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Education for Sustainability
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Education for Sustainability

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2019) | Viewed by 122771

Special Issue Editor

Dr. David Thorpe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Darling Heights, QLD 4350, Australia
Interests: sustainable engineering and built environment management;asset management;risk management; sustainable project and construction management;resilience; education of professionals for sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am honored to be asked to be Guest Editor of this Special Edition of Sustainability, which is focused on the topic of Education for Sustainability.

Accomplishing education for sustainability is expected to require both dedication and an understanding of the principles of sustainable development, international agreements—like the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—, relevant legal requirements and standards, and related topics.

The development of a strong understanding of and a commitment to sustainability in professionals is therefore likely to require innovative educational approaches that teach and embed sustainable practice and management within learners, and encourage them to implement its principles in their future professional practice. Such education can be provided by a range of teaching approaches, such as sustainability-focused study programs and courses, embedding sustainable development principles in the individual components of tertiary study programs, and practice-oriented approaches, like workplace training and development.

Possible topic areas for this Special Issue might include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Development of sustainable management principles at the undergraduate level;
  • Postgraduate education for sustainability;
  • Developing sustainable management principles in researchers;
  • Integrating sustainability education and the needs of the professions;
  • Developing, through education, a sustainability culture in the professions (for example, engineering, science, business);
  • Developing sustainable practice through work-based training and development;
  • Aligning sustainability education with international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement and/or the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
  • Other suitable topics.

Assoc. Prof. David Thorpe
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

  • Sustainability
  • Education
  • Postgraduate
  • Practice

Published Papers (18 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 3892 KiB  
Article
Methodology to Analyze the Effectiveness of ESD in a Higher Degree in Education. A Case Study
by Rocío Valderrama-Hernández, Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo, Lucía Alcántara Rubio and Dolores Limón-Domínguez
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010222 - 26 Dec 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4252
Abstract
This paper presents a methodology to evaluate (1) to what extent students of a higher degree in the field of education acquire sustainability competencies, and (2) to determine whether the subjects that develop Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) achieve their learning objectives. The [...] Read more.
This paper presents a methodology to evaluate (1) to what extent students of a higher degree in the field of education acquire sustainability competencies, and (2) to determine whether the subjects that develop Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) achieve their learning objectives. The methodology is applied to a case study. The instruments used are the sustainability survey and the sustainability presence map developed by the EDINSOST project. The survey consists of 18 questions, and has been answered by 104 first-year students and 86 fourth-year students belonging to the Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teaching at the University of Seville. The Mann-Whitney U test has been used to compare the results of the two students groups, and Cohen’s D has been used to measure the effect size. Students only obtain significant improvements, with 95% confidence, in three questions: Q4 (I know procedures and resources to integrate sustainability in the subjects), Q5 (I analyze the opportunities presented in the subjects to plan educational projects to integrate sustainability) and Q6 (I design educational projects from the perspective of sustainability), all concerning critical thinking and creativity. An improvement is also detected in question Q11 (I know how to develop myself satisfactorily in community educational projects, encouraging participation), with a confidence of 90%. Surprisingly, no subject in the curriculum develops the learning outcomes concerning questions Q4, Q5 and Q6, and only one subject develops the learning outcomes regarding question Q11. However, up to five subjects declare development of the learning outcomes regarding questions in which there is no improvement in student learning. These results suggest that the subjects are failing to reach their ESD learning objectives, and that the students are either trained in sustainability outside the university or the subject learning guides do not reflect the work done by the students throughout their studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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23 pages, 1430 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Development Planning: Master’s Based on a Project-Based Learning Approach
by Adolfo Cazorla-Montero, Ignacio de los Ríos-Carmenado and Juan Ignacio Pasten
Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6384; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226384 - 13 Nov 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5984
Abstract
The educational subject of Sustainable Development Planning in Europe is evolving due to the implementation of the Bologna Agreement across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This paper analyses a project-based learning strategy for training Sustainable Development Planning in postgraduate programs, in Spain [...] Read more.
