Implementation Of Education For Sustainable Development Research Articles

Education for sustainable development in primary school: Understanding, importance, and implementation

There is no doubt that education for sustainable development (ESD) is important because it covers all areas: social, emotional, intellectual, physical, moral, etc. ESD helps people acquire the skills, knowledge, and values necessary for a successful life and a constructive contribution to society. If earlier early ESD was not at the centre of attention, recently it has become increasingly clear that early education has great potential for fostering values, behaviours, and skills that contribute to sustainable development. Despite this, ESD remains problematic due to the inadequate preparation of pre-service primary teachers in this area. It is obvious that ESD implementation in primary education is still poorly integrated.<br /> Empirical qualitative research aimed to reveal how pre-service primary school teachers understand ESD in primary school. Generally, 86 students from two Lithuanian universities, pre-service teachers of preschool and primary education, took part in the research. Verbal research data were analysed using the quantitative content analysis method.<br /> The results suggest that although ESD in early childhood is understood as significant and reasonable, however, the understanding of pre-service teachers is rather one-sided. ESD is understood as social welfare, while the natural and physical environment is the least expressed in their understanding structure. Meanwhile, the implementation of ESD is understood as a normal educational process, applying known techniques and methods. It is necessary to strive for the young generation to be characterised by responsibility, a sense of community, conservation, and citizenship, to understand the harmony of the surrounding world and their activities. For that purpose, changes in the education are needed to integrate the necessary ESD elements, including both managerial and educational processes.

Conceptualizing Education for Sustainable Development in Urban Secondary Schools

This conceptual paper explores the characteristics of education for sustainable development (ESD) within urban secondary schools. Despite the discourse about the importance of sustainability, there has been a lack of research on this topic. The authors employed theory synthesis, which resulted in a concept for Education for Sustainable Development in Urban Contexts (ESDUC). This presents a comprehensive view on the interconnected characteristics that facilitate the successful implementation of ESD in urban secondary schools, (1) developing sustainability competences among both students and teachers, encompassing intercultural competences for teachers and self-regulating skills for students, (2) utilizing teaching methods that are both transformative and culturally responsive, (3) engaging the wider community in the educational process, and (4) shifting the school culture toward embracing diversity and adopting a whole-school approach. This study is valuable for researchers and urban secondary schools seeking to effectively integrate ESD into their educational framework.

Monitoring SDG 4.7: Assessing Education for Sustainable Development in policies, curricula, training of educators and student assessment (input‐indicator)

AbstractEducation is viewed as a critical keystone in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is meant to enable everyone to contribute to sustainable development (SDG 4.7). This target is monitored using the global indicator 4.7.1 – mainstreaming of ESD in policies, curricula, training of educators and student assessment. Here, we offer a conceptual and methodological framework for assessments of SDG 4.7.1 (input‐level) that addresses both quality and depth of implementation and speed of change. The approach combines document analysis with external expert evaluation and is applied to 10‐year data (>11,000 documents) from all formal areas of education in Germany (early childhood education, school education, vocational education and training, higher education). Currently, ESD is mostly implemented in Germany as an “add‐on” to the educational system, with all sub‐indicators ranging from “isolated mentioning” of ESD and related concepts to “partial integration”. Across most areas of education, the sub‐indicator training of educators was evaluated as most deficient. With regard to the speed of change, it was found that the implementation of ESD is dynamic, with all sub‐indicators having been evaluated as increasing. The proposed framework can increase the validity, reliability, and comparability of both country reporting and scientific assessments of SDG 4.7.1. We argue for independent and integrative monitoring across input, process, output and outcome to complement self‐reporting and to support evidence‐informed policymaking on sustainability in education.

HOW IS ESD (EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) IMPLEMENTED AFTER COVID-19 IN INDONESIA TO REALIZE SDG's?

Sustainable development is very important for the progress of the country. Teachers have a role in educating the younger generation to master 21st-century skills. 21st century skills are one of the keys to realizing the 17 SDGs for Indonesia's progress. This research aims to determine the implementation of ESD (Education for Sustainable Development)-based learning after COVID-19 in Indonesia. This research uses a literature review approach with descriptive analysis techniques. The articles were collected from 10 articles published between 2021 and 2023. The keyword used to collect articles is ESD. The SLR research steps consist of three stages, namely planning, implementation, and reporting. The research results show that ESD is applied to lower, upper secondary, and vocational school students and teachers. In addition, ESD is researched using mixed methods: qualitative, quantitative, quasi-experimental, and R&D. ESD learning is able to improve students' 21st century skills, knowledge, and environmental awareness. Future research needs to examine the implementation of ESD at the tertiary level and teachers' readiness to teach science-based ESD.

