Challenges in teaching practices for the incorporation of sustainable development approach in Compulsory Secondary Education

Abstract

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the effect of Compulsory Secondary Education teachers' level of knowledge on sustainability in their teaching practice, as well as to identify the challenges they face in promoting the curricular sustainability approach in their classrooms. Methodology: A 'Questionnaire to investigate the eco-social literacy of teachers of Compulsory Secondary Education' was developed using the Google Forms platform, which was validated by experts and has good reliability (a = .89), and sent to different Secondary Schools of Compulsory Secondary Education. This research has a non-probabilistic convenience sample (N = 826) obtained through a snowball technique. A descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out, using a non-parametric test analysis by means of Pearson's Chi-Square (p < .05) through the statistical programme JAMOVI 2.2.5 and IBM SPSS. Results: Teachers who teach in centres that develop projects and activities to raise awareness of sustainability have a greater degree of knowledge of both the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs and can extrapolate this to their subjects and the development of competences, which shows that they are moving towards education for sustainable development in the classroom. Conclusion: teachers need to promote education for sustainable development in their educational practice, but they need training in sustainability to respond to the underlying problems, and there is a need for greater awareness and sensitisation on sustainability in educational communities.

Keywords: compulsory secondary education, eco-social literacy, teacher education, teaching practice, sustainable development.