Innebörder av hållbar utveckling : en studie av lärares utsagor om undervisning

Abstract

The focus of this thesis is the research of meanings of Sustainable Development as teachers express them in the accounts of their teaching. The main aim is to investigate, make visible and understand meanings of the phenomenon Sustainable Development that teachers are expected to interpret and in different ways convert in their teaching. This is an interview study with a hermeneutic methodology. Statements from seventeen teachers have been collected, analysed and interpreted. Analyses and interpretations have been made on different levels. The statements are arranged thematically and summarized according to five different levels of contents of sustainable development. These themes are focused on what teachers want their pupils to learn in order to contribute to a sustainable development in the world: The first theme is about wholes and connections, you could say a holistic perspective of the world, which means that the pupils are supposed to understand, e.g., that “we have only one world” and that everything matters. Participation and responsibility is the second theme, in which the pupils should understand that they can take an active role in society and that they must learn to make choices and understand the consequences of these choices. Empathy and understanding is the third theme where children’s willingness to identify with other people and take their perspectives is important. The forth theme is about empowerment and ability to communicate and here it is obvious that the ability to read and write is essential for the pupils. Finally pupils need to be aware of their ability to learn in order to retain their interest and curiosity in learning. A meta analysis of the five themes in this study shows that the term sustainable development has three meanings to teachers in their educational task. Education for Sustainable Development is to be seen firstly as an ethical project which aims to develop the pupils’ responsibility. It also has a culture building component which aims to give pupils a holistic view of things happening around them. Education for Sustainable Development is finally to be seen as children’s individual sustainability where empowerment is essential.