Educational Process in the Interests of Sustainable Development: World Experience

Main problem: Implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is critical to facilitating the transition to sustainable development. However, little is known about the specific implementation processes that lead to the institutionalization of sustainability curricula in higher education institutions. This study cross-sections a number of international case studies using cluster analysis to clarify and highlight different implementation models: collaborative paradigm change; evolving institutional change from the bottom up; mandatory top-down institutional changes; externally driven initiatives; isolated initiatives and limited institutional changes. Purpose: Using cluster analysis, it is necessary to identify the different stages of ESD implementation, which can be implemented from the bottom up, top down, or both, identifying incentives that can come from a variety of external or internal stakeholders. Methods: In order to gain more general knowledge about the role of various drivers and barriers discussed in the literature, as well as specific implementation models, a comparative case study was conducted using a thematic review method. Cluster analysis was used to analyze the transformed data. The case study method is a meta-analytic method for systematically synthesizing and comparing different case studies using a specific coding scheme that converts qualitative data into quantitative data. Results and their significance: A cross-case analysis was conducted to better understand the sustainability curriculum delivery patterns that are common across different contexts. Most institutions and practitioners can benefit from these findings by defining a specific implementation framework for their institution, focusing on the most important and meaningful components of a particular university's ESD implementation model.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): Analysis of System Thinking Competencies of Primary School Learners

Objective: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a 2030 agenda comprised of 17 goals. One of these goals, the fourth, pertains to Quality Education and includes indicator 4.7, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), as one of its achievements. The implementation of ESD in education targets the instillation of systems thinking competencies within learning objectives. Consequently, students are expected to possess systems thinking competencies as a direct outcome of the learning process. The purpose of the research is to find out how good the system thinking competence of students in elementary schools is. Method: This study employs descriptive quantitative methods, analyzing 15 tested items to assess system thinking competencies. The analysis of competency in system thinking involved 65 sixth-grade students at Elementary School 1 Sukaraja. Data collected was analyzed using the Rasch model via the Winstep application. Results: The analysis of the data obtained revealed a notably low interaction between the items and the student's responses, with Cronbach Alpha producing a logit of 0.34. This suggests that students have limited ability to engage with complex systems, as evidenced by the logit number of -0.8. Novelty: The development of systems thinking competency in elementary school students must be continually monitored and fostered as an essential aspect of applying ESD principles to real-life issues to ensure a sustainable future. This is based on an analysis of the data obtained regarding the long-term impact of such an approach on the students' problem-solving abilities.

Early childhood educators’ understanding of education for sustainable development

ABSTRACT Education for sustainable development (ESD) prepares learners for global citizenship. It is considered the great hope through which Anthropogenic destruction can be halted and a sustainable future created. In Ireland, relevant State departments suggest Aistear, The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, supports ESD in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) practice. However, there is an absence of research concerning how or if Irish educators are facilitating ESD in ECEC. Bringing a children’s rights lens and systems-perspective, this article reports on a quantitative study framed within the Irish policy context. It offers first insight into educators’ practices and engagement with ESD in ECEC. Findings reveal educators feel inadequately prepared to facilitate ESD; they are either unsure or do not believe Aistear contains ESD content or facilitates their practice in this area. When viewed through a systematic lens missed opportunities to realise the goal of ESD in Irish ECEC are evident. It is highly probable large discrepancies exist in ESD implementation. This article joins other voices calling for the current updating of Aistear to ensure the presence of ESD. The implementation of the revised framework must include robust training, as, at present educators lack a foundation on which to base their ESD practice.

