Search Results (35)

Anthropocene pressures underscore that human well-being and societal resilience depend on both biodiversity and geodiversity, the latter providing the abiotic foundation of Earth’s life-support systems. Despite increasing emphasis on systems thinking, participation, and action, Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development often underrepresent this abiotic dimension and leave ethical commitments insufficiently articulated. Addressing these gaps, this concept paper develops a convergence framework that integrates geoethics, geoeducation, and geoenvironmental education within the broader domains of EE and ESD. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, geoethics is positioned as a normative lens that clarifies principles for responsible human–Earth relations, including responsibility, justice, respect for Earth processes, transparency in science communication, prudent resource use, and risk-aware decision-making. Geoeducation is conceptualized as the pedagogical vehicle through which these values are translated into competencies such as geoliteracy, systems thinking, critical reflection, ethical deliberation, and evidence-informed action, while geoenvironmental education provides the integrative content domain linking biotic, abiotic, and cultural dimensions. Place-based learning functions as the primary implementation pathway, with protected landscapes and UNESCO Global Geoparks serving as exemplary “living laboratories” where geoconservation, education, and sustainable development are co-produced with local communities. The paper advances three interrelated contributions: (a) a conceptual convergence framework, (b) an operational definition of geoethical awareness, and (c) a programmatic model linking geoethical values to competencies, pedagogies, indicators, and place-based implementation strategies. Operationalized through a Theory of Change and a translation matrix connecting principles to educational outcomes, the framework provides a foundation for future empirical research, curriculum development, teacher education, and the cultivation of geo-citizenship, stewardship, and more resilient human–Earth relationships. Full article

For students with Special Educational Needs in their Emotional and Social Development (SEN-ESD), school interactions can intensify distrust in adults or foster corrective relational experiences. Physical Education (PE) presents a dual-natured context for this group: while curricula promote social–emotional skill development, students are particularly dependent on sensitive teacher interactions. Yet, no study has examined how recognition, as the prerequisite for inclusion, is negotiated in these teacher–student interactions. This Grounded Theory study reconstructed these negotiation processes and explains them through a Honneth–Prengel recognition framework. Using an iterative design, we conducted and analysed semi-structured interviews with 18 PE teachers and 22 students with SEN-ESD in German regular secondary schools until theoretical saturation. Constant comparative analysis and iterative open and axial coding revealed the dimension of interactional dignity (property: level of affirmation; ranging from low ↔ high). Five patterns detail its constitution through three core domains: relational security, fairness and voice, and valuing individual skills. Interactions are strained by perceptual discrepancies, one concerning what counts as just and the other whose reality is recognised. Furthermore, a systemic grading paradox emerged, which may function as institutional misrecognition and may risk double marginalization for students with SEN-ESD, who are assessed on their very area of need in PE. Findings suggest that addressing this requires structural reform beyond teacher practice. Inclusive PE needs resources for individualised pedagogy, teachers who acknowledge individual needs and realities, and systemic reform of assessment practices. Full article

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) increasingly relies on e-learning environments to deliver scalable, flexible, and accessible educational experiences. While existing research has extensively examined the role of digital technologies in facilitating sustainability-oriented learning, significantly less attention has been given to how learners themselves adapt to the structures and dynamics of these environments. This study adopts a theory-building approach, grounded in integrative conceptual synthesis, to develop a coherent explanatory framework that combines insights from cognitive load theory, self-regulated learning, neurocognitive adaptation, and systems theory. The paper proposes the Sustainable Learning Loop, a recursive mechanism describing how repeated interaction with e-learning systems leads to pattern recognition, expectation stabilization, reduced cognitive effort, decreased active engagement, and the emergence of stable behavioral learning patterns. In addition, a novel typology of Sustainable Learning Habituation (SLH) is developed, distinguishing between cognitive, engagement, behavioral, and sustainability habituation. The framework highlights a dual dynamic in digital learning environments. On the one hand, habituation enhances efficiency, usability, and scalability, supporting the broader goals of sustainable education. On the other hand, it introduces critical risks, including superficial sustainability learning, reduced critical thinking, platform dependency, and the emergence of an illusion of learning, where perceived competence exceeds actual understanding. The study contributes to the literature by reframing e-learning as a co-adaptive system that actively shapes cognitive and behavioral processes, rather than merely delivering content. From a practical perspective, the findings underscore the need to design digital learning environments that balance efficiency with reflexivity, ensuring that ESD remains transformative rather than procedural. The framework also offers actionable design implications, suggesting that e-learning environments for ESD should incorporate reflective prompts, task variability, learning analytics indicators, and metacognitive feedback mechanisms to prevent excessive routinization and support deeper sustainability-oriented engagement. Future research should focus on the empirical operationalization of SLH and the development of adaptive systems that support critical engagement and sustainable learning outcomes. Full article

