Integrating Sustainable Development Concept into Science Education Program Is Not Enough; We Need Competent Science Teachers for Education for Sustainable Development--Turkish Experience

Overview & Synopsis

In order to educate science teachers for a sustainable future, recent discussions are going on related to collaboration between science education and education for sustainable development (ESD). Still, ESD has been in a development stage and needs to be improved in terms of developing teacher competencies. Therefore, in this study we focused on competencies of science teachers and ESD educators. We explored the required competencies for science teachers to become ESD educators through basic qualitative research as including gap analysis approach incorporating theoretical (literature review) and tangible part (interviews with science education and ESD researchers). Both literature review and interview results revealed that science teachers' competencies do not cover systems thinking skills together with affective aspects. In order to foster systems thinking and affective aspects of competencies for science teachers, we suggest outdoor ESD approach that support thinking in a systemic way, feeling inter-connectedness with the natural world and understanding social, economic and environmental values of the natural system and developing an intention to act for sustainability.