The educational subject of Sustainable Development Planning in Europe is evolving due to the implementation of the Bologna Agreement across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This paper analyses a project-based learning strategy for training Sustainable Development Planning in postgraduate programs, in Spain (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM). This project-based learning strategy is applied to an International Postgraduate Program for Sustainable Rural Development—Erasmus Mundus, Master’s of Science—with the participation of five European Union universities that formed the Agris Mundus Alliance for Sustainable Development. Using a mixed methods approach, the research examined the program’s implementation through student and staff perceptions, from the technical, behavioral and contextual project management skills. The paper argues that the “Practical Learning platforms” used in the Master’s demonstrate the correct approach of the learning strategy based on teaching–research linked to the professional sphere. The findings that were identified can be categorized as follows: (1) Perspective: holistic thinking and intellectual coherence, defining the contextual skills that must be navigated within and across the broader environment, (2) Practice: experiential learning by reconnecting to real-life situations, and (3) People: Personal and interpersonal skills required to succeed in sustainable projects, programs and portfolios. Reflections on the experience and main success factors in the learning strategy are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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17 pages, 1594 KiB  
Article
Students’ Perceived Priorities on Water as a Human Right, Natural Resource, and Multiple Goods
by Riikka P. Rajala, Tapio S. Katko and Gunta Springe
Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6354; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226354 - 12 Nov 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2745
Abstract
As often noted, water is one of the most critical natural resources in the world—one we must take care of so that future generations can enjoy safe water. This study specifically explores university-level water and environmental students’ views on perceived priorities on water. [...] Read more.
As often noted, water is one of the most critical natural resources in the world—one we must take care of so that future generations can enjoy safe water. This study specifically explores university-level water and environmental students’ views on perceived priorities on water. The recent debate on water policy and its complexity is first reviewed, followed by a study on how students perceived water through six predetermined criteria. Interactive learning events (n = 241) were arranged worldwide in 2011–2015 in seven countries and one region: Finland, Latvia, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Sri Lanka, USA, and Southern Africa region. The relative distribution of the criteria totaling 100% were as follows: Basic human right 31%, natural resource 25%, economic good 15%, public and social good both 11%, and cultural good 7%. The views did not substantially differentiate despite the different socio-economic conditions. Yet, basic human right should be interpreted wisely remembering environmental, economic, and other realities. Here, the target group consisted of water and environmental students, and it would be very interesting to conduct a comparative study among students in other fields (sociology, economics, etc.). On the whole, we should further analyze the value of water and its priorities to make it easier to manage water resources in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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24 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Academic Motivation
by Martina Blašková, Justyna Majchrzak-Lepczyk, Dominika Hriníková and Rudolf Blaško
Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 5934; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11215934 - 25 Oct 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5683
Abstract
The article examines motivation in higher education and relates it to the concept of sustainability. It consists of a theoretical examination of the terms ‘sustainable motivation’ and ‘academic motivation’, and specifically postulates and explains the concept of ‘sustainable academic motivation’. Sustainable academic motivation [...] Read more.