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can support and strengthen responses to the environmental challenges faced today. However, the sustainability knowledge–action gap remains mostly unbridged. This article examines communication as a lever for learning and behavior change in sustainability education and compares the use of communication in conventional delivery and a narrative, dialogic and affective communication mode in secondary, university and community-based learning settings in a mixed-methods experimental study. Quantitative measures (pre-, post-, follow-up) included knowledge, systems thinking, emotional engagement, motivation and self-reported sustainable behaviors. Qualitative data, including interviews, observations and action research projects, were also collected to gain deeper insights into learner engagement with knowledge, systems thinking, emotional engagement and motivation. Results suggest that participants in the catalytic communication condition felt more cognitively and emotionally engaged than the control condition, and displayed more long-term pro-environmental behavior. Mediation analysis suggests that the increase in pro-environmental behavior may be driven by an increase in feelings of empathy and hope associated with the learning experience. This supports the understanding that tailored communication can help to reduce the knowledge–action gap in ESD and provides additional insights into the usefulness of cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions of sustainability-oriented pedagogical approaches. Full article

The objective of this study is to assess the extent to which science teachers implement (SERTPs) and to examine whether these practices differ according to selected demographic and professional variables. Using a descriptive–analytical design, data were collected from 225 science teachers enrolled in graduate programs at King Khalid University during the 2025–2026 academic year. The findings reveal a high overall level of SERTPs (M = 2.45; 81.81%). The highest-scoring dimensions were Enhancing Students’ Environmental Awareness (86.59%) and Using Sustainable Resources in Teaching (84.00%), while Encouraging Community Participation showed the lowest application level (77.95%). No significant differences were found across gender, teaching stage, academic qualification, or age; however, a significant difference emerged in favor of teachers with a high level of technology use (p < 0.001). These results underline the vital role of technological integration in strengthening sustainable teaching practices. The study recommends targeted professional development, sustainability-centered curriculum enhancement, and institutional support to align science education with global Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) goals. Full article

Integrating sustainability principles into higher education curricula is a global imperative, yet it poses significant challenges for faculty development, particularly across diverse disciplinary and cultural contexts. This paper explores how the process of embedding sustainability into university courses acts as a catalyst for educator transformation, influencing faculty identity, pedagogical method, and professional agency. Drawing on a qualitative multiple case study conducted at two international universities in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, this study analyzes teaching artefacts, course materials, and reflective journals from courses spanning information systems, business analytics, digital marketing, and media and communication. The CoDesignS Framework served as both a design and analytical scaffold to align teaching practices with key sustainability competencies and transformative pedagogies. Findings demonstrate that sustainability integration encourages not only deeper student engagement but also meaningful professional growth for educators, shifting their roles from content experts to co-designers of learning. This paper contributes a practitioner-led, contextually grounded model for embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and argues that empowering faculty through flexible, reflective frameworks such as CoDesignS may be more effective than top-down compliance approaches in driving institutional change. Full article

Environmental education (EE) is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly where inequalities constrain access to quality learning. Following PRISMA 2020, this review synthesizes 35 peer-reviewed studies and policy documents to examine Morocco’s EE policies and practices against global frameworks and post-pandemic challenges. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ProQuest/EBSCO, Google Scholar, and national repositories (January 2000–December 2024; executed 15–17 March 2024). Findings show strong discursive alignment with SDG 4.7 and UNESCO’s ESD 2030 Roadmap but persistent implementation gaps: rural and peri-urban schools face resource shortages; teacher preparation for participatory, interdisciplinary approaches remains limited; and environmental clubs often rely on short-term projects without stable institutional support. The COVID-19 period exacerbated these pressures yet opened opportunities to integrate health–environment linkages, digital tools, and adaptive pedagogy. Equity reporting was limited (31% gender; 37% residence; 9% socio-economic status). Arabic-only records were identified (n = 42) and title/abstract-screened (n = 17) but excluded due to translation constraints (language bias). To advance transformative EE, we recommend prioritizing participatory, place-based teacher education; institutionalizing school clubs with light monitoring and baseline grants; targeting support to reduce territorial inequities; and developing an SDG-aligned national dashboard. Expanding longitudinal, quasi-experimental, and participatory designs is critical to strengthen causal claims and inform policy. Full article

