Teaching about sustainability through inquiry-based science in Irish primary classrooms: the impact of a professional development programme on teacher self-efficacy, competence and pedagogy
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In: Environmental Education Research, Vol. 26, No. 8, 02.08.2020, p. 1112-1136.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Teaching about sustainability through inquiry-based science in Irish primary classrooms
T2 - the impact of a professional development programme on teacher self-efficacy, competence and pedagogy
AU - Murphy, Cliona
AU - Smith, Greg
AU - Mallon, Benjamin
AU - Redman, Erin
PY - 2020/8/2
Y1 - 2020/8/2
N2 - Research suggests that innovative and engaging professional development is instrumental in supporting teachers in developing their competence and confidence in teaching sustainability. An international initiative was developed to explore whether a competencies-oriented Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) professional development model was transferable across three different international contexts (Ireland, Germany and Mexico). This paper reports on the adaptation of this model within the Irish context, through the development of an innovative professional development programme for primary teachers. Through a mixed-methods approach which gathered data via pre- and post-programme surveys, teachers’ reflective journals and post-programme group interviews, the paper explores Irish primary school teachers’ experiences of, and attitudes towards, teaching sustainability through science education after participation in a professional development programme. The findings suggest that this programme, structured around the existing evidence for effective professional development in science education and ESD, positively influences teachers’ self-efficacy, supports teachers’ critical engagement with sustainability competencies and promotes the development of transformative pedagogies for sustainability through Inquiry-Based Science Education.
AB - Research suggests that innovative and engaging professional development is instrumental in supporting teachers in developing their competence and confidence in teaching sustainability. An international initiative was developed to explore whether a competencies-oriented Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) professional development model was transferable across three different international contexts (Ireland, Germany and Mexico). This paper reports on the adaptation of this model within the Irish context, through the development of an innovative professional development programme for primary teachers. Through a mixed-methods approach which gathered data via pre- and post-programme surveys, teachers’ reflective journals and post-programme group interviews, the paper explores Irish primary school teachers’ experiences of, and attitudes towards, teaching sustainability through science education after participation in a professional development programme. The findings suggest that this programme, structured around the existing evidence for effective professional development in science education and ESD, positively influences teachers’ self-efficacy, supports teachers’ critical engagement with sustainability competencies and promotes the development of transformative pedagogies for sustainability through Inquiry-Based Science Education.
KW - primary school
KW - science education
KW - Sustainability
KW - teacher professional development
KW - Sustainability Science
KW - Sustainability education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087009745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13504622.2020.1776843
DO - 10.1080/13504622.2020.1776843
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85087009745
VL - 26
SP - 1112
EP - 1136
JO - Environmental Education Research
JF - Environmental Education Research
SN - 1350-4622
IS - 8
ER -