014), by translating its global objectives into the context of the local communities in which they operate." – A chance for UNU IAS RCEs?: UN Decade of Biodiversity (2011 – 2020) Neglected?: The core of sustainability: Sustainable use of local and regional biosphere and its biodiversity.

5. The core elements of an RCE 1. "Governance - addressing issues of RCE management and leadership" 2. "Collaboration - addressing the engagement of actors from all levels of formal, non-formal and informal education" 3. "Research and development - addressing the role of research and its inclusion in RCE activities, as well as contributing to the design of strategies for collaborative activities, including those with other RCEs.” - A missing theme?: Learning to use local biodiversity sustainably. 4. "Transformative education - contributing to the transformation of the current education and training systems to satisfy ambitions of the region regarding sustainable living and livelihood." – A TASK: To promote learning to use local biodiversity sustainably.

6. Prof. Mauri Åhlberg (in English: Ahlberg) FLS (1) Professor of Biology and Sustainability Education, Univ. of Helsinki http://www.helsinki.fi/people/mauri.ahlberg (2) Research Director of NatureGate Online Services http://www.naturegate.net (3) Expert member of IUCN CEC http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/cec/?2614/ (4) Senior Advisor of ENSI, one of the world's leading EE and ESD programs http://www.ensi.org/Members/Senior_Advisors/ (5) Visiting Professor at Exeter University: http://education.exeter.ac.uk/pages.php?id=598 BLOG: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/maahlber/author/maahlber/ FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/people/Mauri-Ahlberg/100000393951781 • MOTTO: "Probably, Internet is the biggest infrastructure created by humankind. It'll make possible fast, meaningful, collaborative learning for humanity."

7. UNU IAS RCE Espoo, R&D, including design experiments: (1) inquiry-based learning and (2) cumulative both personal and collaborative knowledge building and learning (3) Dialogue for truth, good environment and sustainability (truth and sustainability seeking dialogue)

8. In the following new textbook, concept mapping and Vee heuristics are presented as tools for teaching, learning and research: Visualizing Social Science Research: Maps, Methods, & Meaning Johannes WheeldonWashington State University & Mauri K. AhlbergUniversity of Helsinki July 2011   224 pages   SAGE Publications, Inc   Paperback ISBN: 9781412991049 $29.95  - NOTE: Concept mapping promotes shared understanding, Vee heuristic promotes thinking of values, priorities, e.g. Value basis, value claims

9. United Nations Decade on Biodiversity on Facebook Mauri Ahlberg • Humans (Homo sapiens) are totally dependent on sustainable use of biodiversity: http://www.luontoportti.com/su​omi/en/ NatureGate: www.luontoportti.com Identifying wild flowers and other species made easy! Presented in eight languages, with accurate texts and thousands of images. IUCN CEC: http://www.iucn.org/about/​union/commissions/cec/?261​4%2F 7 hours ago · Like

10. There are plans for digital mapping of local and regional organisms by school children and other citizens using NatureGate for identification and as the provider of mapping platform. – Monetary and other resources are under negotiations. • The first tested step is to create digital herbaria and to use digital mapping of digital photos of organisms and their habitats. • This may promote school colaboration.

11. NatureGate helps both natives and immigrants to learn about their local nature and to appreciate it, enjoy it and to use it sustainably. ( also a part of multicultural education) • NatureGate fasilitates healthy interaction of younger and elderly generations providing a shared interest. (promoting socially sustainable development) • NatureGate can be used as a green infrastucture for sustainable economy like sustainable nature tourism and organic farming providing knowledge of invasive species, weeds, edible plants etc.

12. Thank you!