Abstract
In this study, the correlation between 526 prospective teachers’ beliefs about education for sustainable development (ESD) and their perceptions of self-efficacy and abilities to focus on solutions was addressed. This descriptive study found that prospective teachers had strong beliefs about ESD. In terms of the “beliefs about the implementation of sustainable development” and “beliefs about the limitation of sustainable development”, the prospective teachers who are studying at the faculty of education had stronger beliefs than those enrolled in the Pedagogical Formation Certificate Program. In addition, fourth-year prospective teachers and those perceiving themselves as showing good academic performance had stronger beliefs about ESD. Also, participants’ beliefs about ESD were found to be related to their abilities to focus on solutions and their perceptions of self-efficacy. Additionally, our study found that perceptions of self-efficacy significantly predicts the ability to focus on solutions and beliefs about ESD (29%). One of the limitations of our study is that our findings can be generalized only to a limited extent. Furthermore, further research is needed to validate the predictive variables that have arisen. Finally, longitudinal and experimental research that use qualitative analysis techniques is needed to investigate the implications of the results for professional improvement and to find out what sort of sustainable education practices there are in different education levels.
Highlights
In 2002, the United Nations initiated the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative that would cover a decade from 2005 to 2014
We can infer from this finding that the prospective teachers who participated in our study have very positive attitudes about raising environmental awareness, equipping individuals with positive attitudes and values, and developing their skills to ensure that appropriate behaviors emerge
This finding indicates that there is no systematic education for sustainable development in our country, prospective teachers are quite aware of the concept of sustainability
Summary
In 2002, the United Nations initiated the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative that would cover a decade from 2005 to 2014. ESD seeks to raise awareness in individuals about how to develop a sustainable lifestyle and achieve positive transformations in societies in the long term [1]. The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 sustainable development goals aimed both to improve the environment and to provide a way of achieving a better future. ESD is defined as an uninterrupted education that enables individuals to perform actions for sustainability with systematic and innovative thinking abilities and provides them with the necessary cognitive, affective, and psychomotor equipment (such as knowledge, skills, attitudes, values) for them to meet their needs [5]. ESD requires self-confidence, emotional intelligence, responsibility, and systemic thinking [7]
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