An Investigation into the Perspectives of Elementary Pre-Service Teachers on Sustainable Development

Abstract

Teachers in elementary schools play a crucial role in educating children about sustainable development. Therefore, the concept of sustainable development is essential for elementary pre-service teachers to be ready for their future careers. This study used the sequential mixed methods design to investigate the relationship between the sustainable development perspectives of elementary pre-service teachers in Southern Vietnam and the current teacher training curriculum. The EDINSOST sustainability questionnaire was distributed to 392 participants in order to measure four dimensions of sustainable development: critical contextualization of knowledge, sustainable use of resources, participation in community processes, and ethics. A set of six interview questions was conducted with eight participants, focused on their understandings of sustainable development and the evaluation of the curriculum on sustainable development. Quantitative findings revealed that elementary pre-service teachers rate moderately on all dimensions; however, the knowledge is slightly higher than the behavior. Moreover, there were variations in perspectives based on pre-service teachers’ grade level and gender. Qualitative findings suggested the lack of sustainable development perspectives amongst pre-service teachers and the gaps in the teacher training curriculums regarding sustainable development. Finally, detailed discussions regarding the implementation of sustainable development in the training curriculum were provided.