Interdisciplinary primary school curriculum units for sustainable development

Abstract

Education for sustainable development (ESD) provides crucial opportunities for young people to be involved in complex sustainability issues. This study contributes to existing knowledge about primary school teachers’ approaches to ESD across a range of subjects. Norwegian schools can join the Sustainable Backpack programme (SBP), which supports teachers to develop projects that promote a holistic understanding of sustainable development across school subjects. The present study set out to examines teachers’ interdisciplinary approach to ESD and the SBP teachers’ perceptions of how their curriculum units promote environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. The study is a multi-case study, with curriculum units designed for students aged 10-13 years from 14 Norwegian schools. Content analysis suggest that the units used several subjects to ESD, but the teachers could have challenged the students’ reflection to a greater extent in terms of argumentation and critical thinking. The units succeeded to some extent in pursuing a holistic approach.

Keywords:

• Curriculum units
• primary school
• interdisciplinarity
• education for sustainable development

Acknowledgements

We want to thank the teachers who developed the curriculum units and shared them with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Munkebye

Eli Munkebye is Associate Professor in science education at Department of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. Her research explores critical thinking, environmental education and exploratory dialogue in primary school.

Eldri Scheie

Eldri Scheie is Associate professor at the Norwegian Centre for Science Education, University of Oslo. Her research explores interdisciplinary sustainability education in teacher professional development as well as implementation perspectives.

Anja Gabrielsen

Anja Gabrielsen is an Associate professor in science education at Department of Mathematics and Science Education, University of South-Eastern Norway, Porsgrunn. Her research explores education for sustainable development and outdoor education in primary and secondary schools.

Arne Jordet

Arne N. Jordet is Professor of Education at Department of Social and Educational Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum. His research explores out-of-classroom learning in primary school and recognition in school.

Stig Misund

Stig Misund is a Lecturer in Science Education at Department of Teacher Education and Pedagogy, the Arctic University of Norway, Alta. His research explores education for sustainable development and inquiry-based science education.

Tone Nergård

Tone Nergård is an Assistent professor in Science Education at Faculty of Education and Arts, Nord University, Levanger. Her research examines Education for Sustainable Development and out-of-classroom learning.

Anne Bergljot Øyehaug

Anne Bergliot Øyehaug is an Associate Professor in Science Education at Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Physical Education, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar. Her research explores environmental education and the use of language in science education.