scholarly journals Analysis of Sustainability Activities in Spanish Elementary Education Textbooks

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 5182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón Martínez-Medina ◽  
José C. Arrebola

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets up education as a fundamental tool to educate and raise awareness of the importance of sustainable development; thus, education in schools must fulfill this purpose. Regarding to Primary Education in Spain, legislation establishes that sustainability must be addressed in a transversal manner, although it is explicitly mentioned in the curriculum as content to be addressed by the social sciences subject. Given that, in practice, textbooks are one of the most used tools by teachers, in this paper, we analyse the treatment given to sustainability by the activities of the textbooks of social sciences in Primary Education of the main Spanish publishers, from two perspectives: analysis of cognitive complexity and study of the subtopic regarding sustainability addressed in each activity. For the analysis of cognitive complexity of activities, Bloom’s taxonomy (six cognitive categories) and Costa’s questioning levels (three levels of questioning) were used. The results reveal an abundance of cognitively simple activities, along with a shortage of cognitively complex activities. The most addressed subtopics are environmental problems and recycling.

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willy Ngaka

AbstractThis paper explores some of the factors that limit the effectiveness of Uganda’s mother tongue-based education policy, where instruction in lower primary classes is provided in the mother tongue. Using socio-cultural and ethnographic lenses, the paper draws from the experiences of a study implemented by a Ugandan NGO in one primary school in Arua district. Findings revealed weaknesses in implementation of the MTBE policy, highlighting deficiencies in the training of teachers, and lack of sensitization of local communities to the value of MTBE. The study also highlights the need for greater involvement of many kinds of stakeholder, and in particular, it focuses on how communities can be encouraged to work together with schools. A clearer understanding of what literacy involves, and how subjects can be taught in poorly-resourced communities, can be gained by considering the contribution of funds of local knowledge and modes of expression that build on local cultural resources. However, the strategies proposed are insufficient given the flawed model of primary education that the present MTBE policy embodies. A reenvisioning of how MTBE articulates with English-medium education is also needed. Substantial rethinking is needed to address target 4.6 of SDG 4 (UNDP, Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld (accessed 30 November 2015), 2015) which aims to ensure that “all youth and a substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030”.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1128
Author(s):  
Laura Triviño-Cabrera ◽  
Elisa Isabel Chaves-Guerrero ◽  
Laura Alejo-Lozano

Studies on the adaptation from face-to-face to online teaching during lockdown show the before and after in education that faces the double challenge of promoting digital skills and public access to connectivity and electronic devices in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, this article contributes to these new emerging lines of educational research by presenting an educational innovation project called “Teachers Versus COVID-19”. This project aimed to verify whether the figure of teacher-prosumer, that is, consumers of media culture and creators of their own educational resources, favors the initial training of teachers during the pandemic. To this end, the following objectives were proposed: firstly, test whether the figure of the teacher-prosumer contributes to improving the adaptation of face-to-face teaching to the virtual modality of the Didactics of Social Sciences in the Degree in Primary Education during lockdown; secondly, analyze the production of content on social networks by the students in the Degree in Primary Education, according to the objectives of sustainable development. To validate our teacher-prosumer proposal, we chose the design-based research (DBR) qualitative methodology. For this, 240 students from the course in Didactics of Social Sciences of the Degree in Primary Education at the University of Malaga created 37 educational videos that teach the social sciences curriculum to children between 6 and 12 years of age from the perspective of relevant social problems and the Sustainable Development Goals. These videos were disseminated through the project’s YouTube channel. The results of this study corroborate the effectiveness of turning students into teachers-prosumers, generating the development of critical, creative, digital, and socio-emotional skills so that they feel committed to playing an active role in social changes for a sustainable world.


2018 ◽  
pp. 937-957
Author(s):  
Carmen Rosa García Ruiz ◽  
Ramón Martínez Medina

El artículo realiza un análisis de la evolución del sistema educativo español en los últimos cuarenta años. El objeto del mismo es entender la evolución de las políticas educativas adoptadas y su influencia en el curriculum de Ciencias Sociales. El análisis realizado nos desvela que, el ingente esfuerzo democratizador realizado en este período, ha configurado un sistema educativo descentralizado y plural que contribuye a que las políticas educativas globalizadoras tengan una aplicación desigual. El análisis curricular se ha centrado en la evolución experimentada por el área de conocimiento de Ciencias Sociales en los dos últimos cambios legislativos. Las conclusiones alcanzadas nos sirven para diseñar estrategias en la formación del futuro profesorado, para el desarrollo autónomo y democrático del curriculum social.PALABRAS CLAVE: Sistema educativo español. Curriculum. Ciencias Sociales. Educación Primaria.