Implementation of ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) in Climate Change Learning: A Literature Review

Objective: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an educational agenda that focuses on the quality of learning outcomes and the emphasis on learning content and its contribution to future environmental sustainability, one of which is tackling climate change. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can be integrated into curriculum and learning. This study aims to describe and conduct a literature review of the implementation of ESD in climate change learning. Methods: This research is a literature study by screening 370 Scopus-indexed papers in the 2017-2022 time frame into 20 papers for analysis. The analysis results show that journal publications on implementing ESD in climate change learning still need to be made available despite increased research trends. The implementation that has been carried out can be through formal / school and non-formal education with learning innovations and developing curricula and policies. There is a tendency for developing learning innovations is the most widely practiced form of implementation in climate change learning. Implementing ESD in climate change learning is vital in improving the understanding, skills, and awareness of climate change. Novelty: The study reveals an urgent need to develop the right innovations, methods, and designs to implement ESD in climate change learning, especially government policies. These findings invite researchers, practitioners, governments, and communities to be involved in developing innovations, methods, designs, and policies within a sustainable framework by implementing ESD in climate change learning.

Überzeugungen angehender Sportlehrkräfte zu nachhaltiger Entwicklung im Sportunterricht – Skalenentwicklung und -validierung

AbstractClimate change poses a major challenge to people and ecosystems and calls for action across all areas to contribute to a sustainable transformation of society. To shape this transformation, it is crucial that teachers implement education for sustainable development (ESD) in schools for a more sustainable future generation, which also applies to physical education (PE) teachers. However, little is known about PE teachers’ beliefs, a key dimension of professional competence, regarding the implementation of ESD in PE. Hence, the goal of this study was to 1) develop a scale to capture PE teachers’ beliefs about the relevance of sustainable development generally and in the context of PE, and 2) investigate its psychometric properties and criterion validity. The analysis using exploratory structural equation modeling in a cross-sectional sample of 206 preservice teachers resulted in a 10-item instrument with good psychometric properties (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.976; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.047; standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.057) and reliability across three factors: a) general beliefs about the relevance of sustainable development, b) positive, and c) critical subject-specific beliefs about sustainable development in PE. Based on the value-belief-norm theory, criterion validity was confirmed through associations between biospheric values and beliefs. We conclude that the newly developed scale is appropriate for assessing PE teacher’s beliefs about the implementation of ESD in PE.

Towards Higher Education for Sustainable Development in BRICS: Focus on Brazil and South Africa

Scholarly literature informs that education for sustainable development (ESD) has become a significant educational initiative to address global challenges in the past decades. However, academic attention was mainly devoted to primary and secondary education. Some scholars report that the main focus on these two levels of education has averted scholarly attention from research exploring the relationship between higher education and sustainable development (SD). Academic dialogue about ESD in higher education has only recently gained momentum. Although all levels of education have an essential role to play in sustainability, the role of higher education is critical as higher education institutions (HEIs) are responsible for ensuring that future leaders understand the needs of the present and future. This responsibility is delegated to HEIs since they educate professionals who will take up leadership positions within society and incorporate sustainability into their organisations’ operations. In addition, the commitment of HEIs to sustainability serves as an example to other institutions. It is evident from the findings that maximising the implementation of ESD in higher education first calls for thorough identification of challenges limiting such implementation. Driven by the need to fill the gap in the existing literature, this study, based on systematic document analysis, brings attention to challenges associated with implementing ESD in institutions under investigation in the two BRICS countries, namely Brazil and South Africa. The two-folded research purpose was to (a) systematically examine relevant documents to explore the effectiveness of HEIs in South Africa and Brazil in implementing ESD and (b) provide recommendations for how HEIs in both contexts can enhance the implementation of ESD.

Current State of Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development in Primary and Secondary (K-12) Schools in Boyacá, Colombia

Environmental education (EE) trains individuals to preserve ecological balance and understand the link between humanity and environmental protection. On the other hand, education for sustainable development (ESD) addresses social, cultural, political, and quality of life factors, and promotes the sustainable evolution of the planet. In Colombia, EE is more recognized compared to ESD, and this situation relates the objective of this research, to investigate the strategies applied in EE and ESD in the official primary and secondary (K-12) educational institutions in the department of Boyacá. This study used a Likert scale survey with numerical values from 1 to 5 to evaluate each category of choice among a targeted population. The results indicate that topics such as water resource conservation and protection of fauna and flora are covered in EE, while ESD issues are less prominent. The findings of this research suggest interventions to improve the implementation of ESD and contribute to the advancement of quality education in the country. It is appropriate to explore different methods to integrate environmental, economic, and social aspects in educational contexts, with the implementation and updating of curricula to improve ESD.

