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Are We Training in Sustainability in Higher Education? Case Study: Education Degrees at the University of Salamanca

Author

Listed:
  • José Manuel Muñoz-Rodríguez

    (Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain)

  • Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo

    (Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, 08034 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Ángela Barrón-Ruiz

    (Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain)

  • Sara Serrate-González

    (Faculty of Education, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain)

Abstract

In this work, we analyzed the progress made in learning sustainability competencies by students belonging to the four Bachelor Education degrees at the University of Salamanca: Early Childhood Education Teacher, Primary Education Teacher, Pedagogy, and Social Education. To assess this progress, the instrument we used was the student questionnaire designed by the EDINSOST project. The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions related to the four sustainability competencies defined in 2011 by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities: (1) critical contextualization of knowledge, (2) sustainable use of resources, (3) participation in community processes, and (4) application of ethical principles. The students answered the questions using a four-point Likert scale. The analysis of the answers determined the students’ perception of their own learning related to sustainability competencies. A total of 230 first-year and 96 fourth-year students responded to the questionnaire. The comparison between the first- and fourth-year students’ answers to each question enabled an evaluation of the improvement perceived by the students in their sustainability competencies. We analyzed the results by using the Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis U tests. The results show that the students of the Bachelor Degree in Pedagogy are the only ones who achieve a significant improvement in their sustainability competencies. Bachelor Degree in Social Education and Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education Teacher students achieve an improvement, but it is not significant. Finally, Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teacher students do not seem to achieve any improvement. From these data, it appears that the model used to introduce sustainability competencies in the Bachelor Degree in Pedagogy is the only one that achieves good results.

Suggested Citation

  • José Manuel Muñoz-Rodríguez & Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo & Ángela Barrón-Ruiz & Sara Serrate-González, 2020. "Are We Training in Sustainability in Higher Education? Case Study: Education Degrees at the University of Salamanca," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4421-:d:364522
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gemma Tejedor & Jordi Segalàs & Ángela Barrón & Mónica Fernández-Morilla & M. Teresa Fuertes & Jorge Ruiz-Morales & Ibón Gutiérrez & Esther García-González & Pilar Aramburuzabala & Àngels Hernández, 2019. "Didactic Strategies to Promote Competencies in Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-24, April.
    2. Rosa María Brito & Columba Rodríguez & José Luis Aparicio & Jerome Paolacci & María Laura Sampedro & Juana Beltrán, 2018. "Indicators of Sustainability in Educational Practice: Perception of Teachers and Students of UAGro-Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-18, October.
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