Foodweb Education

 Foodweb Education is a gardens-based program that is currently developing a framework that teaches and reinforces fundamental ecological patterns such as energy flow and matter cycles. It aims to provide students with not just a set of behaviours, but tools for conscious adaptation within natural limits and a deep understanding of the processes that sustain life. By applying and contextualising lessons during hands on food gardening activities students get to experience the patterns they are studying as well as develop life long practical skills for resilience.

Foodweb Education framework includes:

Foodweb Pedagogy – standards for preparation and instruction.
Learning Space – the areas, both real and virtual for pedagogy to play out in.
School Integration – linking with curriculum and community to build a relevant and indispensable program.
Themes – the patterns used to develop thinking tools for resilience and sustainability.
Activities – the practical component, how to engage students and provide experiential and meaningful learning opportunities.
Content – objects and organisms that provide essential observational, investigative and practical examples for students.

Here is an aritcle outlining the basic approach and goals of the framework that we published in the Victorian Association of Environmental Educators Journal - Eingana called Patterns from Ecosystem Ecology: energy flow and matter cycling in Sustainabilty Education (page 22).

We also have a blog called A Recipe for Resilience that provides an insight into the Foodweb program.