What is it about?
The study “Beliefs of Secondary School Teachers Towards Education for Sustainable Development” examines secondary school teachers' perceptions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Kerala, India, highlighting their vital role in promoting sustainability through education. Conducted with 400 teachers using the ESD Belief Scale, findings indicate that while teachers have positive beliefs about ESD, challenges persist, including curriculum integration and adequate resource availability. Factors like professional qualifications and teaching experience positively correlated with ESD beliefs, with those holding higher degrees and greater experience exhibiting stronger support. Despite moderate overall beliefs, the study emphasizes the necessity for enhanced teacher training, resource improvement, and aligning education with sustainability goals to foster environmentally responsible future generations.
Featured Image
Photo by Prado on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This study investigates the beliefs of secondary school teachers in Kerala, India, towards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), revealing a crucial link between global sustainability goals and classroom practices. It emphasizes the role of teachers as change agents in instilling positive values and attitudes towards sustainability. While teachers generally express favorable but moderate beliefs about ESD, the study highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance their commitment. It provides statistical evidence on how professional qualifications and teaching experience impact these beliefs, suggesting focused professional development for less experienced educators. The research identifies practical challenges such as inadequate resources and knowledge barriers in implementing ESD, revealing real classroom constraints. Furthermore, it aligns with India’s National Education Policy (2020) aimed at fostering responsible global citizens. Overall, the study's findings support the development of effective educational strategies to equip teachers to nurture future generations capable of addressing sustainability challenges.
Perspectives
The study "Beliefs of Secondary School Teachers Towards Education for Sustainable Development: A Statistical Research" explores various perspectives on the perception and implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in secondary schools. Key insights include: 1. Teacher-Centered Perspective: Highlights the role of teachers as central to ESD integration, noting that while teachers generally hold positive yet moderate beliefs about ESD, their understanding can be improved through training. 2. Professional Development Perspective: Indicates that teacher beliefs are influenced by their qualifications and experience, emphasizing the need for ongoing professional development and training in sustainability. 3. Practical Implementation Perspective: Identifies challenges faced by teachers, such as limited knowledge and inadequate resources, revealing a gap between theoretical acceptance and practical application, necessitating improved institutional support. 4. Curriculum and Policy Perspective: Aligns findings with educational policies like India's National Education Policy (2020), advocating for the integration of ESD across curricula rather than treating it as a separate subject. 5. Systemic and Institutional Perspective: Stresses the need for collaboration among educational stakeholders to restructure current teaching methods and resources to better support ESD objectives. 6. Transformative Perspective: Views ESD as a vehicle for societal change, positing that strengthening teachers’ beliefs and competences fosters sustainable values in students, contributing to long-term societal transformation. Overall, the study provides a thorough analysis of ESD's current status and suggests pathways for enhancing its effectiveness in secondary education.
Research Papers Sijo Varghese
Christ University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Beliefs of secondary school teachers towards education for sustainable development: a statistical research, International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), April 2026, Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science,
DOI: 10.11591/ijere.v15i2.35765.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
