Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza

The traditional, mechanistic university context is far from achieving commitment and accountability for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The whole structure must be redefined in terms of teaching, research, management, and the connection with the whole community. The main objective is ba...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Silvia Lorente-Echeverría, Inma Canales-Lacruz, Berta Murillo-Pardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/341
_version_ 1797605712063365120
author Silvia Lorente-Echeverría
Inma Canales-Lacruz
Berta Murillo-Pardo
author_facet Silvia Lorente-Echeverría
Inma Canales-Lacruz
Berta Murillo-Pardo
author_sort Silvia Lorente-Echeverría
collection DOAJ
description The traditional, mechanistic university context is far from achieving commitment and accountability for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The whole structure must be redefined in terms of teaching, research, management, and the connection with the whole community. The main objective is based on identifying the cognitive perception that university teachers have in relation to curricular sustainability, and how this is linked to the context in which they develop their teaching practice. The sample is made up of 15 teachers, selected purposively and non-randomly: 3 women and 12 men, with a mean age of 45.57 ± 9.72. The information was obtained from focus groups, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The QRS NVIVO 12 software program was used for content analysis. The results show a preponderant lack of knowledge, skills, and abilities in sustainability, given a lack of attitude towards change. The results show that the transformation lies in teacher training, based on workshops, courses, or experiential activities. Finally, assessing their own context, the participants highlighted the lack of a joint institutional strategy on sustainability.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T05:04:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-54ef0fea656e42e9adcf127dcf07e4ee
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2227-7102
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T05:04:57Z
publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Education Sciences
spelling doaj.art-54ef0fea656e42e9adcf127dcf07e4ee2023-11-17T18:59:08ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022023-03-0113434110.3390/educsci13040341Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of ZaragozaSilvia Lorente-Echeverría0Inma Canales-Lacruz1Berta Murillo-Pardo2Department of Pastic, Musical and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education, University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Pastic, Musical and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education, University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Pastic, Musical and Corporal Expression, Faculty of Education, University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainThe traditional, mechanistic university context is far from achieving commitment and accountability for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The whole structure must be redefined in terms of teaching, research, management, and the connection with the whole community. The main objective is based on identifying the cognitive perception that university teachers have in relation to curricular sustainability, and how this is linked to the context in which they develop their teaching practice. The sample is made up of 15 teachers, selected purposively and non-randomly: 3 women and 12 men, with a mean age of 45.57 ± 9.72. The information was obtained from focus groups, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The QRS NVIVO 12 software program was used for content analysis. The results show a preponderant lack of knowledge, skills, and abilities in sustainability, given a lack of attitude towards change. The results show that the transformation lies in teacher training, based on workshops, courses, or experiential activities. Finally, assessing their own context, the participants highlighted the lack of a joint institutional strategy on sustainability.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/341education for sustainable development (ESD)university teachersfocus groupscurricular sustainabilityhigher education
spellingShingle Silvia Lorente-Echeverría
Inma Canales-Lacruz
Berta Murillo-Pardo
Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
Education Sciences
education for sustainable development (ESD)
university teachers
focus groups
curricular sustainability
higher education
title Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
title_full Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
title_fullStr Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
title_full_unstemmed Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
title_short Whole Systems Thinking and Context of the University Teacher on Curricular Sustainability in Primary Education Teaching Degrees at the University of Zaragoza
title_sort whole systems thinking and context of the university teacher on curricular sustainability in primary education teaching degrees at the university of zaragoza
topic education for sustainable development (ESD)
university teachers
focus groups
curricular sustainability
higher education
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/341
work_keys_str_mv AT silvialorenteecheverria wholesystemsthinkingandcontextoftheuniversityteacheroncurricularsustainabilityinprimaryeducationteachingdegreesattheuniversityofzaragoza
AT inmacanaleslacruz wholesystemsthinkingandcontextoftheuniversityteacheroncurricularsustainabilityinprimaryeducationteachingdegreesattheuniversityofzaragoza
AT bertamurillopardo wholesystemsthinkingandcontextoftheuniversityteacheroncurricularsustainabilityinprimaryeducationteachingdegreesattheuniversityofzaragoza