Teacher education for sustainability: Current practice and outstanding challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35763/aiem23.5414Keywords:
Teacher education, Sustainable Development, Education for Sustainable Development, Initial Teacher Education, Professional DevelopmentAbstract
The move to a sustainable future requires that we all learn to live, work and engage with our planet differently. Teacher education has been recognised as one of the most significant catalysts for bringing innovation and sustainability into education and thus supporting learners to contribute to the green transition. This theoretical paper seeks to provide an understanding of the need for, and challenge of, mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and describes the critical role of teacher education in advancing sustainable development. Drawing on findings of a literature review and case study collection commissioned by the European Commission, the authors identify key challenges and lessons learned to enhance teachers’ professional learning in ESD. Future practice is identified to support efforts in this area and help teachers and teacher educators, including mathematics educators, to build competences that better allow them to connect their work and expertise with the sustainability imperative.
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