This study examines the key factors influencing the quality of distance learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when online learning became the dominant mode of education. Using a descriptive method and a 26-item questionnaire, data were collected from a representative sample of 360 students in Vojvodina, Serbia. The factors analyzed include computer literacy and technology access (Ph1), students’ ability to balance life obligations with study demands (Ph2), and their motivation for distance learning (Ph3). The results show that 89% of students had adequate IT access, 47% were able to reconcile study and personal obligations, and 70% reported strong motivation. Correlation analysis confirmed a statistically significant positive relationship between all three factors and students’ perceptions of well-organized distance learning, thus supporting the main research hypothesis. Beyond these findings, this study interprets digital literacy as adaptability, time management as resilience, and motivation as value orientation and future thinking—core dimensions of sustainability competences outlined in the European GreenComp framework. Distance learning is therefore positioned not only as an emergency response but also as a transformative pedagogy that integrates brain (knowledge), hands (skills), heart (values), and spirit (purpose), contributing to sustainable and resilient higher education. Full article

The conceptual design phase in architecture establishes the foundation for subsequent design decisions and influences up to 80% of a building’s lifecycle environmental impact. While Building Information Modeling (BIM) demonstrates transformative potential for sustainable design, its application during conceptual design remains constrained by perceived technical complexity and limited support for abstract thinking. This research examines how BIM tools can facilitate conceptual design through diagrammatic reasoning, thereby bridging technical capabilities with creative exploration. A mixed-methods approach was employed to develop and validate a Diagrammatic BIM (D-BIM) framework. It integrates diagrammatic reasoning, parametric modeling, and performance evaluation within BIM environments. The framework defines three core relationships—dissection, articulation, and actualization—which enable transitions from abstract concepts to detailed architectural forms in Revit’s modeling environments. Using Richard Meier’s architectural language as a structured test case, a 14-week quasi-experimental study with 19 third-year architecture students assessed the framework’s effectiveness through pre- and post-surveys, observations, and artifact analysis. Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements (p < 0.05) with moderate to large effect sizes across all measures, including systematic design thinking, diagram utilization, and academic self-efficacy. Students demonstrated enhanced design iteration, abstraction-to-realization transitions, and performance-informed decision-making through quantitative and qualitative assessments during early design stages. However, the study’s limitations include a small, single-institution sample, the absence of a control group, a focus on a single architectural language, and the exploratory integration of environmental analysis tools. Findings indicate that the framework repositions BIM as a cognitive design environment that supports creative ideation while integrating structured design logic and performance analysis. The study advances Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by embedding critical, systems-based, and problem-solving competencies, demonstrating BIM’s role in sustainability-focused early design. This research provides preliminary evidence that conceptual design and BIM are compatible when supported with diagrammatic reasoning, offering a foundation for integrating competency-based digital pedagogy that bridges creative and technical dimensions of architectural design. Full article

Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a key competency in education for sustainable development (ESD). However, international research shows that many teachers feel unprepared to teach CT, especially within the ESD context. Despite its importance, few studies have explored how CT is actually practiced in ESD, particularly in primary and secondary education. This article presents a systematic literature review of 43 qualitative studies published between 1990 and 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines. This review aimed to (1) synthesise research on teachers’ understanding of CT in ESD and (2) identify teaching practices where CT is integrated into ESD. The findings reveal that the concept of CT is frequently used but is not clearly understood in the context of ESD. Most studies focused on critical rationality (skills), with fewer addressing critical character (dispositions), critical actions, critical virtue, critical consciousness, or critical pedagogy. This review highlights a need for broader engagement with these dimensions in order to foster ethically aware and responsible citizens. We argue for teaching approaches that involve students in interdisciplinary, real-world problems requiring not only critical reasoning but also action, reflection, and ethical judgment. Full article