The article examines motivation in higher education and relates it to the concept of sustainability. It consists of a theoretical examination of the terms ‘sustainable motivation’ and ‘academic motivation’, and specifically postulates and explains the concept of ‘sustainable academic motivation’. Sustainable academic motivation is defined as proactive interconnection of basic ideas of sustainability and basic characteristics of academic motivation. With primary attention on disclosing appropriate measures for building sustainable academic motivation, an empirical part presents the results of sociological questioning carried out on n = 181 teachers, administrators, and managers of Slovak and Polish universities. Higher financial evaluation and creating good relationships were found to be the most desirable motivation measures. Results also emphasized a discrepancy between opinions of university managers versus opinions of scientists and teachers regarding effective motivation. Based on the results, and with the support of other opinions, sustainable academic motivation is subsequently defined from five perspectives: (a) As the most important component of conscious behavior; (b) as the starting point of behavior; (c) as the accelerator of behavior and development; (d) as the process; and (e) as the resultative level of all motivational efforts and powers at higher-education institutions. The final part of the article contains recommendations for university management, when affecting and building sustainable academic motivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
21 pages, 1824 KiB  
Article
Towards a Discourse-Based Understanding of Sustainability Education and Decision Making
by Anke Meisert and Florian Böttcher
Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 5902; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11215902 - 24 Oct 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2867
Abstract
Based on the indeterminate character of the sustainability concept, a procedural and discursive understanding of sustainability decision making and corresponding approaches for education for sustainability (EFS) is proposed. A set of criteria for teaching strategies to promote sustainability decision making, taking into account [...] Read more.
Based on the indeterminate character of the sustainability concept, a procedural and discursive understanding of sustainability decision making and corresponding approaches for education for sustainability (EFS) is proposed. A set of criteria for teaching strategies to promote sustainability decision making, taking into account the demands of deliberative democracy theory, are presented. These criteria (such as reason, complexity management, critical thinking, etc.) are used to argue for an educational approach that involves the development, justification, and weighting of arguments in combination with an instructional tool called Target-Mat. According to a consequent process orientation, structures for arguing or defining sustainability are not given as authorized standards. Suggestions from previous social discourse are only introduced as controversial pairings—for example, different definitions of sustainability. Examples of student decision-making processes are given to demonstrate the potential of the approach to encourage student reflection and cooperative negotiation that engenders a successive deepening of their argumentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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0 pages, 670 KiB  
Article
How Does Sustainability Become Professionally Relevant? Exploring the Role of Sustainability Conceptions in First Year Students
by Anna Sundermann and Daniel Fischer
Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5155; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195155 - 20 Sep 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3088 | Correction
Abstract
One of the main objectives of higher education for sustainable development is to nurture holistic conceptions of sustainability in students, so that they can use sustainability as an approach to analyze and solve complex problems in their future professional fields. Existing studies have [...] Read more.
One of the main objectives of higher education for sustainable development is to nurture holistic conceptions of sustainability in students, so that they can use sustainability as an approach to analyze and solve complex problems in their future professional fields. Existing studies have shown that students differ substantially in how relevant they consider the concept of sustainable development to their future careers. Previous studies have identified socio-demographic characteristics, disciplinary background and past experiences with sustainability education as potential influencing factors. To date, the relationships between one’s own “understanding” of sustainability (sustainability conception) and the importance students attach to sustainability has hardly been investigated. This case study offers a first systematic examination of how the perceived professional relevance of sustainability is influenced by different individual characteristics and sustainability conceptions. Based on data from a recent survey of n = 1364 first year undergraduate students from 14 different major subjects, our findings indicate that in addition to the previously reported individual characteristics like sex and academic affiliation, sociocultural sustainability conceptions are an important influential factor for the perceived importance of sustainability for their professional contexts. However, the regression analysis shows that the model based on predictors found in the literature lacks incremental power. This paper unveils that further research is needed on the underlying factors that explain the strength of perceived relevance of sustainability in students and that these influences need to be taken more into account in curriculum development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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23 pages, 264 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of Incorporating the Concept of City Sustainability into Sustainability Education Programs
by Akito Kinoshita, Koichiro Mori, Ernan Rustiadi, Shin Muramatsu and Hironori Kato
Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4736; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174736 - 30 Aug 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4203
Abstract
This study developed a sustainability education program that incorporated the concept of city sustainability, delivered it to local university students in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (Jabodetabek), Indonesia, and then evaluated its effectiveness using questionnaire surveys. The educational materials consisted of a case story [...] Read more.
