NATURAL EDUCATION AND SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

On October 4-6, 2017, I-st International Scientific and Practical Conference "NATURAL EDUCATION AND SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS" took place. 192 representatives from 5 countries (Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, USA, Germany) participated in the conference, among which there were 4 scientific research institutions and 29 higher educational establishments of Ukraine and abroad, which are of III-IV levels of accreditation, institutions of general secondary and extracurricular education. The international status of the conference showed the urgency of the discussed issues and the need to exchange experience in the field of education and science for sustainable development.

Such a meeting is a unique opportunity for specialists to come together and discuss topical issues in the outline of the conference, among which:

1) scientific and educational support for the transition to sustainable (balanced) development,

2) the formation of an inclusive education system for sustainable development in Ukraine,

3) the use of innovations in pedagogical activities and the development of such a field as pedagogical valeology;

4) preservation of biotic and landscape diversity, rational use of natural resources of Ukraine;

5) organization of educational environmental protection activities by the institutions of the nature reserve fund of Ukraine;

6) implementation of the program "Education for Sustainable Development in Action" in the work of pre-school educational institutions, etc.

The conference participants noted that:

1. The paradigm of sustainable development today has no alternative and combines natural and humanitarian subjects into a single strategy of co-evolutionary balanced development of the "society-biosphere" system, that is: humanity to manage the planet so as to meet its socioeconomic needs and enable ecosystems to restore to ensure the further development of civilization. Focusing on sustainable development requires a complex reorganization of public life, including requirements for environmental protection, social justice and the absence of racial and ethnic discrimination, economic, managerial and socio-psychological aspects.

2. The main objectives of sustainable development are: the restoration and further preservation of the necessary extent and area of natural ecosystems and their capacity for self-reproduction; providing at the same time a proactive solution to the problem: economic, social, demographic and spiritual development; harmonization of economic development with economical capacity of ecosystems.

3. Education for sustainable development in a separate direction of educational activity becomes a mandatory property of the education itself, defines its purpose, is a means of achieving inclusive, equitable and quality education throughout life. This is evidenced by the new "Law on Education" and the Concept of a New Ukrainian School.

4. Ukraine is at the initial stage of the transition to sustainable development, at the stage of development and planning of complex environmental rehabilitation and ecological conversion of production. The process of moving Ukraine towards sustainable development is hampered by existing social disparities that stratify society; the lack of a sustainable development oriented single national policy in the field of education, culture and science; consumer attitude to natural resources and armed

4.1. Ukrainian higher education institutions should not discuss, but implement the new law "On Education", adhere to the recommendations of the Concept of the New Ukrainian School as for the formation of a new critical thinking and eco-oriented teacher who has fundamental knowledge, integral, general and professional competence for the implementation of the strategy of sustainable development ;

4.2. In natural and physical and mathematical education it is necessary to widely use the methodology of fundamentalization of education, synergy of self-organization, co-evolution, information technologies, person oriented and competent teaching, active teaching methods, optimization of pedagogical communication;

Taking into account the relevance, the theoretical and practical value of the proposals set forth in the reports and speeches at the plenary and sectional sessions, the participants of the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Natural Education and Science for Sustainable Development of Ukraine: Problems and Prospects" decided:

1. To implement the ideas of sustainable development in school and higher education by means of ecologization of content of all educational disciplines and organization of special thematic programs;
2. to strengthen the connection between disciplines of natural sciences and socio-economic cycles of training of specialists with higher education;
3. To develop the system of formation of an active lifestyle of school pupils and students in the field of ecological culture and ethics;
4. To recommend to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to launch contests on methodological developments of teachers and creative works of school students on sustainable development issue, at the next conference to award winners of this contest.