Science Education as a Pathway to Sustainable Awareness: Teachers’ Perceptions on Fostering Understanding of Humans and the Environment: A Qualitative Study

Ali Al-Barakat, Rommel AlAli (), Sarah Alotaibi, Jawaher Alrashood, Ali Abdullatif and Ashraf Zaher
Additional contact information
Ali Al-Barakat: Faculty of Educational Sciences, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan
Rommel AlAli: The National Research Center for Giftedness and Creativity, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Sarah Alotaibi: College of Education and Human Development, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Jawaher Alrashood: College of Education and Human Development, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Ali Abdullatif: Department of Arabic Language, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Ashraf Zaher: Translation, Authorship and Publication Center, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Sustainability education has become a global priority in educational systems, aiming to equip learners with the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to address complex environmental and social challenges. This study specifically aims to understand the role of science education in promoting students’ awareness of sustainability and their understanding of the interconnected relationship between humans and the environment, based on the perceptions and practices of primary science teachers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. A qualitative approach was utilized, which included semi-structured interviews complemented by classroom observations as primary data collection instruments. The targeted participants comprised a purposive sample consisting of forty-nine primary-level science instructors from the Al-Ahsa district, located in eastern Saudi Arabia. Emergent concepts from open and axial coding processes by using grounded theory were developed with the gathered data. Based on the findings, teachers perceive science teaching not only as knowledge delivery but as an opportunity to cultivate critical thinking and nurture eco-friendly actions among pupils. Classroom practices that underscore environmental values and principles of sustainability foster a transformative view of the teacher’s role beyond traditional boundaries. The data also highlighted classroom practices that integrate environmental values and sustainability principles, reflecting a transformative perspective on the teacher’s educational role.

Keywords: science teachers; environmental education; sustainability; primary science education; Al-Ahsa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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