TEXTOS REFLEXIVOS EN REDES INTERNACIONALES DE EDUCACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE: ANÁLISIS DEL LENGUAJE EVALUATIVO DESDE LA TEORÍA DE LA VALORACIÓN.

Abstract

This research examines the evaluation activities that took place within an international Comenius Lifelong Learning Network on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), called SUPPORT, “Partnership and Participation for a Sustainable Tomorrow”. The SUPPORT project ran from 2007 to 2010 and the network was established in order to address the need to enhance the quality of educational practices and materials in line with the challenges of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). Interaction and cooperation between key stakeholders and best practice exchange was facilitated by three different kinds of SUPPORT events: Special Events, Thematic Conferences and Partner Meetings. The evaluation framework of SUPPORT is consistent with the ‘socio-critical paradigm’, which takes into account the common ESD values shared by the participants, their vision of the ‘quality’ they wanted to achieve through the SUPPORT network._x000D_ This research aims to identify and compare the evaluative language used in the reflective activity reports (hereafter RAR) written by those involved in the SUPPORT Network. RARs were one of the tools used to evaluate SUPPORT activities with their aim being to promote a reflective review by those organising and coordinating activities. This research is based on a sample of 13 RARs that resulted from 11 out of the 15 activities held within the SUPPORT network. The general questions considered by this research are: (a) how is evaluative language used and constructed when writing about activities within an international network on ESD by using reflective reports (b) how does the evaluative language differ between different network activities?, and (c) how does the evaluative language change and develop over the timescale and development of the network?_x000D_ The theoretical and methodological framework of this research is based on the vision of language developed from social semiotics in Appraisal Theory. From this approach 'Semantic domains on ESD networks' were identified and used to structure the analysis of the use of evaluative language in the RARs. Three domains were identified: Appraisal semantic domains, Semantic domains on ESD and Semantic domains of the structure of written text. _x000D_ The results of this work show that the structure of an RAR varies as a result of a number of factors including: the type of activity on which the text reflects, the professional background of the author and the role the author played in the network. The contents of the ESD varied according to each SUPPORT event. The Special Events played an important role in constructing new visions and knowledge of ESD. The Thematic Conferences encouraged a good learning climate. The Partner Meetings stressed the importance of a comfortable space for discussion and an adequate time to work. RAR discourse is able to express feelings and in allowing the statement of clear positions adopted by their authors. _x000D_ In conclusion, reflective reports in international networks on ESD show the construction of a new shared knowledge on ESD. While this new knowledge is constructed, open discourse to other views starts to close. This is consistent with the increasing maturity of a network. Therefore, through being aware of the open evaluative discourse to alternative voices in an international network of ESD, it is possible to recognize the level of maturity of a network and the level of constructed knowledge on ESD.

Date of Award	24 Jul 2015
Original language	Spanish
Supervisor	Maria Espinet Blanch (Director) & Isabel Gomes Rodrigues Martins (Director)