ABSTRACT
Education for sustainable development is best accomplished with multidisciplinarity, active student participation, immersion in nature, experiential learning elements such as field study, a critical approach, holistic presentation, firm grounding in reality, and consideration of ethical issues on the personal, subjective, and sociocultural levels. Student agency in their education is valued by proponents of cultural-historical activity theory, experiential learning, and education for sustainable development. Sustainability is generally accepted to be the mode of existence in which present generations thrive such that future generations may have the same opportunities to thrive; or, the harmonious balance among industrial activity, environmental conservation, and social justice. Institutionalized thoughtfulness, or education, is a powerful tool in the hands of society. Education plays the important role in society of maintaining practical continuity within and among generations. However, society is constantly changing, so education serves a "transformative" function in which the educating generation attempts to improve the life of the generation receiving the education.
