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The Effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development

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  • Jelle Boeve-de Pauw

    (Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Universitetsgatan 2, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden
    Research Unit Edubron, Department of Training and Education Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Antwerp, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Niklas Gericke

    (Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Universitetsgatan 2, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden)

  • Daniel Olsson

    (Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Universitetsgatan 2, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden)

  • Teresa Berglund

    (Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Universitetsgatan 2, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden)

Abstract

Perhaps the most important issue in our time is how to sustain our planet’s resources, while developing wealth and well-being for a growing population. This monumental task has been defined in the concept of sustainable development (SD). During the last few decades the world communities have agreed upon addressing SD through international treaties. As a response Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been launched as an answer to cope with sustainability. However, empirical studies are a missing link in the discourse around ESD, where decisions and implementation strategies are heavily based on policy recommendations and gut feelings by practitioners. We used data from 2413 students in grades 6, 9, and 12 from 51 schools across Sweden to study the effectiveness of ESD. In line with the current debate on the definition of ESD, we quantified the extent to which teaching can be labeled as holistic and/or pluralistic. Through a series of descriptive analyses and the estimation of structural equation models, our results indicate that ESD can indeed impact on student outcomes in terms of their sustainability consciousness. The results of this study reveal the key role ESD plays in addressing SD, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

Suggested Citation

  • Jelle Boeve-de Pauw & Niklas Gericke & Daniel Olsson & Teresa Berglund, 2015. "The Effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-25, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:11:p:15693-15717:d:59322
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giles Atkinson & Simon Dietz (ed.), 2007. "Handbook of Sustainable Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1818.
    2. Alex Michalos & Heather Creech & Natalie Swayze & P. Maurine Kahlke & Carolee Buckler & Karen Rempel, 2012. "Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(2), pages 213-238, April.
    3. Helen Kopnina, 2014. "Revisiting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): Examining Anthropocentric Bias Through the Transition of Environmental Education to ESD," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(2), pages 73-83, March.
    4. Kathryn Stevenson & M. Peterson & Howard Bondell & Susan Moore & Sarah Carrier, 2014. "Overcoming skepticism with education: interacting influences of worldview and climate change knowledge on perceived climate change risk among adolescents," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 293-304, October.
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