Exnovations and Innovations in the Field of Transformative Education: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Schools

Education plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene. Schools are therefore called upon to empower students to actively participate in sustainable social and ecological transformation. Building on the pedagogical concept of “Bildsamkeit” (malleability), which emphasizes the openness of human development in relational contexts, this paper examines how education for sustainable development (ESD) can promote transformative learning and sustainable action. A conceptual triad of knowledge and strategies, transformative learning processes, and action is presented as a framework for designing learning environments that support the sustainable development of students’ potential. We argue that transformative learning involves critical reflection on existing structures of meaning, leading to lasting changes in perspective, self-understanding, and capacity for action. Sustainable entrepreneurship education, particularly through the design thinking concept, is presented as an effective pedagogical approach to enabling such transformative experiences. The “Start-up Schools: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Schools” project, which is being implemented in German schools, serves as a clear example. Initial insights into student portfolios suggest that this project could foster experiences of self-efficacy, critical thinking, and ethical awareness in the context of sustainability challenges. These exemplary excerpts suggest that learner-centered, participatory, and action-oriented educational formats can promote individual potential and support social change. To achieve this, a conscious departure from established teaching and learning scenarios would be helpful, a concept that can also be described as “exnovation.” This paper seeks to demonstrate that integrating sustainable entrepreneurship into school education could be a promising way to foster the transformative skills necessary for shaping a sustainable future.