Changes in Thoughts and Actions as Requirements for a Sustainable Future: A Review of Recent Research on the Finnish Educational System and Sustainable Development

Abstract

In numerous UN policy documents, a sustainable future through education is set in a key position; the UNESCO Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO, 2018) is no exception. Therefore, it is of great importance to examine and report how different UN member countries work towards the implementation of sustainability at all levels of education. This article is a review of recently published research in Finland, with a focus on sustainability in the educational system. Specifically, the article deals with teacher education, combined with theoretical research around sustainability and systems thinking, to find a pathway forward. The main finding is that higher education in Finland cannot guarantee that student teachers are prepared enough to teach about sustainability. This issue is discussed and addressed in the last part of the article.

Interdisciplinary primary school curriculum units for sustainable development

“…If teachers are to increase ESD competence, it is important that they are qualified for this in their teacher education or through teachers' professional development. However, research indicates that Finnish teacher educators do not have the competence to see the whole system using the three dimensions of SD and do not prepare teacher students for ESD (Hofman-Bergholm, 2012;Hofman-Bergholm, 2018;Wolff et al, 2017). Unfortunately, we lack Norwegian research in this field.…”

Personal Sustainability and Sustainable Employability: Perspective of Vocational Education Students

“…The youth needs to clarify their own values in the process in order to challenge the prevailing norms leading to unsustainability. Education has to offer opportunities for value discussions among the students in order to clarify different sets of values, ethics and morals (Hofman-Bergholm, 2018). The studentsí self-assessment method used in the study can be integrated in education because it enhances the ability to adequately evaluate oneself and others, build a strong relationship in which, on the one hand, everyone takes on the responsibilities that are most suitable for him/her, on the other hand, others see an individualís capabilities, entrust him/her with the most appropriate responsibilities (SalÓte et al, 2016).…”

A system dynamics approach to sustainability education

“…Hofman‐Bergholm (2018b) explores possible reasons and cites factors such as the inherent complexity in both the terms sustainability and sustainability education, a lack of consensus as to the educational content of ESD and its interdisciplinary nature, and low levels of understanding of ST among teachers. She finds that systemic understanding and ST are required to comprehend the intricate connections in sustainable development (Hofman‐Bergholm, 2018a: 27).…”