This study developed a sustainability education program that incorporated the concept of city sustainability, delivered it to local university students in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (Jabodetabek), Indonesia, and then evaluated its effectiveness using questionnaire surveys. The educational materials consisted of a case story and scenario analysis report relating to city sustainability. The case story was a fictional narrative describing sustainability issues in Jabodetabek, in which the protagonist is the head of the local urban planning bureau. The scenario analysis provided three hypothetical scenarios regarding land-use patterns with predicted values of sustainability indicators in 2050. In January 2016, 46 students from Bogor Agricultural University participated in three workshops. Participants completed questionnaire surveys before and after the workshops. The results from the ordered probit models that were based on participants’ responses to 68 items of sustainability-related attitudes and perspectives showed that their participation in the workshops enhanced participants’ environmental concerns and their intention to take pro-sustainability actions. In addition, the participants tended to have a more balanced view on sustainability issues across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This suggested that the sustainability education program focusing on city sustainability successfully enhanced the motivation of learners to contribute toward a more sustainable future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
21 pages, 14937 KiB  
Article
Affective Sustainability. The Creation and Transmission of Affect through an Educative Process: An Instrument for the Construction of more Sustainable Citizens
by Angel L. González Morales
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4125; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154125 - 31 Jul 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2890
Abstract
Although for many years the debate on sustainability has focused on the generation of critical thinking based on the dynamic balance between the economic, social and environmental spheres, in the following text we propose to elaborate on the use of a eminently human [...] Read more.
Although for many years the debate on sustainability has focused on the generation of critical thinking based on the dynamic balance between the economic, social and environmental spheres, in the following text we propose to elaborate on the use of a eminently human condition, such as the capacity to love and create an emotional attachment, whether with our environment or our fellow men, as an initiator and main force for change to the building a more sustainable model of development. To do so we shall begin from the concept coined by Adriana Bisquert in the 90s, that is Affective sustainability, by analyzing it, delving into its possible definitions by means of the development of the project for Environmental Education and Development called “Educating for a more sustainable citizenship” undertaken by the Spanish NGO (non-governmental organization) or ITACA Ambiente Elegido, and developed in the locality of Paterna de Rivera, Cádiz (Spain). This is a practical and real example, which is used to establish a work educational methodology that enables us to consider this concept as the real basis for an exportable and replicable work in a painstaking search for the creation of a more sustainable city. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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13 pages, 763 KiB  
Article
Leading Educational Change in the 21st Century: Creating Living Schools through Shared Vision and Transformative Governance
by Patrick Howard, Catherine O’Brien, Brent Kay and Kristin O’Rourke
Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4109; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154109 - 30 Jul 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11305
Abstract
This article provides a critical overview of national and international efforts to shift education to what has been commonly called 21st century learning. Governments, non-profits, and corporate consortiums are in large part responsible for education reform designed to re-conceptualize K12 education for the [...] Read more.
This article provides a critical overview of national and international efforts to shift education to what has been commonly called 21st century learning. Governments, non-profits, and corporate consortiums are in large part responsible for education reform designed to re-conceptualize K12 education for the 21st century. The article introduces an integrative transformative educational concept called the Living School that connects K12 educational reform with Education for Sustainability, sustainable community development, and individual well-being. Brief portraits describe schools that reflect Living School attributes. Ambitious initiatives to transform education for the 21st century require enlightened leadership and governance structures for scalable, system-wide reform. This paper offers an alternative vision for educational leadership and governance to support education reform based on a holistic approach to sustainable community economic development. An interdisciplinary model of professional learning to prepare education leaders for an alternative vision of education leadership is proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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18 pages, 579 KiB  
Article
Identifying Factors Affecting the Quality of Teaching in Basic Science Education: Physics, Biological Sciences, Mathematics, and Chemistry
by Joonmo Cho and Wonyoung Baek
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3958; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143958 - 21 Jul 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5049
Abstract
Basic science education provides the most fundamental knowledge for preparing students to pursue departmental major courses. Considering that basic science courses are laboratory classes conducted alongside theory classes, the factors affecting instructor–student communication and feedback can vary between theory and laboratory classes. We [...] Read more.
