New publication by the working group on teachers' understanding of ESD in higher education

Title: Understandings of Education for Sustainable Development among educators in
teacher education

Authors: Antje Goller, Jana Markert and Marco Rieckmann

Click here for the article (741 KB)

Abstract:

Educators in teacher education programmes serve as multipliers of Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD). Their teaching practices are shaped by their individual conceptions of sustainability and ESD. This article synthesises findings from existing studies on educators’ understandings of sustainability and ESD and contrasts them with perspectives of pre-service teachers. The analysis reveals that while individual understandings are often nuanced and varied, they also exhibit notable limitations that suggest a need for deeper engagement. Across both groups, understandings tend to be predominantly instrumental rather than emancipatory. In addition, sustainability and ESD are rarely conceptualized or put in practice in explicitly political terms.