Analysis of the Implementation of ESD in Online Science Learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a program designed to achieve sustainable development goals. In the 2013 curriculum, ESD has been used as one of the bases for teaching science to students. However, the existence of the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia has had an effect on science learning activities in junior high schools, so that face-to-face learning has been shifted to online learning. This study aims to analyze activities in online learning, the obstacles experienced by teachers and students, and their effectiveness in implementing ESD principles. The method used is descriptive qualitative to describe online learning at one of the Junior High School (SMP) and Islamic Junior High School (MTs) in West Java. The Researchers used data from the analysis of the teacher's lesson plan and semi-structured interviews with 2 teachers and 2 students. Data analysis was performed by reducing data, presenting data, and drawing conclusions. The results show that online learning is less effective in implementing ESD values because the material presented is limited and learning is only one-way (teacher center). Online learning is carried out using WhatsApp, Google Classroom, and e-learning media with obstacles in the form of internet network instability and a lack of student motivation. Therefore, it is hoped that the teacher can use a learning model that is more attractive, student-centered, and can implement the principles of ESD.

Effectiveness of education for sustainability: the importance of an action-oriented approach

Science education is increasingly integrating a focus on socio-scientific issues. Policy makers and scholars also suggest education for sustainable development (ESD) is important for tackling current and future sustainability issues. ESD may foster students’ action competence in sustainable development (ACiSD; knowledgeability, willingness, capacity expectations and outcome expectancy) regarding contributing to sustainability action. However, reports on effectiveness research relating to ACiSD as a learning outcome of action-oriented ESD are scarce. The current study explores (1) how early adolescents perceive their teachers’ ESD implementation and (2) whether perceived ESD (holism, pluralism, and action-orientedness) affects students’ self-reported ACiSD. We administered two questionnaires to 12-16 year-old secondary school students, tapping into (1) their self-reported ACiSD and (2) their perceptions of teachers’ ESD implementation efforts. Students’ ESD perceptions were measured through descriptive statistics. Next, multilevel linear models were estimated to explore whether ESD and its components affect students’ ACiSD. Our results suggest students did not distinctly perceive ESD implementation (esp. a participative approach). Holism and action-orientedness were neither perceived to be completely present nor completely missing. However, action-orientedness significantly affected students’ reported ACiSD. While confirming the challenge an ESD implementation poses, our results may support efforts made. Implications for education and teacher development are discussed.

The contributing of chemistry learning in supporting education for sustainable development: A systematic literature review

This study aimed to examine the contribution of chemistry learning in supporting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the types of competencies that can be developed through ESD. The method used is Systematic Literature Review (SLR), which consists of five stages, namely question formulation, locating studies, study selection and evaluation, analysis and synthesis, reporting and using the results. Based on a study of 38 journal articles from International and National Journal, the contribution of chemistry learning in supporting ESD is manifested in the form of integrating ESD concepts into learning models, incorporating ESD concepts in a chemistry learning context, and developing ESD concepts through learning designs and teaching materials. Through the implementation of ESD in chemistry learning, competencies that can be developed are communication, collaboration, problem solving, creative thinking, systems thinking, critical thinking, scientific literacy, sustainable environmental literacy, understanding, motivation, environmental awareness, and sustainable awareness. Chemistry education and ESD have strong link in many aspects of life, so that competencies developed through the implementation of ESD in the learning process will be able to improve the quality of education and environment. Keywords: A systematic literature review; Contributing of chemistry learning; Education for sustainable development

A qualitative exploration of early childhood teachers' perceptions, experiences, and needs for education for sustainable development