2020 ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
V. Moskalenko ◽  
V.P. Kolosha

The article deals with the problems of the influence of the livestock sector on the formation of sustainable development of rural areas. It is emphasized that currently global problems have formed in the world, namely: differentiation in living standards between developed countries and ‘third world’ countries, significant differentiation of income levels among most countries, environmental pollution, limited and reduced easily accessible natural resources, degradation of agricultural lands. Today, the principles of sustainable development are recognized as strategic directions for the development of the sector by the world’s leading countries. In the process of research, dialectical methods of cognition of processes and phenomena, monographic method (analysis of views on the concept of sustainable development), abstract-logical (theoretical generalizations and formulation of conclusions) were used. The article addresses the problems of the influence of the livestock sector on the formation of sustainable development of rural areas. A brief overview of approaches and principles for the interpretation of the concept of ‘sustainable development’ was conducted. It is noted that the current situation in rural areas is critical in terms of, first of all, social and environmental problems. The livestock sector should become one of the elements of their solution. It is noted that its development allows not only to diversify production, but also to improve the social situation and solve certain environmental problems. The authors give their own definition of rural development as a development that provides an increase in the level and quality of life of rural residents with the provision of their social needs and the ability to pass on the natural biodiversity of the respective areas to future generations. It is emphasized that this definition combines economic, social and environmental development.The key principles of the state policy in development of rural territories on the principles of susta­inable development with allocation of its constituent elements are formulated. Measures for sustainable development of rural areas through the support of the livestock sector as one of the components of agricultural production are proposed. It is noted that intensive production is possible today, provided that the optimal ratio of the structure of land use and the presence of the livestock sector in the structure of production is maintained.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delfín Ortega-Sánchez ◽  
Joan Pagès Blanch

The principal objective of the present study is to analyze the representations of Primary Education trainee teachers (n = 232) involving the end-purposes of teaching History and, in particular, their views on the didactic treatment and curricular inclusion of social problems at this educational stage. A mixed investigation method is applied, which combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results pointed to a predictive influence of the degree of importance attached to the didactic treatment of social problems and the frequency with which they were covered on the Degree Course, for the assessment of their explicit inclusion in the Social Sciences curriculum. Likewise, the educational potential of the social problems appeared to be unconnected to the most highly assessed end-purposes, which are related to the development of social, critical, and creative thought for participation and social intervention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 445
Author(s):  
Yuanbo Li

China is a fascinating market in terms of alcohol consumption. Although drinking bars originated in the West, economic and societal developments have spread the concept throughout China. In 2017, there were approximately 59,600 drinking bars in China, with a 44.06 billion RMB market size. Given societal development, the Chinese bar industry has gradually paid attention to environmental protection and sustainable development. A sustainable bar adopts a management model that reduces and recycles waste and saves energy. The social responsibility of bars is reflected in sustainable consumption. The concept of sustainable bars has been well-received worldwide. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) provides direction on sustainable development to relevant stakeholders. The 2030 Agenda contains 17 interactive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the SDG12. Thus, it is important to explore the development of Chinese sustainable bars under the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. Hence, the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals (TUSDG) of Tsinghua University, Pernod Ricard China, and Kantar China organized one tripartite research group and conducted investigations on drinking bars from three megacities (Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing) to explore the situation, recognition, perspectives, and actions of sustainable bars in China. The results have significant implications. Moreover, the three parties jointly released the “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” and the “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines” for the bar industry in China.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 5569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernestina Rubio-Mozos ◽  
Fernando Enrique García-Muiña ◽  
Laura Fuentes-Moraleda

With barely ten years remaining to reach the goals included in the United Nations 2030 Agenda (UN2030A), there is still no agreed-upon universal criterion regarding how businesses can move firmly forward to achieve them. A significant number of laudable initiatives have emerged and been consolidated internationally, highlighting the need to change the outdated mainstream economic model based on continuous growth—whose maximum exponent is the macroeconomic magnitude “Gross Domestic Product” (GDP)—to another sustainable model which considers the ecological "people and planet-centered" oriented limits, prioritizing individual wellbeing and social prosperity, in line with the UN2030A. Facing the prevalent resistance to change, some innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are consciously addressing the transition on their own, but not without difficulties. The purpose of this article was to fill the gap in the social sciences literature by conducting in-depth interviews with Fourth Sector (4S) entrepreneurs, business leaders from purpose-driven companies, and academics, in order to approach and look into their perspective about the role that 4S SMEs are being called to execute to advance toward 2030. The two main contributions of this article are (1) 4S SMEs identify an urgent need to modify the current economic model with metrics aligned with UN2030A and (2) it is essential to assemble and build an “Engagement Ecosystem” through a systemic thinking approach to allow 4S SMEs to make real contributions to the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Kelum A. A. Gamage ◽  
Nora Munguia ◽  
Luis Velazquez

For decades, sustainability researchers have tenaciously insisted on transforming higher education institutions into more sustainable and inclusive campuses. Yet, as the 2030 agenda seems unlikely to be achieved, universities are struggling to meet the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) before the 2030 deadline. In addition, the post-COVID-19 era demands quality and inclusive education that entails care for students experiencing high stress levels. So far, most of the significant achievements are within the environmental or economic dimensions of sustainable development, but strengthening the social dimension is still one pending task. The importance of happiness to sustainability initiatives on campus, and beyond, deserves further research. To this end, this article offers insights into incorporating the sustainability–happiness nexus into sustainable universities to enhance the social dimension of sustainability. COVID-19 reminds sustainability academics and stakeholders that teaching technical and scientific knowledge is necessary to become more sustainable. Still, it is not sufficient to achieve the goals in the 2030 agenda. Providing inclusive and sustainable quality education will be reached when more sustainable universities consider happiness the ultimate goal of human development.


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