Sustainability education in elementary schools—An explorative empirical study of chances and challenges based on a teacher survey in Germany

Daniela Ludin, Sarah Liebendoerfer, Wanja Wellbrock, Erika Mueller

Article ID: 11137
Vol 9, Issue 1, 2025

VIEWS - 723 (Abstract)

Abstract


Sustainability has become increasingly important in recent decades and has become a key concept in various areas of society. The early integration of sustainability principles into education is of crucial importance, as the elementary school years represent a decisive phase in children’s development. During this phase, fundamental values, attitudes, and behaviors are formed that will have a significant impact on later lives and the relationship with the environment. Elementary school offer a unique opportunity to reach people from different social backgrounds and thus impart a common basic knowledge that can serve as a basis for shaping a sustainable society. Elementary schools are therefore an ideal place to introduce children to the principles of sustainability and sensitize them to the challenges of the 21st century. The aim of the study is to explore the current state of sustainability education in elementary school. It takes a closer look at whether elementary school students are old enough to be confronted with sustainability, what methods already exist and what the challenges are in implementing sustainability education. The basis for the study is an online survey conducted at 60 different elementary school in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany. In conclusion, while there is room for improvement, the survey results suggest a growing awareness of the significance of sustainability education in elementary schools. The findings call for targeted efforts to enhance curriculum integration, teacher training, and resource provision to promote a more sustainable and environmentally conscious generation of students in Baden-Wuerttemberg.


Keywords


sustainability education; early childhood education; sustainable conscious generation; elementary schools; teacher survey

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd11137

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