Transforming Sustainability Education at the Creative Edge of the Mainstream: A Case Study of Schumacher College

Mainstream westernised educational policy and practice continue to be firmly rooted in ontological and epistemological traditions that reflect what Gregory Bateson referred to as the illusion of our separation from the living world. In response, there has been a flourishing of innovation at the levels of educational philosophy, curriculum, and pedagogy, drawing upon various indigenous and countercultural trends. For the most part, these are being fully expressed only outside of the formally accredited educational system. There are, however, a small number of pioneering centres of holistic educational innovation that are straddling this divide, operating within conventionally accredited systems. This article seeks to profile one such institution, Schumacher College in Devon, England. This article describes its principles; innovations in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment; and its approach to supporting transformative learning. Possible strategies are outlined for such institutions on the creative edge of the mainstream to help transform sustainability education