scholarly journals Integrating Education for Sustainable Development Competencies in Teacher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12555
Author(s):  
Kifah Imara ◽  
Fahriye Altinay
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Teacher Competencies ◽  
Unified Framework ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Policy And Strategy ◽  
Key Competencies

The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the publications focused on integrating education for sustainable development (ESD) competencies into teacher education during the last decade, in an endeavour to identify which competencies have been considered in the literature as key competencies for reorienting teacher education towards sustainability as well as explore the suggested assessment tools and approaches to integrate these competencies into teacher education programmes. The results show increased attention during the last decade to develop a set of ESD competencies for teachers, which reveals the absence of a unified framework for teacher competencies for ESD. However, the extent to which these competencies are effectively integrated into teacher education remains an undiscovered area. This paper highlights the progress and gaps in the research related to mainstreaming ESD competencies in teacher education, providing evidence from the literature that can inform policy and strategy improvement in higher education institutions.

scholarly journals Sustainability Strategies in Portuguese Higher Education Institutions: Commitments and Practices from Internal Insights

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Farinha ◽  
Sandra Caeiro ◽  
Ulisses Azeiteiro
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Southern European Country ◽  
Integrated Education ◽  
Policy And Strategy ◽  
Portuguese Higher Education ◽  
The University

The Copernicus Declaration of 1994, which was understood as a commitment to sustainable development (SD) by top management in higher education, was signed by many universities. This signature worked as an important driver for these institutions to put different dimensions of SD principles into practice. In Portugal, a Southern European country, six of the fourteen universities belonging to the Portuguese University Rectors Council signed the declaration, but no attempt has been made to evaluate how these public universities integrated education for sustainable development at policy and strategy levels. This paper presents the results of a study aimed at identifying to what extent the integration of sustainability in the fourteen universities was achieved, through their own strategic and activity plans and activity and sustainability reports. A detailed content analysis was conducted on these plans and reports within the period from 2005 to 2014 (the time frame of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development), to identify the main commitments and practices. Notwithstanding a lack of national integrated strategies or policies related to education for SD, the results show that the movement made progress at the university level, with good examples and initiatives at several universities. This paper highlights the importance of analyzing the content of plans and reports from higher education institutions (HEIs) when intending to assess and define a country profile for the implementation of sustainability in the educational sector. In addition, this research, conducted in Portugal, may be helpful to understand and value how SD is being applied in the policies and strategies of other European HEIs, as well as to share and encourage best practices and ways of improvement.

scholarly journals Socio-economically Substantiated Education for Sustainable Development: Development of Competencies and Value Orientations Between Individual Responsibility and Structural Transformation

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Schank ◽  
Marco Rieckmann
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Value Orientations ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Economic Perspective ◽  
Economic Context ◽  
Educational Concept ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
Development Of Competencies

In this article, the concept of education for sustainable development is substantiated and expanded upon from a socio-economic perspective. Incorporating the concept of the economic citizen, we present the liberal republican civic ethos, moral judgement, decision-making capabilities and key competencies relevant for sustainability together with an informed understanding of economic context as constitutive elements of the educational concept. Against the backdrop of the limited reach of individual behavioural changes and the necessary reflections on structural questions, a heuristic of shared responsibility for sustainable development will be devised.

scholarly journals Current Practices and Future Pathways towards Competencies in Education for Sustainable Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8733
Author(s):  
Gisela Cebrián ◽  
Mercè Junyent ◽  
Ingrid Mulà
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Informal Education ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Group Model ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Competencies Development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development reflects the urgency to embed the principles of education for sustainable development (ESD) into all levels of education. ESD, understood as an integral part of quality education and where all educational institutions, from preschool to higher education and in non-formal and informal education, can and should foster the development of sustainability competencies. This Special Issue entitled “Competencies in Education for Sustainable Development II” responds to this urgency and the papers presented deliver recent developments in the field of sustainability and ESD competencies. They focus on various perspectives: systematic literature reviews and conceptual contributions; curriculum developments and pedagogical approaches to explore competencies’ development, such as action research, serious games, augmented reality, multi-course project-based learning and group model building processes; testing and validation of assessment tools and processes for linking sustainability competencies to employability and quality assurance processes. The contributions show how the field of sustainability and ESD competencies has become a major focus in recent years and present emerging research developments. Further research efforts need to be put into operationalizing sustainability competencies and developing tools that help measure and assess students’ and educators’ competencies development.

scholarly journals Exploring and Promoting Ecological Consciousness in Teacher Education: the Possibilities of Educational Action Research in Education for Sustainable Development

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga Gedžūne ◽  
Ginta Gedžūne
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Primary School Teacher ◽  
Ecological Consciousness ◽  
Research In Education

Exploring and Promoting Ecological Consciousness in Teacher Education: the Possibilities of Educational Action Research in Education for Sustainable DevelopmentThe paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study with 39 first year students of pre-school and primary school teacher education programmes who are taking an educational action research based study course "Environmental Pedagogy". The study aimed at engaging the students in reflection on their experiences of interaction with nature and uncovering their views on ecological consciousness. Qualitative content analysis sought emergent themes in students' reflections. A conceptual framework was identified containing three frames of reference: (1) inclusion-oriented frame of reference; (2) exclusion-determining frame of reference and (3) solution-oriented frame of reference. Conclusions were drawn about the possibilities of educational action research to encourage students' reflection on ecological consciousness and building sustainable and inclusive relationships with the world.

