Through philosophical reasoning, this article will argue for two theses, which function as two sides of the same coin. The first thesis is that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), as a science and in addition to numerous concrete individual studies, must work self-reflexively on a common and tentatively formal theory of ESD. The first…

In educational settings, educators' individual perceptions of theories and concepts (e.g. about teaching and learning) are crucial for their professional performance. Thus, regarding education for sustainable development (ESD), it is vital to focus on teacher educators' (TEs') perceptions of this concept. As ESD is a comparatively young and…

Purpose: This viewpoint paper addresses the use of sustainability frameworks in embedding education for sustainability into the curriculum of higher education institutions (HEIs). The purpose of this paper is to explore the paradox that sustainability frameworks must facilitate transformation of existing structures whilst also being well-enough…

In a world in need of profound change, the importance of "transformative education" is increasingly recognized. However, barriers abound in our Higher Education Institutions, including that educators often have little notion of "how" to make their teaching more transformative "in practice." This paper builds on our…

This article discusses the contributions of different worldviews to the debates on what a transformative sustainability education could be. It focuses on mainstream and alternative strands of thought present in the West, as well as Indigenous worldviews, taking the Zapatistas as an example. The Zapatista social movement of Mexico fights for the…

The UNESCO-led Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) underscores the need to increase teachers' capacities to promote sustainable actions through ESD, and several capacity-building teaching guides have been developed with that purpose. From the perspectives of the pluralistic and transformative traditions of…

There is a broad consensus that universities have the potential to act as drivers of education for sustainable development (ESD) and constitute fundamental vehicles to explore, test, develop and communicate conditions for necessary socio-ecological transformations. This goes hand in hand with stronger acknowledgment of the societal role of…

In the author's decade-long journey as a school library media specialist, they have witnessed an evolution in the role of education. In today's increasingly interconnected world, going beyond traditional literacy and nurturing informed, empathetic global citizens is becoming a fundamental aspect of our teaching and learning. The United Nations'…

In Queensland, Australia, a new senior Earth and Environmental Science (EES) syllabus has been approved for first implementation in 2019. Given the natural alignment between EES and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this study employs document analysis to investigate the extent to which the intended curriculum reflects the tenets of…

In this study, we explore the transformative impact of digital storytelling in education, with a focus on promoting global citizenship and sustainability awareness among students. We examine how digital storytelling platforms can enhance traditional literary curricula by fostering deeper cross-cultural understanding and engaging students with…

Recent research has become increasingly interested in the concepts of education for sustainable development (ESD) and transformative learning (TL). However, even as ESD can be described as holistic and transformational education with the purpose to transform our society, only few studies have examined potential bridges between these two concepts.…

We communicate, relate, educate and make our world meaningful through stories. Stories are integrated in and are a part of every sustainability issue. In this article, we develop the concept of sustainability stories, and how they can be assessed and developed to correspond with the intentions of education for sustainable development (ESD).…

Purpose: Transformative learning and leadership are key leverage points for supporting society's transition towards sustainability. The purpose of this study was to identify the outcomes of transformational learning within an international sustainability leadership master's program in Sweden. The study also prototypes a typology for transformative…

Decades of policy initiatives, a developing body of literature, and a growing cadre of practitioners are united in suggesting that the preeminent approach to educating students about sustainability is by infusion throughout the higher education curriculum. While there is mounting evidence that sustainability should be taught to students beyond the…

Transformative Learning Theory is instrumental in fostering sustained positive change in adult learners as it explains how critical reflection in crystallization processes results in emancipatory learning. Despite its relevance, there is no reliable approach that can systematically produce Transformational Learning for sustainability purposes.…