More Than Two Decades of Research on Selective Traditions in Environmental and Sustainability Education—Seven Functions of the Concept

Per J. Sund and Niklas Gericke
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Per J. Sund: Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Niklas Gericke: Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: This study investigates functions of the concept of selective traditions by means of a qualitative systematic review synthesis of earlier research. The study is based on a review method for integrating qualitative studies and looks for “themes” in or across them. In this case, it is about how the identified publications (twenty-four in total) use the concept of selective traditions. All but two studies stem from the Swedish context. The selective traditions relate to teachers’ approaches to the content, methods and purposes of environmental and sustainability education (ESE). Teachers mainly work within one specific selective tradition. Seven different functions were found in the publications of which five are claimed to be valuable for the development of ESE teaching, while the other two functions are useful in monitoring changes and development in ESE teaching. The results are discussed in terms of the consequences for research, practice and teacher education aiming at offering suggestions on how to develop future (transformative) ESE teaching.

Keywords: selective traditions; teaching traditions; teaching habits; environmental and sustainability education; functions of teaching; functions of education; ESD teaching approaches (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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