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A New Paradigm in Teacher Education: Sustainability in Teacher Training

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 3902

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Curriculum & Instruction, Near East University, 99138 Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: curriculum; curriculum development; curriculum evaluation; assessment and evaluation; teaching methods; teacher training; learning and teaching approaches
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most important aspects of the 21st century is represented by the changes and developments that have occurred in various fields. Professional fields are continually developing in the current era, the needs of society are changing, and the human workforce is diversifying. With changes in society, there is a constant increase in poverty, inequalities, production and consumption imbalances, failures in ensuring peace and justice, and the need for a good quality of life and high-quality education. There is an increasing need for individuals who have made lifelong learning a philosophy, can effectively use technology, have strong communication and empathy skills, and have good multilingual skills. Educational systems and teachers play an important role in raising 21st-century learners. In order for learners to adapt to the future, teachers must guide and enlighten them. Occupationally and academically successful students can only flourish with help from teachers who are occupationally competent. It is seen as necessary for teachers to have 21st-century skills; it is expected that teachers will adopt a research and questioning approach, develop good problem-solving skills, be able to effectively communicate, have digital proficiency, be active in lifelong learning, and be able to think critically. In this context, programs that train teachers are becoming popular, and programs that diverge from the traditional approach with a modern structure, supported by technology, must be emphasized. For high-quality teacher education, programs need to be developed that have a sustainable approach. In this context, the Sustainable Development Goals deserve attention. Teaching candidates should start their teaching career with an understanding of the importance of sustainable education; teacher training programs should be designed to increase teaching candidates' awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals. Teaching candidates and teachers should have knowledge and skills regarding sustainable development practices and integrate these practices into their professional fields. In this context, there is a growing need for scientific research into the quality of teacher education; the extent to which the Sustainable Development Goals are included in these programs; sustainable practices; and the identification and meeting of needs. The aims of this Special Issue are to evaluate and improve the quality of teacher training, to determine the level of sustainability in teacher education, and to provide guidelines for the development of contemporary approaches.

I am looking forward to contributions from researchers working on sustainability in teacher training.

Prof. Dr. Çiǧdem Hürsen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • teacher training
  • teacher training programs
  • technology-supported teacher training programs
  • new orientations and approaches in teacher training
  • teacher candidates
  • sustainability practices
  • sustainability and teachers
  • sustainable development goals and teacher training

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 317 KiB  
Article
Mentor Teachers’ Opinions for Sustainable Teacher Education: The Case of Northern Cyprus
by Özcan Palavan, Nurdan Ozrecberoglu Kirikkaleli and Ahmet Güneyli
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 5138; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17115138 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 472
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the views of mentor teachers on sustainable teacher education in Northern Cyprus. The Teaching Practice course (internship) was taken as the basis, and the views of mentor teachers on the meaning, difficulties, responsibilities, and feedback process of teaching [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate the views of mentor teachers on sustainable teacher education in Northern Cyprus. The Teaching Practice course (internship) was taken as the basis, and the views of mentor teachers on the meaning, difficulties, responsibilities, and feedback process of teaching practices were examined. Data were collected through open-ended interviews with 50 classroom teachers using the qualitative research approach phenomenological model. When the findings are examined, it is revealed that mentor teachers see internship as very important in terms of applying theoretical knowledge, gaining practical experience, and developing professional identity. Difficulties include classroom management difficulties, problems with students, inadequate preparation, and communication problems. Mentor teachers emphasize that their roles of providing guidance, feedback, and support are important. It was stated that preparation, time management, and effective communication are among the responsibilities of candidate teachers. The study emphasized the importance of mentoring in teaching practices in the context of effective communication and providing constructive feedback. Recommendations include improved internship program design focusing on classroom management, communication skills, and material preparation. Additionally, fostering a supportive learning environment and providing professional development opportunities for both mentors and student teachers are essential. The study contributes to understanding the complexities of teacher education and the critical role of effective mentoring in shaping future educators. Evaluating the findings of this study in the context of sustainable teacher education highlights how mentors’ role model practices, ongoing support for pre-service teachers, and reinforcement of effective teaching strategies can contribute to the sustainability of pre-service teacher education. Full article
18 pages, 1223 KiB  
Article
Non-Participation of Mathematics Teachers in Professional Development: A Cross-National Analysis of TIMSS 2011, 2015, and 2019
by Fabián Barrera-Pedemonte, Zhijun Chen, Ángela Novoa-Echaurren and Lucas Silva
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 3855; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093855 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 533
Abstract
Teacher professional development (PD) programs ensure quality education, and quality education is the basis for sustainable development. However, the non-participation of mathematics teachers in PD still represents a tough challenge for several school systems and remains poorly understood. Using data from the 2011, [...] Read more.
Teacher professional development (PD) programs ensure quality education, and quality education is the basis for sustainable development. However, the non-participation of mathematics teachers in PD still represents a tough challenge for several school systems and remains poorly understood. Using data from the 2011, 2015, and 2019 cycles of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), we analyzed more than 200 national datasets to identify countries with relevant proportions of non-participation in PD and model cross-nationally the relationship between the odds of this outcome and a set of variables at the teacher and school level, including the interaction between job satisfaction and the attributes of the schools. Successive logistic regression models applied to each national dataset reveals that, in different countries, the teachers’ job satisfaction, sex, teaching experience, the completion of initial teaching training, and the schools’ attributes (i.e., location and socio-economic status (SES)) were significantly associated with the odds of non-participation in PD amongst mathematics teachers. Three cases (Lebanon and Japan in 2015, and Norway in 2019) describes opposite patterns of results for the interaction between the teachers’ job satisfaction and the type of school location (urban vs. remote rural). In Lebanon in 2019, female teachers, as well as more experienced teachers and those teachers working in deprived areas were significantly more likely to report non-participation in PD. This study underscores the importance of undertaking regular and reliable cross-national monitoring of teachers’ non-participation in PD to guide policy efforts aligned with indicator 4.c.7 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals framework. Full article
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19 pages, 1766 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Communication, Social Intelligence and Intercultural Sensitivity Competencies of Teacher Candidates in Sustainable Education by Structural Equation Modeling
by Mehmet Özdoğru, Mehmet Nezir Çevik and Mehmet Sabir Çevik
Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9282; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219282 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1441
Abstract
It has become increasingly important to provide equal educational opportunities to all students for quality and sustainable education in classrooms with rapidly increasing diversity. In this context, communication skills, social intelligence and intercultural sensitivity are important competences that can affect teacher performance and [...] Read more.
It has become increasingly important to provide equal educational opportunities to all students for quality and sustainable education in classrooms with rapidly increasing diversity. In this context, communication skills, social intelligence and intercultural sensitivity are important competences that can affect teacher performance and efficiency in classrooms. Despite the importance of these competencies, empirical studies examining the relationships between these variables are scarce. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the relationships between teacher candidates’ communication skills and their intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence levels through the application of structural equation modeling (SEM). The participants were selected from among the teacher candidates studying at Kütahya Dumlupınar University, a public university in Türkiye, using simple random sampling method. The results indicated that teacher candidates had high levels of communication skills, intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence. In addition, while there was a significant positive relationship between communication skills and intercultural sensitivity level and social intelligence level at low level, there was a significant positive relationship between intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence level at medium level. Furthermore, communication skills and intercultural sensitivity were found to be significant predictors of social intelligence and intercultural sensitivity had a partial mediating role in the relationship between communication skills and social intelligence. In the study, it was concluded that teacher candidates’ communication skills predicted social intelligence through intercultural sensitivity. Full article
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