Basic science education provides the most fundamental knowledge for preparing students to pursue departmental major courses. Considering that basic science courses are laboratory classes conducted alongside theory classes, the factors affecting instructor–student communication and feedback can vary between theory and laboratory classes. We applied the ordinary least squares model to the refined data of basic science courses. We drew on variables reflecting instructor–student interaction such as class size, type of subject, and instructor characteristics to analyze the factors affecting student satisfaction with theory and laboratory classes. The analysis results indicated that the educational environment of a large-sized class could be improved by subdividing it into smaller groups to facilitate feedback. The use of online platforms to supplement offline courses provides an additional mechanism for the exchange of feedback and positively affects student satisfaction. We also confirmed empirically that the instructor–student communication which takes place during laboratory work, in contrast to the one-sided conveyance of course materials by the instructor in lectures, was a crucial factor in the quality of education. These results are linked to the demand for knowledge in engineering education, the student’s educational performance, and the labor market performance needed to establish a sustainable system in engineering education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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17 pages, 4599 KiB  
Article
Time Series Analysis of Online Public Opinions in Colleges and Universities and its Sustainability
by Wei He, Yuan Fang, Reza Malekian and Zhixiong Li
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3546; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133546 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3245
Abstract
With the quick penetration of Internet applications, online media have become an important carrier of public opinions. The opinions and comments expressed by young college students—one of the most active netizen groups—on the Internet have turned out to be an essential part of [...] Read more.
With the quick penetration of Internet applications, online media have become an important carrier of public opinions. The opinions and comments expressed by young college students—one of the most active netizen groups—on the Internet have turned out to be an essential part of the online public opinions in colleges and universities. However, the existing systems generally employ simple statistical methods to analyze the effect of online public opinions on the image and reputation development of colleges and universities without taking account of other factors, such as the hotness characteristics of online public opinions and semantic information. Therefore, on the basis of Public Opinion Hotness Index and time series-based trend analysis, as well as the topics extracted using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model, this study aims to improve the analysis performance on the online public opinions in colleges and universities using short-term trend prediction results. The experience and lessons learned from a real case may provide strong data support and feasible suggestions for colleges and universities in analyzing and guiding the online public opinions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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22 pages, 5011 KiB  
Article
Potentialities of Thermography in Ecocentric Education of Children: An Experience on Training of Future Primary Teachers
by Maria Eduarda Ferreira, Ana Catarina André and Rui Pitarma
Sustainability 2019, 11(9), 2668; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092668 - 10 May 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2929
Abstract
Current serious environmental issues, such as deforestation, compel compulsory school education on the need for reflection on pedagogical practices to promote education for environmental sustainability. The educational process about the “tree as living being” requires that content and attitudinal dimensions be deeply integrated. [...] Read more.
Current serious environmental issues, such as deforestation, compel compulsory school education on the need for reflection on pedagogical practices to promote education for environmental sustainability. The educational process about the “tree as living being” requires that content and attitudinal dimensions be deeply integrated. Therefore, meaningful learning of biological similarity—between tree and animal—needs to be prioritised. It will promote the development of tree protection attitudes. Under this approach, an action research was developed to contribute to a future primary teacher education model. A didactic-pedagogical intervention was designed. It was implemented to assess the educational potential of infrared thermography in the development of ecocentric education. A group of students attending the 3rd year of primary education participated in this qualitative case study. The results revealed that ecocentric conceptions were constructed bringing these children closer to scientific knowledge. It resulted in the development of conservation/protection tree attitudinal learning. It is also worth mentioning the contribution of this study to (re)think (re)construction of the formative process of future primary teachers in order to: direct the teaching–learning process to environment real problems; and to promote the necessary debate on the contribution of technology to achieve innovation of pedagogical practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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18 pages, 911 KiB  
Article
Environmental Education and Student’s Perception, for Sustainability
by Gratiela Dana Boca and Sinan Saraçlı
Sustainability 2019, 11(6), 1553; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061553 - 14 Mar 2019
Cited by 103 | Viewed by 26169
Abstract
Environmental education and education for the environment today play an important role toward sustainability. Environmental education provided by higher education institutions has an important impact on training and preparing the future generation for a green society. The purpose of this study is to [...] Read more.
