Chapter 6: Learning to Act: Smithsonian Science for Global Goals and Empowering Young People to Develop a Habit of Considered Action-Taking

Many of the ambitious goals specified by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require concerted action at all levels, including local ones. To be successful, SDG-related education (Goal 4) needs to both inspire and inform this action (Sterling, 2016). In this chapter, we describe the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project and the conceptual basis for its learning model—the Global Goals Action Progression—developed to guide young people (ages 8–17 in or out of school) to self-determined actions by making them true partners for the goals as laid out in Goal 17. We also propose an “action continuum” for young people to move from initial executed actions, to informed, connected, and ultimately considered actions. Through considered actions, young people become advocates, partners, and stakeholders in the realization of the SDGs. Drawing on action-oriented frameworks found in global citizenship, socioscientific education, social studies education, participatory action research, and education for sustain able development, and utilizing inquiry-based science education as a foundation for action-oriented education, we argue for the necessity of viewing young people as partners for the goals as they take direct action on SDG-related topics across multiple domains—cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral. To guide this process, we share examples of enactment from the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project, which focuses on empowering young people to support the realization of the SDGs by identifying and engaging in local actions and connecting these local actions to global impact.