A Teacher Education for Sustainable Development System: An Institutional Responsibility

Abstract

Soft systems methodology is commonly used in organizational research and can be very useful when attempting to understand both organizational structures and dynamics. A teacher education institution is identified here as an organization. Soft systems methodology is employed to gain a picture of the current organizational structure of a Science and Technology Education Department and to further develop a hypothetical picture of what the same organizational structures would look like if they incorporated ESD. These two pictures were presented to a group of teacher educators within the particular department during a focus group interview, where they were encouraged to reflect on three foci. This paper explores the teacher educators' responses to the hypothetical system picture which elaborates on a system for teacher education for sustainable development. The paper concludes by reflecting on teacher educators' responses and what they imply for the future of ESD at this teacher education institution. The article reveals that the following findings permeated teacher educators responses to the notional system picture for teacher education for sustainable development: (1) management's perceptions of professional autonomy differs from that of teacher educators; (2) there exist seven relevant subsystems that influence teacher educators' priority and practice; (3) teacher educators felt that research and leadership were the most powerful tools supporting the suggested ESD curriculum innovation; (4) although ESD is deemed important, it is not a priority for teacher educators owing to various reasons.

An Investigation of The Relationship Between Ecological and Materialistic Values of Turkish Teacher Candidates

“…In this vein, some approaches have been developed such as education about the environment, education in (or through) the environment, and education for the environment (Cutter & Smith, 2001). As is clear from research on the subject, the content of courses dealing with environmental education in the majority of education faculties in Turkey, and teaching strategies used in this course are conducted as "education about the environment" (Ballantyne & Packer, 1996;Bentham et al, 2015;Hungerford & Volk, 1990;Özdemir, 2010;Stevenson, 2007;Ünal & Dımışkı, 1998). The primary objective of environmental education should be to educate individuals who do not hold their personal interest's superior to those of nature, and who have a universal ethical understanding and a nature-centered world view.…”

“…It was pointed out that universities, and especially teacher training institutions can be highly effective for environmental education (Bentham, Sinnes, & Gjøtterud, 2015). In the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 -2014), it is emphasized that sustainable development issues should be integrated into education in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner (Achim, Stan, & Dragolea, 2018;Wals, 2014).…”

From Classroom to Community: Understanding Community-Based Learning Practices in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions

“…The activities of CBL can be deemed as a system that connects the groups of the associated community involved in the projects; sharing the same purposes and drives. Betham, Sinnes, and Giøterrud (2015) proclaimed that the SSM method might be impulsive; as it measures human beings with shared values, attitudes, and views, which could affect their decision-making process. This enabled the conduct of stage 2, the needs analysis in ensuring the problems that occurred in executing the CBL approach in Malaysia.…”

Perceptions of Teacher Educators about Integration of (ESD) in Elementary Teachers Education Program

“…The research of Tomas, Girgenti, and Jackson (2017) and Samuelsson & Kaga (2008) states that sustainability may be achieved through teachers' education as ESD based curriculum can enable the teachers to change the behavior, values and skills of individuals for solution of economic, environmental and social problems. On the other hand, teacher educators have also a crucial role in training of the prospective teachers as it is arguing by the research of (Bentham, Sinnes, & Gjotterud, 2015) that expertise on the part of faculty members is also essential to deliver the ESD based curriculum to prospective teachers in its true spirit. ESD is a powerful source which push forward the society for more sustainable future.…”