Teacher Training and Sustainable Development: Study within the Framework of the Transdisciplinary Project RRREMAKER

Abstract

The development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a challenge that requires the involvement of the educational system. This study seeks to identify the perception and knowledge of future teachers in relation to sustainable development (SD), the European Green Deal (ECD), and circular economy (CE) at the University of Granada. A qualitative study was carried out, conducted face to face, using an online questionnaire in the classroom. A total of 321 students participated, from bachelor’s degrees in early childhood and primary education to master’s degrees in secondary education. Out of these, 176 validated questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed that future teachers understood the importance of SD education as an important social problem. They believed that education in SD, EGD, or CE could contribute to solving environmental and social problems. Nevertheless, they doubted whether this training should be included by universities in their training actions for teachers; they expressed reservations about the educational effectiveness of the curricula. However, most of them considered the need for more training in this area. Finally, they associated sustainable development mainly with the environmental dimension, followed by the social dimension, and to a lesser extent with the economic dimension.