Student Teachers’ Sustainable Behavior

Nena Vukelić,Nena Rončević

doi:10.3390/educsci11120789

Abstract

This study contributes to the understanding of student teachers’ sustainable behaviors. (Future) teachers are perceived as models of social learning as they model desirable behavior, attitudes, values, and emotions while living and demonstrating a pro-sustainable lifestyle. Therefore, it is essential to understand which personal variables, aptitudes, and psychological benefits predispose them towards a pro-sustainable lifestyle. This study’s intent was to consider components that can affect sustainable actions such as psychological tendencies (e.g., attitudes, motives, beliefs, values, norms) and consequences (e.g., well-being or happiness) associated with sustainable actions. This study’s main objective was to test the sustainable behavior model on a sample of student teachers. A total of 496 student teachers participated in the study. The results analyzed by SEM indicate that student teachers’ sustainable behavior is directly predicted by their intention to act, which is both positively and significantly influenced by indignation and affinity towards diversity. Additionally, sustainable behaviors slightly (but statistically significantly) predict the self-assessment of happiness. These findings contribute to a better general understanding of sustainable behaviors’ antecedents and repercussion variables, especially within a student teacher population.

Highlights

Along with the growing awareness that human behavior plays a vital role in resolving both environmental and sustainability crises, as current climate emergency and other environmental sustainability crises are the product of human behavior [1], education for sustainable development (ESD) is gaining importance and is at the heart of the solution of the transition to sustainable future
Fostering one type of sustainable behavior within education system could facilitate the manifestation of a different type of sustainable behavior [30]
From the educational viewpoint related to the initial teacher education, one of the most interesting findings is as follows: student teachers who have higher levels of affinity toward diversity and show emotional responses related to sustainable development issues behave more sustainably

Summary

Introduction

Along with the growing awareness that human behavior plays a vital role in resolving both environmental and sustainability crises, as current climate emergency and other environmental sustainability crises are the product of human behavior [1], education for sustainable development (ESD) is gaining importance and is at the heart of the solution of the transition to sustainable future. In the ESD context, (future) teachers have become the most important actors of sustainable development’s change and promotion [3]. Their role is implicitly visible in Sustainable Development Goal 4 target 4.7 whose aim is that “by 2030 all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles . The crucial role of teachers in promoting ESD is recognized in the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development [6]

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion