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Trainee Teachers’ Shift towards Sustainable Actions in Their Daily Routine

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  • Asheena Singh-Pillay

    (Science and Technology Education Cluster, School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Jayaluxmi Naidoo

    (Mathematic Education Cluster, School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban 4041, South Africa)

Abstract

The argument made in this study is that sustainability is a system of beliefs that extends beyond policy and the classroom to transform actions and societies into pro-sustainable behaviours. Therefore, it is crucial to equip trainee teachers to embrace their role as catalysts for change in driving Sustainable development goals, sustainable thinking, systems thinking, wise consumption, sustainable competencies, and sustainable action in their daily lives. The lack of practice-led research on incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into trainee teachers’ training programmes is noted in the literature. This qualitative practice-led research explored trainee mathematics and technology teachers’ (TMTTs) experiences learning about sustainability. Kolb’s experiential theory framed this study theoretically. The data were collated from twenty purposively selected TMTTs via semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. All ethical protocols were observed. The analysis highlighted the core experiences TMTTs gained in learning about sustainability, transformative learning, design thinking, wise consumption, agency, and sustainable teaching strategies. Theoretically, the findings emphasise the importance of using an ESD perspective and experiential learning methods to integrate sustainability education into mathematics and technology teaching. The results suggest that when TMTTs are encouraged to actively engage with sustainability issues in their communities, informed decisions are made about their future roles as teachers, the teaching strategies they intend to use, and the type of learning they aim to foster in their learners.

Suggested Citation

  • Asheena Singh-Pillay & Jayaluxmi Naidoo, 2024. "Trainee Teachers’ Shift towards Sustainable Actions in Their Daily Routine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:8933-:d:1499422
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    Cited by:

    1. Özcan Palavan & Nurdan Ozrecberoglu Kirikkaleli & Ahmet Güneyli, 2025. "Mentor Teachers’ Opinions for Sustainable Teacher Education: The Case of Northern Cyprus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-29, June.
    2. Asheena Singh-Pillay, 2025. "Technology Student Teachers Address Energy and Environmental Concerns on Plastic Usage and Disposal Through Experiential Challenge-Based Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-14, April.

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