CoDeS Case Survey: A comparative analysis of CoDeS cases on school community collaboration for sustainable development

CoDeS is an EU-funded network formed by a group of European experts in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The global aim of the network is to share and disseminate experiences and knowledge on the collaboration of schools and
communities for ESD or Sustainable Development (SD). The people forming part of the network are from the field of teacher training, NGOs, local authorities, schools and research. One of CoDeS network’s aims is to compile and analyse a variety of
case studies of the collaboration of schools and communities for ESD or SD at an international level in order to create a space for reflection and to learn from them.

According to the CoDeS case study inquiry methodology developed in chapter 1 of this book, CoDeS created a learning environment where all network partners were able to engage into case study inquiry. In doing so they were encouraged through the network activities to identify relevant cases, collect information to document the cases, engage into analysis and reflection on the cases with network partners as well as outsiders, and write cases for dissemination in different formats such
as posters at CoDeS conferences, book chapters on CoDeS Tools for You, blogs in CoDeS Cases Blog, and communication in professional national and international conferences.

The CoDeS case survey included in this chapter is a comparative analysis of the 40 cases collected by CoDeS partners and external colleagues who participated in CoDeS activities between 2012 and 2014. The sample includes 28 cases which are
examples of CoDeS case universe as well as 12 CoDeS 360º reflective cases (Annex 1 and 2). The cases were written in different formats such as posters, blogs or papers and the comparative analysis took into consideration the following dimensions of the collaboration: approach and SD focus of the collaboration, schools and communities involved in the collaboration, type of collaboration and finally the value of the school community collaboration. The analysis undertaken was both quantitative and qualitative with the aim of drawing a global picture of the most relevant characteristics of CoDeS cases in relation to the collaboration between schools and communities for sustainable development.