Educational Approaches for Environmental Sustainability

The planetary crisis, driven by abrupt climate change, calls for urgent action that integrates theory and practice. Environmental education has a crucial role to play in promoting change, advocated by scholars such as Bourdieu (1986) and Giddens (1990, 2009). This study examines how smart technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and virtual reality, can support teachers in environmental education. It examines Italian initiatives, including the metaverse-based courses at the University of Toronto and the AI-supported teaching activities of Didacta Italia 2023. Smart technologies are not neutral tools, but mediators that shape human-environment interactions, influencing behaviour and consumption patterns, in line with Latour’s (2005) theories. The study evaluates the integration of these tools into environmental education curricula for Italian secondary school students, enhancing learning and promoting sustainability awareness. The study also addresses ethical issues, drawing on discussions by Heidegger (1977) and Trotta et al. (1981, 2023) on AI ethics. By experimenting with these tools in student workshops, the research aligns with Habermas’s concept of “communicative action”, emphasising dialogue for a sustainable society. The results provide insights into balancing innovation and responsibility, contributing to the academic and practical discourse on environmental education and sustainable development.