Competency-oriented education for sustainable development

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1299-1316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Singer-Brodowski ◽  
Katrin Grossmann ◽  
Stephan Bartke ◽  
Sandra Huning ◽  
Theresa Weinsziehr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
General Didactics ◽  
Key Competencies

Purpose Energy poverty can be seen as a relatively new, but typical sustainability problem in which various dimensions (ecology, society and economy) are interlinked and in part conflict with each other. Moreover, the variety of involved stakeholders (planners, tenants, housing companies, private landlords, energy consultants, etc.) represents conflicting aims for solving this problem. This paper aims to present a systematic linkage between higher education for sustainable development (HESD) and education about energy poverty yet. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative comparative case study approach with a similar didactic approach is used. Findings Based on the literature about HESD and an overall model in general didactics, ten criteria were identified and used for an overall reflection about similar courses dealing with the topic of energy poverty. The criteria covered the learning goals, the didactical approaches and the institutional support in the forms of organisation in the courses. Research limitations/implications There was no competency measurement of the students in the described courses. Practical implications There was no evaluation of the development of students’ key competencies for sustainability. However, the reflections of students and teachers revealed a positive development regarding the students’ learning process, especially because they worked on a real-world sustainability problem: energy poverty. Originality/value This contribution describes how university courses on energy poverty were designed and implemented at five German universities. Against the background of general criteria for HESD, it reflects on the experiences that the use of this concept evoked. Through a comparison of the five courses against these criteria, the paper outlines strengths and weaknesses of the approach and closes with recommendations and requirements for designing further courses.

scholarly journals Strategic Shift from Transmissive to Transformative Higher Education for Sustainable Development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Jama Madar ◽  
Mustafa Din Bin Subari ◽  
Shadiya Mohamed Saleh Baqutayan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Education ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Investment Portfolios

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a global initiative towards transforming education for sustainability. The integration of SD into the education portfolio is considered to be an important approach that ensures strategic alignment of higher education with SDGs. A document review was used to identify and discuss the difference between transmissive and transformative education in relation to SDGs and in the context of Somali education. In this trajectory, it is expected that the concept of ‘‘transformative education is likely to become more common to meet the emerging social, economic and environmental issues, yet practical challenges remain in Somaliland HE sector. The roadmap towards addressing transformative education for sustainability is not included in the Somaliland national portfolios; particularly ESD has not been presented. In this regard, this paper proposed a generic framework that spotlights the integration of HEIs and the national development goals (NDGs) in Somaliland. Meanwhile, developed and developing countries are prioritizing structural transformation in their HEIs that are tailored to national and regional development programs. Consistent with the Rio + 20 outcomes, the authors analyzed the concept of the ‘‘sustainable university’’ and identified the fact that it is practically divided into three interrelated and complementary categories, namely social-, environmental-, and economic-oriented university in pursuit of actualizing SD. The paper recommends major reforms in the education sector including availing investment portfolios for R&D, renovation of education goals and transforming universities for sustainability

scholarly journals Transformative Learning and Pedagogical Approaches in Education for Sustainable Development: Are Initial Teacher Education Programmes in England and Turkey Ready for Creating Agents of Change for Sustainability?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8973
Author(s):  
Douglas Bourn ◽  
Nese Soysal
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Transformative Approach ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a feature of academic and policy debates within initial teacher education around the world. A theme within these debates is the extent to which ESD is more than just a body of knowledge, and if it suggests different pedagogical approaches which may be prevalent in most countries. Another feature of these debates is whether ESD can be seen as suggesting a transformative approach as opposed to a transmissive approach. As a qualitative study, using examples from research and evidence gathered in England and Turkey through document analysis, this article identifies both the opportunities and challenges for teacher education courses using ESD as a means for promoting a distinctive pedagogical approach and whether they can be seen as posing transformative learning.

scholarly journals Exploring the Connections of Education for Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurial Education—A Case Study of Vocational Teacher Education in Finland

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 11887
Author(s):  
Eveliina Asikainen ◽  
Annukka Tapani
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Entrepreneurial Education ◽  
Teacher Students ◽  
Vocational Teacher

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Entrepreneurial Education (EE) are quite abstract and demanding concepts for teacher students. Yet, Key Sustainability Competences and Entrepreneurial Competences entail important qualities of future citizens and workers, and teacher students should become prepared to accommodate education for these competencies in their teaching practice. This paper explores teacher students’ process of sense-making of sustainable development and how becoming a teacher who practices ESD connects with entrepreneurship. EE serves as a good mirroring surface to ESD as they both have their roots in Transformative Learning (TL) but pursue transformation towards different goals. The case study follows the vocational teacher education (VTE) students’ sensemaking of Sustainable Development as a part of teacher’s work during one semester which included integrated Thematic Studies of Sustainable Development. The qualitative content analysis of students’ texts focused on signs of transformative learning and was guided by the dimensions of sustainable development and learning goals set for teacher’s sustainability competences in the VTE curriculum. The results indicate that transformative learning is possible. Furthermore, they address the importance of certain entrepreneurial capabilities in the actualization of change agency.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document