Detecting a Sustainable Mindset through Using Content Analysis of Teacher-produced Learning Journals

Abstract

Having developed and piloted a professional development blended learning course for teachers of home economics with the purpose of promoting a sustainable mindset in their students, we used the written learning journals by the teachers during the 15-week course to detect various aspects of a sustainable mindset, which could be attributed to the course. We assumed that the learning journals of 19 participants might reveal reflections on sustainability, the pedagogy of sustainability, a positive association between sustainability and the pedagogy of sustainability, and the development of a sustainable mindset over the period of the course. The analysis confirmed that the participants reflected a great deal on learning and sustainability as the course progressed; revealing that a positive link between teaching practice and sustainability can be observed. However, the analysis also indicated some important concepts that might have been under-emphasised in the course.

Social Ecology and Environmental Diversity in Teacher Education

“…As evidenced by writing excerpts from our pre-service teachers, student journaling also became an important aspect of our program and offered us many insights into the mindset of our student teachers. As Fox et al (2019) point out, keeping a learning journal can deepen student teachersí reflections on the pedagogy of sustainability over time: I couldnít think of a better location for the SEEDS module. Learning about place-based learning sitting in a classroom or from reading articles is one thing, but to actually be in a location where it can be experienced firsthand is so much more rewarding Ö (Student Teacher)…”

Promoting Sustainability Through Multimodal Storytelling

“…Teacher education must provide a framework where ECEC teachers might develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills to contribute to childrenís possibilities to promote sustainability. Of special interest is the more personal dimensions expressed as attitudes, i.e., personal values, and the ability and willingness to collaborate (Fox et al, 2019) in the promotion of sustainable practices.…”

Green Pedagogy: Using Confrontation and Provocation to Promote Sustainability Skills

“…We could attempt to see how well the concept of Green Pedagogy was embedded in our teacher participants by examining the learner diaries that we asked them to compile as part of the four-month course. A text analysis carried out using a content analysis software tool showed that the concept of Green Pedagogy was a minor rather than a major theme for the ProfESus participants [27]. This indicated that there was more work to be done in conveying the practice of Green Pedagogy more efficiently in English and that a four-month course is insufficient on its own to effect sustainable change in didactics and education.…”