Education for sustainability : innovative learning experiences for middle year students on a tropical island

"A once in a lifetime experience!' exclaimed students, parents and teachers involved in the first extended residential program for eighteen Year 6 and 7 students at North Keppel Island Environmental Education Centre in Queensland, Australia held in 2005. Surrounded by the waters of the world heritage Great Barrier Reef, and located on a national park island some ten kilometres from the coast, the setting provided and comprehensively planned program provided a unique learning environment. NKIEEC completes its first ten years of operation in 2006 and provides a very rich environment for education for sustainability. For example, the Centre is Australia's second largest stand-alone alternative energy site, it must maximise water conservation with its relatively low rainfall regime, and being on a National Park needs to effectively manage waste. Learning is the program focussed on reconnecting participants with nature and addressing thirteen Action statements of the Queensland Department of Education's Middle Phase of Learning State School Action Plan (2004). This paper examines the program and how it has impacted on student and community learning that includes action plans developed by the participating students. Real learning gains in authentic settings where pedagogy, curriculum and assessment aligned were evidenced in the program that provides a case study to further inform learning and teaching practices.