본 연구는 유아교사의 지속가능발전교육에 대한 인식과 유아교육기관에서의 지속가능발전교육 경험 및 요구를 살펴보는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위하여 유아교사 10명과 개별 또는 집단으로 심층 면담을 진행하였다. 면담의 내용은 녹음 및 녹화 후 전사하여 질적 연구의 분석 과정을 거쳐 분석하였다. 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 유아교사들은 지속가능발전교육이 다음 세대가 지구에서 아름다운 환경을 누리며 행복하게 살아갈 수 있도록 하는 교육으로 반드시 필요하나 본인들의 앎이 얕은 수준에 있다고 인식하고 있었다. 둘째, 유아교사는 유아교육기관에서 일상생활 속에서 기본생활습관을 지도하며, 자연 속에서 놀이하는 시간을 통해, 다양한 지식을 전달하고 배울 수 있도록 하는 단위 활동을 통해, 가정 및 지역사회와 연계하는 활동을 통해 지속가능발전교육을 경험하고 있다고 하였다. 셋째, 유아교사는 지속가능발전교육을 실천하며 교사의 인식과 이해 부족, 개정 누리과정과의 연결에 대한 혼란, 학부모의 부정적인 인식과 사회적인 지원 부족으로 인한 어려움을 느끼고 있었다. 이에 유아교사는 체계적인 지속가능발전교육 프로그램과 교수 자료, 실질적인 내용의 교사 교육, 사회 전반적인 인식 전환 노력과 지원을 요구하고 있었다. 이러한 결과는 지속가능발전교육의 효과적인 실행과 유아교사의 전문성 향상을 위한 토대가 될 것이라 사료된다.The purpose of this study is to examine early childhood teachers' perceptions on Education for Sustainable Development(ESD) and their experiences and needs of ESD in early childhood education institutions. For this, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten early childhood teachers individually or as a group. The contents of the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through the process of qualitative research. The finding of the study are as follows. Firstly, early childhood teachers recognized that ESD was necessary for the next generation to dwell in beautiful environment and live happily on the earth, however that their knowledge was at a shallow level. Secondly, early childhood teachers were practicing ESD at early childhood education institutions by teaching basic habits in daily life, through play time in the nature, unit activities conveying and learning various knowledge, and activities connected with home and local communities. Thirdly, while practicing ESD, early childhood teachers felt difficulties from teachers’ lack of awareness and understanding, confusion in affiliating with the revised Nuri Curriculum, parents' negative perception and lack of social support. Accordingly, early childhood teachers were demanding systematic education programs for ESD, teaching materials, teacher education with practical contents, and efforts and support to change the general perception of the society. These results are considered to be the foundation for the effective implementation of ESD and the improvement of the expertise of early childhood teachers.

Implementation and Challenges of Education for Sustainable Development in Philippine State University: An Explanatory Sequential Inquiry

The education sector is one of the vital stakeholders in the functional transformation of our world through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as an education sector is one of its enablers by carrying out sustainable development through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). But, only a few universities could implement ESD holistically and reported its implementation. Hence, using explanatory-sequential inquiry, this study explored the extent of ESD implementation and the challenges encountered in one state university in Central Philippines through its greening program. The results revealed that the university reached a great extent of ESD implementation. This means that the indicators of the five pillars of the greening program were often observed in the whole university and per campus, respectively. Despite this rating, the university still faces several implementation challenges. However, based on qualitative inquiry, ESD implementation is still promising. It just needs to continually improve by working on the different opportunities for improvements using the whole institution approach. Consequently, the greening program will be instrumental in realizing the vision of the school to become a GREEN institution by 2030 at the same time, contribute to the priority areas of ESD through reorienting education to address sustainability and creating public awareness and understanding of sustainability.

A Model for Using Social Media Content to Promote 3D Thinking on Sustainability Among Students in Integrated Mathematics, Language, Arts, and Technology

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to develop a model for using social media content to promote 3D thinking of sustainability among students in integrated Mathematics, Language, Arts, and Technology (MLAT) classrooms. Background: Social media is one of the most relevant platforms among students of the 21st century to the extent that connecting it to classroom learning becomes interesting to the learners. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) requires teachers to implement an interdisciplinary teaching approach while promoting skills for dealing with sustainability issues. ESD enables students to think about three aspects (economics, environment, and society) of sustainability. In this paper, the ability to think about the environment, society, and economics simultaneously was termed “3D thinking of sustainability.” Social media content can be a catalyst for promoting students’ application of 3D thinking of sustainability if integrated into the classroom. However, teachers fail to use social media content in their classrooms because they lack the know-how to integrate them. Therefore, providing teachers with a model for using social media content in their teaching can help them integrate it into their classes. Methodology: Design-based research was adopted by the researchers (wo mathematics teachers and one curriculum expert) who were selected through purposive sampling, and twenty students who were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected from the teachers’ interviews with twenty students through observation and reflective journals and from students’ assignments through document analysis. Contribution: The major contribution of the study is the development of the model for facilitating students’ application of skills from the domains of mathematics, language, arts, and technology to understand sustainability issues. Furthermore, the study shows the value of social media in learning from the point of view of using them as context for applying interdisciplinary skills rather than media for teacher-student interaction. Findings: The model with eight interactive phases was developed. The proposed model requires the teachers to be knowledgeable content-wise in various disciplines or to collaborate with teachers from other disciplines. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners are encouraged to adopt this model in the implementation of ESD. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers may test the application of this model in other integrated subjects and levels of education. Impact on Society: The standard of living of any society is related to people’s awareness of threats to sustainability. Therefore, the more education promotes 3D thinking of sustainability, the more the standard of living is guaranteed in our societies. Future Research: To evaluate the applicability of the model in various educational contexts.