This study integrates the 2017 United Nations ESD framework and UNESCO’s ESD priorities with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of “quality education” and the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) framework to propose an innovative programming teaching model. A central component is an automatic architecture diagram generation system that visualizes program code structures in real-time, reducing cognitive load and enhancing comprehension of abstract programming concepts such as recursion and data structures. Students complete a project-based assignment—developing a Scheme interpreter—to simulate real-world software development. This model emphasizes system thinking, modular design, and problem solving, aligning with CDIO’s structured learning progression. The experimental results show that students using the system significantly outperformed the control group in their final project scores, demonstrating improved practical programming ability. While cognitive load remained stable, learning motivation decreased slightly, indicating the need for additional affective design support. The findings confirm that the integration of visual learning tools and project-based pedagogy under the CDIO framework supports the development of critical competencies for sustainable development. This approach offers a transformative step forward in programming education, cultivating learners who are capable, innovative, and ready to meaningfully contribute to global sustainability. Full article

Environmentally sustainable design (ESD) is the critical response in the building sector needed to mitigate ecological impacts caused by high resource consumption and enabling us to achieve sustainability targets. Education is crucial for sustainability, and architectural education has openly welcomed and introduced ESD studios into pedagogy. These sustainable studios possess both similarities and deviations from a conventional design studio, arousing interest among scholars. Hence, a growing body of knowledge is found, covering numerous important aspects of ESD educational design. Understanding the anatomy of an ESD studio–defined by unique characteristics, challenges, sustainability concepts, learning outcomes, underpinning learning theories, embodied educational design elements, design artefacts, and design thinking–are the major concerns for educators. An extensive literature review on ESD education projects within built environments revealed themes for these concerns, presented across ten aspects. The study is concluded with a synthesized concept map that could be used for pedagogical designs within ESD studios. Full article

Planning education has a responsibility to provide students with theoretical and practical training to address real-world issues. This study explores studio teaching as an engaged pedagogy, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches to education for sustainable development (ESD) and themes from the American Planning Association’s (APA) Future Trend reports. Focusing on two senior capstone projects at the University of Cincinnati involving 34 students, the study emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary methods and APA trend integration in fostering critical thinking and higher-order reasoning. Capstone projects show students’ active engagement with innovative planning concepts (e.g., climate migration, innovative ways of goods’ delivery, and expanding third place’s concept). Such active and innovative learning outcomes not only deepen students’ understanding of urban planning but also equip them with critical cognitive and professional skills, which are necessary as professional planners as well as forward thinkers. The experiences and findings presented can help other programs articulate the benefits of studio-based courses. The findings offer experience-based guidance for similar initiatives in planning studios globally and support the ongoing transformation of sustainability education to prepare students for complex, real-world problem-solving. Full article

The growing interest in innovative pedagogies within education for sustainable development (ESD) calls for a renewed set of pedagogical practices. In responding to this challenge, this article draws on backcasting, a future studies method, to support education for ESD competencies among youths. It presents the design, trial, and results of one intervention designed to test the method in the context of secondary education, employing design thinking as an overarching methodology. Using a qualitative descriptive-interpretative approach with a thematic analysis to examine empirical data obtained from participants’ perspectives, we present their future visions, how much they were involved in the intervention, what they liked the most and the least, their perceived purpose, ease and adequacy in duration. Our findings show that youths embrace active methodologies such as backcasting. Since the method was new to them, participants experienced difficulties when logically chaining the steps necessary to achieve a desired future from the present state. Nonetheless, the skills underpinning backcasting are relevant to sustainable development, as they involve considering our actions regarding medium- and long-term impacts. In the end, we propose backcasting as a poignant method in the context of secondary education that can promote the development of hypothetical and critical thinking skills central to ESD competencies. While offering a theoretical discussion, a workshop protocol, and future directions for pedagogical practice and investigation, our results apply to researchers, sustainability education professionals, and teachers alike. Full article

In the context of the global climate change debate, the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in higher education institutions (HEIs) has been identified as one of the top priorities. This paper presents the CoDesignS ESD Framework (hereafter “Framework”) focused on HEIs, though the Framework is applicable to other types of educational institutions. The Framework introduces transformative pedagogies and teaching methods that extend beyond typical ESD competencies, encompassing cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral domains for a holistic design and delivery. It was evaluated using a focus group and interviews among sustainability practitioners and academics, learning and curriculum designers, students, and government officials involved in ESD. The evaluation demonstrates key stakeholders’ engagement with the Framework and appreciation of its potential to integrate sustainability into university curricula across different disciplines. The findings suggest that the Framework is easy to use, making sustainability explicit in the curriculum and actively developing the competencies students require to bring about change beyond the classroom. The feedback received has helped the further development of the Framework, including the CoDesignS ESD Toolkit Planner and Dashboard, which provide a more effective way of integrating the learning design and ESD components embedded as part of the CoDesignS ESD pillars. Full article