Teacher Education for Sustainability: The Awareness and Responsibility for Sustainability Problems

Abstract

The theoretical framework of the present research is based on the socio-psychological model of sustainable behaviour by Juárez-Nájera (2010). For the purposes of this paper, just part of the research is related to personal norms. The paper provides the results of the awareness of consequences and the attribution of responsibility for environmental/ sustainability problems among students of the four Faculties of Teacher Education in four countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia. Research results indicate that students from Croatian and Slovenian Faculties of Teacher Education are characterised by a more pronounced awareness of environmental/sustainability problems than the students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The responsibility for environmental/sustainability problems is higher among the students of the Faculty of Teacher Education from Croatia and Serbia than among students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. It seems that a country is the major determiner of awareness and responsibility for environmental/sustainability problems. In general, the results of the present research provide significant guidelines for the reflection on the future of initial teacher education for sustainability and need for conducting interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research on personal norms and sustainable behaviour.

How Important Is Future Teachers’ “Connectedness to Nature”? Adaptation and Validation of the Connectedness to Nature Scale

“…In addition, previous research on environmental attitudes and values in Croatia among the student population, and especially in the education of future teachers, confirms these results [30,31]. The results of this research correspond to some previous research, but also to recent research that indicates a strong link between education and pro-ecological attitudes, values, and behaviors [8,12,31]. Research on eco-activism also points to a similar conclusion.…”

“…Numerous studies emphasize the importance of personal traits and emotions in teacher education and confirm that the student population, especially in the field of teacher education for sustainable development, achieves significantly high results when it comes to positive emotions (openness, conscientiousness, comfort, altruism) [3,29]. In addition, previous research on environmental attitudes and values in Croatia among the student population, and especially in the education of future teachers, confirms these results [30,31]. The results of this research correspond to some previous research, but also to recent research that indicates a strong link between education and pro-ecological attitudes, values, and behaviors [8,12,31].…”

Prepared to Teach for Sustainable Development? Student Teachers’ Beliefs in Their Ability to Teach for Sustainable Development

“…However, views on how teacher education prepares them to educate for sustainability varied strongly among the students from the different teacher programmes. Strong variation was also found among European teachers concerning their awareness of environmental problems [44]. Perhaps cultural and economic traits can explain this variation, both in teacher education programmes and among teachers.…”

Teacher education students self-assessement of their social competencies in the context of sustainable development

“…The role of the teacher is crucial in development of students' skills and work capacity necessary to improve social well-being and community development, i.e., to prepare students to participate in the community and future world. Previous research indicates that students of teacher education studies and educators recognize the importance of sustainable development and professional development in that area (Anđić and Ćurić, 2020;Anđić and Tatalović Vorkapić, 2017;Anđić, 2015;Borić et al, 2008;Vukelic et al, 2018), while on the other hand, they assess ethical values, emotional management and sustainability as less important (Anđić, 2017;Cvitković, 2018). Such results are confirmed by research results indicating that there is no systematic approach to education for sustainable development, and it is implemented only through individual initiatives (Kostović-Vranješ, 2016;Raditya-Ležaić and et al, 2018;Rončević et al, 2008).…”