Within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, four case studies of the degree in Primary Education at three Spanish universities are analyzed. The aim is to study the suitability of three different active teaching-learning strategies: problem-based learning (PBL), project-oriented learning (POL), and a cross-disciplinary workshop. Another goal is to promote the integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) and measure the level of acquisition of several competencies of sustainability and the change in consumption habits of future teachers after implementing those pedagogical approaches. Initial and final ecological footprint (EF) as well as a rubric to measure the level of acquisition of competencies of sustainability were used as data collection instruments. The conclusions related to the research objectives show that when sustainability is implemented in the curriculum through active teaching-learning strategies, future teachers acquire competencies of sustainability. They also reveal that said strategies contribute to a change in consumption habits as a reduction in the EF is observed. There exists a relation between EF reduction and high levels of acquisition of competency in sustainability.

This work forms part of the R + D + i ‘Training project in Spanish universities for professionals as agents of change in order meet the challenges facing society’ (Educación e Innovación Social para la Sostenibilidad (EDINSOST) 2017–2019). The purpose is to analyse the presence of sustainability in terms of curriculum content and training in competence for students, teachers and the curricula of Science of Education degree courses at the University of Seville. In this context, the curricula of the Degree in Early Childhood Education, Primary Education and Pedagogy have been analysed. Two questionnaires have been drawn up, and four reflection groups have been created—in which, a total of 49 teachers and 170 students have participated. The results show that there is a low presence of sustainability in Science of Education degree courses. The teachers express the opinion that they are engaged in sustainable initiatives and have an interest in ethical models. The students express a high degree of interest in receiving sustainability training. Findings provide information for introducing innovation into the university curriculum and the training of teachers and students in order to improve their competency in sustainability.

La educación para la sostenibilidad en la formación de profesorado. ¿Qué estamos haciendo? Education for a sustainable future in teacher training. What are we doing?

The work is carried out in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal 13 Climate Action with prospective primary school teachers. The study presented is part of the science education subject at the University of Seville (Spain) during the 2019–2020 academic year. This research has two main goals, on the one hand, to present an innovative educational experience (design and implementation) for teacher training, on the other hand, to assess the educational implication of the experience from the prospective primary school teachers’ self-perception about their level of sustainability competences achieved. The novel educational experience consisted in the inquiry of prior knowledge about climate change in primary school children for the design of a lesson plan. The degree of scope of the educational experience, in particular, the level of sustainability competences achieved was assessed from the self-perception of the participants (Prospective Primary school Teachers) through a Likert-type questionnaire. The results show an improvement in the degree of acquisition of these competences, not only from their self-perception, but also from the investigative process followed through this innovative experience. Likewise, these results indicate the success of the educational proposal as a possible educational strategy for the sustainability of the curriculum in the field of science education.

El desarrollo profesional del profesorado de Educación Superior y su formación en sostenibilidad en es una prioridad máxima para dotar de calidad a las universidades y así, dar respuesta desde este ámbito a las problemáticas socioambientales enmarcadas en la Agenda 2030 a través de los Objetivos para el Desarrollo Sostenible. La presente investigación pretende poner en valor una experiencia de formación y desarrollo profesional docente, el programa de mentorización “Academy Sustainability Latinoamérica” (AcSuLA), llevada a cabo entre varias universidades españolas y varias latinoamericanas de tres países diferentes (universidades colombianas, peruanas y chilenas). La lógica metodológica de la investigación-acción y la estrategia de mentorización nos han permitido identificar facilitadores, barreras y retos de futuro presentes en los procesos formativos de las universidades latinoamericanas participantes en el programa materia de sostenibilidad. Los resultados muestran las barreras y facilitadores en 7 dimensiones de análisis (currículo, profesorado, directivas académicas, cultura institucional, directiva institucional, contexto local y contexto global) que ponen de manifiesto cómo la falta de apoyo y compromiso desde el marco político universitario o la falta de asignación y reconocimiento por pertenecer al proyecto pueden ser algunas dificultades significativas a la hora de implantar el programa. Si bien, un conjunto de elementos facilitadores del proceso que tienen que ver con la generación de sinergias y redes de trabajo interpersonales e interinstitucionales se sobreponen a esos obstáculos y favorecen un cambio en los modelos de gestión y práctica docente y que hacen de este proyecto, una iniciativa innovadora para explotar y expandir a otros contextos.