Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyse the presence of sustainability in the curricula of the Science of Education at the University of Seville and to determine the perception of both teachers and students regarding sustainability competencies. The work forms part of the R+D+i “Training Project in Spanish Universities for Professionals as Agents of Change in Order to Meet the Challenges Facing Society” (EDINSOST). The methodology a case study, in which an analysis of the curriculum of the Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Pedagogy has been conducted. Two questionnaires have been drawn up and four focus groups established in which a total of 61 teachers and 152 students have participated. The results show that there is a low presence of sustainability in the Science of Education courses, particularly in the Bachelor Degree in Primary Education. The teachers express the opinion that they have sustainable initiatives as well as an interest in ethical models. The students express a high degree of interest in receiving sustainability training.
TopBackground
Universities and States are committed to Sustainability and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This requires the identification of relevant socio-environmental problems, action planning and curriculum development. The Conference on Sustainable Development concluded with Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development which puts at the centre of this Agenda 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that address the main development challenges facing humanity. These SDG focus on key systemic barriers to sustainable development, such as inequality, sustainable consumption patterns, weak institutions, capacity and environmental degradation Rieckmann (2017). The SDG represent the need to rethink the relationship of human beings with the planet, the productive processes, the interactions between countries, cultures, the protection of habitats, etc. These challenges are the challenges that will be addressed by political agendas.
The University faces several challenges with regards to sustainability: to train citizens capable of acting as such in different scenarios, to train people in sustainability in connection with their daily lives, this requires training professionals who are agents of change in a context of socio-environmental crisis (Limón-Domínguez, Ruiz-Morales, & Torres Fernández, 2019). Universities, in the case of education faculties, in the Spanish context, have a crucial role to develop SDG, their function is to generate and transfer relevant knowledge, educate and train leaders capable of contributing to a better Sustainable future (Scott & Gough, 2007; Tilbury, 2012).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Construct: An elaboration, from the perspective of qualitative research, that emerges from the analysis of the units of information or data coming from the techniques of qualitative research. It serves to elaborate the discussion of results and conclusions.
Focus Group: Qualitative research technique similar to the discussion group, which facilitates the collection of data directly from the subjects, which is related to a group interview, although it reflects the tensions and discourses between participants.
Sustainability Skills Map: Design of a heading or set of elements that are useful for identifying key aspects to be developed in training from the perspective of sustainability. They serve to design, plan, and evaluate.
Case Study: qualitative methodology to investigate in depth the social, educational, and cultural processes that take place in a specific context, which can be limited.
EcoFaculty: Institutions need an institutional project of sustainability that can energise training, organisational and executive processes that increase university co-responsibility with society and the environment.
Sustainable Development Goals: UNESCO defined a total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be developed for Agenda 2030 at the request of the UN in 2015, in which all countries and institutions are involved.
Proficiency Level: Each learning can be characterized as being in a more initial or mature developmental range, so establishing scaling processes helps to classify them.