Student science teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development: an empirical study of three postgraduate training cohorts

Abstract

Conceptions of sustainable development were elicited using a questionnaire completed by three cohorts of postgraduate students starting a secondary science teacher‐training course (N = 123). Qualitative responses were analysed in three ways: (i) development of categories to capture features of sustainable development; (ii) scrutiny of individual responses for the presence or absence of key features; and (iii) in contrast to these grounded approaches, examination of the responses in light of a framework proposed by the UK Panel for Education for Sustainable Development. Notable findings were: substantial numbers recognised the centrality of environmental (72%), economic (53%) and social (31%) factors—but just 15% highlighted all three; when compared with the pre‐specified framework, the aspects of sustainable development largely missing were to do with citizenship, with preservation of diversity, and with uncertainty and precaution in action. The findings are related to contemporary literature in the field and some implications for trainees’ learning are considered.