Browsing by Subject "Pystyvyysuskomukset, kestävä kehitys, kestävän kehityksen kasvatus, koulun toimintakulttuuri"

Objectives. Education for sustainable development related to efficacy beliefs has been studied in the past, for example, among the subject teachers, but among the class teachers, research-based information is still scarce. Aim of this study was to investigate the class teachers efficacy beliefs and their connection to school action culture in context of education for sustainable development. The study also surveyed the realization of education for sustainable development with classroom teaching and school action culture. In addition the study examined the class teachers and their schools, the differences between their efficacy beliefs and the implementation of education for sustainable development. Methods. The study was conducted utilizing SEED research, supported by the Academy of Finland, sub-project by University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, collected survey data. The SEED projects (Sustainable Food Education for Self-Efficacy Development) aim has been to study and develop the education for sustainable development in Finnish basic education. Sub-project of University of Helsinki Department of Teacher Education surveyed teachers and students factors which influenced sustainable development actions. The questionnaires question sets were analyzed by statistical methods and the questionnaires open questions were analyzed utilizing content analysis. The study was conducted in spring 2010 with national stratified sampling and the questionnaire was answered by 231 class teachers from 80 schools. Results and conclusions. Class teachers described their efficacy beliefs in education for sustainable development as mediocre. Best known was ecological sustainability and the least known part was economic sustainability. The knowledge of the curriculums cross-curricularity of sustainable development was mediocre. From aspects of the Sustainable development the ecological point of view was best achieved in school culture and the worst one of them was the economic aspect. The school action culture which supports sustainable development was found to affect class teachers education for sustainable development positively. Between class teachers there did not show up any differences in sustainability education based on sex, age, class level, the school or the schools classification in the municipality. Schools showed differences in teaching of sustainable development, schoolwork and school culture influence, as well as in the implementation of sustainable development in socio-cultural dimension.