Mainstreaming education for sustainability into pre-service teacher education in Australia: Stage 3
Enablers and constraints
Project report
The report on this project offers suggestions and recommendations about actions that might be taken by education systems, university policy makers, academics and teacher educators to advance the inclusion of sustainable learning and practice within pre-service teacher education.
It also outlines five enabling actions for mainstreaming EfS in pre-service teacher education:
- collaborating for curriculum change
- developing an ethos of sustainable practice
- connecting existing EfS content
- creating time and opportunities for integrated programs
- providing experiential learning.
Background to this project
Building on the Stage 1 and Stage 2 projects that developed and trialled a systemic change model within the education system in Queensland, this Stage 3 project extended the model of change towards sustainability to NSW and ACT pre-service teacher education. The project was funded by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and its aim was to further the policy of the Australian Government, set out in the National Action Plan on Education for Sustainability (www.environment.gov.au/education/nap), and to also contribute to the implementation of the National Environmental Education Statement for Australian Schools (www.environment.gov.au/education/publications/sustainable-future.html).
The Stage 3 project had the following specific objectives:
- map the teacher education systems in the ACT and NSW
- identify enablers and constraints to mainstreaming education for sustainability (EfS) in those systems
- facilitate conversations within systems to bring about change toward mainstreaming EfS
- support ongoing systems change in Queensland.
Representatives of universities and educational bodies involved in school education and teacher accreditation were brought together through research projects and forums facilitated by ARIES. Data on enablers and constraints to mainstreaming education for sustainability within teacher education institutions, and the education system as a whole, were collected and analysed.
Case studies
Separate case studies from the Stage 2 project illustrate the efforts of the individuals or teams within each participating university. Each author describes:
- the context for change in their university
- their efforts in identifying hubs and creating networks
- the outcomes of the action for change
- their experiences with working systemically
- what is happening now as they are looking to the future.
It is hoped that these case examples will inspire others to initiate change within their institutions and support those who are in the process of trying to integrate sustainability into teacher education.
Download a copy of the Stage 3 report (PDF <1 MB)
Or order a printed copy of the Stage 3 report from the ARIES Coordinator at ariescoordinator@gse.mq.edu.au.
Or read about the individual Stage 2 case studies from each university:
Queensland University of Technology
Australian Catholic University
University of Southern Queensland
Citation: Steele F (2010). Mainstreaming Education for Sustainability in Pre-service Teacher Education in Australia: Enablers and constraints. Prepared by the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Canberra, Australia.