CÁC YẾU TỐ ẢNH HƯỞNG ĐẾN VIỆC THỰC HIỆN GIÁO DỤC PHÁT TRIỂN BỀN VỮNG Ở VIỆT NAM: GÓC NHÌN CỦA SINH VIÊN SƯ PHẠM ĐỊA LÍ

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is considered both a goal and a means to achieve sustainable development. ESD implementation is impacted by different factors. To contribute to a better understanding of ESD implementation, this study investigates factors impacting ESD implementation in Vietnam from the perceptions of Geography student teachers. We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 Geography student teachers from different teacher education institutions in Vietnam. The respondents often mentioned disadvantages rather than advantages. They emphasized the following factors: society, curriculum, and teachers’ competencies (ICT skills, pedagogical and pedagogical content knowledge, etc.). The results reflect the challenges in implementing ESD in the context of a developing country. Based on the results, the authors suggest ways forward to promote ESD in Vietnam.

Preparing pre-service teachers for integration of education for sustainable development in school: A systematic review (2013-2022)

Teacher education is accountable for ensuring that all students acquire the knowledge and skills required to promote sustainable development, primarily via education for sustainable development (ESD). However, most of the research on ESD in teacher education focuses on specific education courses and countries. Thus, this review systematically explores global trends in ESD research within teacher education. Based on two databases, Web of Science and Scopus, 27 publications were retrieved from 2013 to 2022 using the SLR methodology and further analysed using the PRISMA method to obtain the main themes. First, the significant findings portrayed that ESD integration does not have any boundaries between fields. Second, the evidence demonstrates that ESD is integrated using various expanding strategies and methods into teacher education across nations and programmes. Third, by understanding the existence of various variables, actions and measurements may be performed before or after the incorporation of ESD into teacher education curricula in connection to the availability of external factors that may impact ESD implementation. These three findings indicated that there are still research gaps concerning ESD in teacher education to be explored. In conclusion, this study is beneficial for practitioners in evaluating which ESD approach is currently being used and in identifying ESD-related research needs in teacher education. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the enhancement of ESD in teacher training institutions might lead to a new vision of education. Keywords: Education for sustainable development, pre-service teacher, sustainability, sustainable development goals, systematic literature review, teacher education

Education for sustainable development in higher education institutions: an approach for effective interdisciplinarity

PurposeThis paper aims to develop an improved and harmonized approach to interdisciplinarity in education for sustainable development (ESD)within higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on maximizing the mobilization of students from all academic disciplines. An attempt is made to reconcile varying strategies for the implementation of interdisciplinary ESD content in HEIs, studying the relative merit and benefit of those strategies and crafting a new approach to combining them, where possible.Design/methodology/approachThis work relies on a robust review and analysis of existing literature proposals on the implementation of ESD in HEIs to elaborate an integrated approach to interdisciplinarity. Specifically, a scoping literature review is applied, analyzing the existing approaches to ESD in HEIs as well as the challenges observed in their implementation. Using this theoretical framework, this paper evaluates the compatibility and efficiency of the approaches currently implemented. Based on this analysis, an integrative approach is outlined, building upon and combining existing proposals.FindingsBuilding on existing literature, this study identifies two main trends for interdisciplinarity in ESD in HEIs: integration into existing disciplinary curricula and new, stand-alone ESD curricula. This paper suggests adopting the two approaches simultaneously, to reach students from all academic disciplines, especially those with minimal exposure to ESD through their own discipline. Furthermore, this paper stresses that these dual curricula strategies should be combined with further interdisciplinary research initiatives as well as extensive leveraging of technology and e-learning.Originality/valueThis study bridges the gap between diverging visions for ESD in HEIs, harmonizing strategies from the literature to outline a new, multilateral strategy. Furthermore, it extensively studies the need for increased engagement into ESD of students from underrepresented disciplines, including the humanities. This engagement has been little addressed in the literature, rendering the proposed approach original insofar as it outlines the ways to improve current approaches to ESD in HEIs.