Teachers’ Experience and Perceptions of Sustainable Digitalization in School Education: An Existential Phenomenological Study of Teachers in Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Iceland, and The Netherlands

Dimitrios Vlachopoulos (), Rannveig Björk Thorkelsdóttir, Despoina Schina and Jóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir
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Dimitrios Vlachopoulos: Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Rannveig Björk Thorkelsdóttir: School of Education, University of Iceland, Sæmundargata 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
Despoina Schina: Stimmuli for Social Change, 15 Agias Sofias Str., GR-54623 Thessaloniki, Greece
Jóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir: School of Education, University of Iceland, Sæmundargata 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore teachers’ awareness, experiences, and perceptions regarding the environmental impact of digitalization in school education across five European countries. Using an existential phenomenological approach, the study uncovers the lived experiences of 29 teachers, who participated in group semi-structured interviews. The findings highlight that teachers share a strong awareness of contemporary environmental challenges, such as climate change and pollution, and that environmental education is integrated into most school curricula, especially topics like recycling, composting, and pollution. Teachers express a genuine concern for educating students about global warming and its consequences, recognizing that today’s students will shape the future. Despite acknowledging the benefits of technology in education, teachers are not fully informed about the environmental impact of digitalization. The paper reveals teachers’ concerns about the energy consumption, carbon emissions, and electronic waste associated with digital technologies. Teachers propose strategies to address the environmental impact of digitalization, including prolonging device lifespans, responsible e-waste recycling, and promoting energy-efficient practices. They emphasize the need for proper teacher training in incorporating digitalization’s environmental impact into the curriculum. The study underscores the importance of engaging students through research activities, discussions, multimedia resources, and hands-on experiences to raise awareness about digitalization’s ecological footprint. Implications of a more informed and proactive approach to addressing the ecological footprint of digital technologies in school education are discussed.

Keywords: sustainable digital transformation; digital competencies; school education; phenomenological study; Europe; teachers’ experiences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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