Environmental education and education for the environment today play an important role toward sustainability. Environmental education provided by higher education institutions has an important impact on training and preparing the future generation for a green society. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among perception, attitude, and environmental behavior of the university students enrolled in different specialization fields (engineering electrical, mechanical, and economic). A total of 358 students participated in this survey conducted at the North Center University of Baia Mare. To collect data to measure students’ environmental education, perception, students’ attitudes, and behavior a Likert scale was used. In this study, it was revealed that students receiving academic education are involved in activities regarding environmental protection (volunteer, warning, participation, recycling of materials) using the new product and “greener” alternative energy. As a result of the t-test performed, it was put forward that there was no difference in their level of perception regarding the importance of environmental education. As a result of the correlation analysis, a positive relation was identified between the perception, attitude, and behavior variables. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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26 pages, 899 KiB  
Article
Systems Thinking Skills of Preschool Children in Early Childhood Education Contexts from Turkey and Germany
by Şebnem Feriver, Refika Olgan, Gaye Teksöz and Matthias Barth
Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051478 - 11 Mar 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6514
Abstract
This study presents an attempt to contribute to the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by conceptualizing systems thinking skills of four- to six-year-old preschool children with the role of age in this particular skill. For this purpose, we developed and tested [...] Read more.
This study presents an attempt to contribute to the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by conceptualizing systems thinking skills of four- to six-year-old preschool children with the role of age in this particular skill. For this purpose, we developed and tested a method and instruments to assess and conceptualize systems thinking skills of 52 preschool children in early childhood education contexts from Turkey and Germany. By employing qualitative case study research, we concluded that the young children showed some signs of complex understanding regarding systems thinking in terms of detecting obvious gradual changes and two-step domino and/or multiple one-way causalities, as well as describing behavior of a balancing loop. However, their capacity was found to be limited when it comes to detecting a reinforcing loop, understanding system mechanisms by acknowledging the unintended consequences, detecting hidden components and processes, demonstrating multi-dimensional perspective, solving problems through high-leverage interventions, and predicting the future behavior of the system. Age had a notable effect on the total systems thinking mean scores of the participants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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27 pages, 3443 KiB  
Article
A Framework for Evaluating the Business Analytics Maturity of University Programmes
by Mihaela Muntean, Ana-Ramona Bologa, Alexandra Maria Ioana Corbea and Razvan Bologa
Sustainability 2019, 11(3), 853; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030853 - 6 Feb 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4238
Abstract
The impact that business analytics (BA) has on companies’ performance will cause, in the near future, a significant increase in the demand for specialists in the field. Universities will play an important role in covering the deficit of professionals already reported by companies, [...] Read more.
The impact that business analytics (BA) has on companies’ performance will cause, in the near future, a significant increase in the demand for specialists in the field. Universities will play an important role in covering the deficit of professionals already reported by companies, provided that their offer is tailored to real market demands and their students are prepared to acquire the appropriate knowledge and skills. This paper proposes a framework for assessing the maturity level of BA in economic university programmes, based on the knowledge and technical skills needed by BA professionals. This maturity framework is applied to Romanian economic study programs to assess their analytical level and to identify their possible development directions. The educational programmes offer is then confronted with the real demand on the Romanian labour market, highlighting the types of jobs needed in the BA field and the related requirements for each of the analytical levels of the proposed model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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Review

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23 pages, 2487 KiB  
Review
Entrepreneurship Education and Sustainable Development Goals: A literature Review and a Closer Look at Fragile States and Technology-Enabled Approaches
by Lubna Rashid
Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5343; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195343 - 27 Sep 2019
Cited by 85 | Viewed by 15767
Abstract
Entrepreneurship has the potential to reduce poverty, stimulate economic growth and boost innovation, in addition to enhancing social and environmental sustainability. In accordance with the human capital theory and previous empirical studies, it is assumed that entrepreneurship education and training (EET) directly correlates [...] Read more.
