Sustainable development education draws upon many disciplines, including
environmental education, but is a discreet field because of its unique focus on
complex systems theory; its grounding in interdisciplinary research and processes, and
its applied research methods. Though many aspects of environmental education,
specifically ecology, also draw heavily upon complexity, sustainable development
education’s focus on the interaction between social and ecological systems requires a
much deeper understanding of both complexity and interdisciplinary thought.
Exposing students to problem-based applied learning helps to develop this
understanding as they struggle to use their knowledge in novel ways, a skill they
will need in their further involvement with sustainable development issues.