The present paper puts forth a proposal for developing an ecological and holistic outlook for the language courses delivered to students in a University of Life sciences and natural sciences, by engaging with current research in an interdisciplinary manner. From an eco-holistic perspective, an expanded educational paradigm should include systems thinking, a holistic outlook across a range of topics of interest to students of languages for specific purposes (English for Life Sciences), as well as an understanding of complexity and the interrelatedness of phenomena. Such a project should target ethical self-development and ecological value-system development, which should not be limited to the training of skills for the employment market. As the global value systems are showing signs of crisis, we have to strive for a holistic repositioning of values, as well as for a restorative, healing cultural framework. We cannot hope to achieve a healthy society unless we include the development of interpersonal skills, sane communicative abilities, co-adaptive participation, and coherent management of one’s worldview. Our main aim as educators is to help students create a sustainable world by partnering with and learning from natural systems, which would be mutually beneficial. Thereby, the scope of truly holistic education must include the need to raise awareness of ecosystems which support life in communicative interrelatedness.

communication skills, English for Life Sciences, ecology, sustainable holistic education.

biology

Presentation: poster