Entrepreneurship has the potential to reduce poverty, stimulate economic growth and boost innovation, in addition to enhancing social and environmental sustainability. In accordance with the human capital theory and previous empirical studies, it is assumed that entrepreneurship education and training (EET) directly correlates with positive entrepreneurial outcomes and therefore sustainable development. Although several scholars have attempted to review and analyze EET literature over the past decade, none of these reviews directly links EET with sustainable development or focuses on the role and status of EET (research) in less-stable areas of the world. This systematic review thus attempts to analyze recent literature to identify the extent to which EET research addresses Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The review identifies several gaps in research and practice that potentially hinder EET from adequately advancing sustainable development, including a dearth of research on fragile states and demographic diversity, limited EET access to non-university students and a general lack of focus on educational technology, progressive education approaches, and innovation in fragile countries compared to stable ones. The review also identifies challenges pertaining to EET resource constraints in fragile contexts. The paper concludes by offering insights on how educational technology could mitigate EET challenges in fragile environments to ultimately ease some barriers towards SDG advancement and provides recommendations for future research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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10 pages, 880 KiB  
Review
Changes in Teacher Training within the TPACK Model Framework: A Systematic Review
by Javier Rodríguez Moreno, Miriam Agreda Montoro and Ana María Ortiz Colón
Sustainability 2019, 11(7), 1870; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11071870 - 28 Mar 2019
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 10251
Abstract
The TPACK model represents a high-impact advance in teacher training regarding their technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. This research presents an analysis of several publications in international databases that address the matter of the TPACK model. Accordingly, a review of the scientific literature [...] Read more.
The TPACK model represents a high-impact advance in teacher training regarding their technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. This research presents an analysis of several publications in international databases that address the matter of the TPACK model. Accordingly, a review of the scientific literature applying the documentation as a systematization method was performed. The present study analyses 37 contributions, published between 2014 and 2017, indexed in the Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus databases, with TPACK and TPCK as the applied descriptors. Thus, the documentary analysis was based on four different criteria: public, topic, main results, and methodological design. Results show that all the reviewed publications are mainly focused on studies of basic and higher education where case studies, quantitative empirical studies, and mixed studies are predominant. Consequently, regarding the studies analyzed, there is a lack of longitudinal studies showing the teachers’ actions when applying TPACK in their daily practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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15 pages, 1814 KiB  
Review
Systematic Mapping of Scientific Production on Open Innovation (2015–2018): Opportunities for Sustainable Training Environments
by Abel García-González and María-Soledad Ramírez-Montoya
Sustainability 2019, 11(6), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061781 - 25 Mar 2019
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 4329
Abstract
Open innovation presents data that may be of value for future research and empirical studies in sustainable training environments. This paper aims to analyze the evidence published in the last three years (2015–2018) regarding open innovation, in order to identify the publications on [...] Read more.
Open innovation presents data that may be of value for future research and empirical studies in sustainable training environments. This paper aims to analyze the evidence published in the last three years (2015–2018) regarding open innovation, in order to identify the publications on the subject that may contribute to other studies or practical experiences. The systematic mapping method was used, reviewing 104 articles published from January 2015 to September 2018, which included studies on open innovation that were published in two databases—Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus. Inclusion, exclusion and quality criteria were applied in order to obtain the most relevant information. Findings show the type of methodology used, the most cited articles, the journals where they were published, the geographical distribution of the authors, the area of influence, contexts of application and the topics addressed. This paper provides value to assess progress, identify challenges and contexts of less influence, as well as to establish a database of scientific studies as support for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainability)
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