Introduction to the book

Abstract

This book is the result from a three-year international research collaboration project involving science and technology education researchers and teacher educators from universities in South Africa and Sweden. The research project was jointly funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT). The book is grounded in international comparative studies in education and located within the realm of science and technology teacher education for sustainable development in the era of the Anthropocene. Its major aim is to compare theoretical perspectives, policies, curricula, experiences and pedagogical practices in science and technology teacher education between South Africa and Sweden. The book contributes to answering the question of how science and technology teacher education can adjust to current changes in society and the world and prepare new teachers appropriately for work in their future profession. In this introductory chapter, we outline the background to the book and articulate its rationale. Within this effort, we flesh out and operationalise the concept of Anthropocene. We also give outlines of the focus of each of the ten chapters in the book.