Education for sustainability and curriculum – A narrative review of the literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21814/rpe.34757Keywords:
Education for sustainability, Narrative literature review, Sustainable development, Formal education, CurriculumAbstract
Educating for sustainability is currently recognised as essential for promoting the resilience of natural and human ecosystems, requiring, in various contexts, a reconfiguration of ways of life. Within this framework, it is essential to promote a curriculum that integrates the principles, dimensions, and objectives of this educational approach.
Against this background, the present study aims to contribute to the discussion of the features of a curriculum for sustainability. Thus, considering what has been published in the academic literature, the study seeks first to understand the main characteristics of a curriculum for sustainability and subsequently to identify ways of promoting its development and implementation.
Through a narrative literature review, this study aims to expand the knowledge produced in this field, drawing on studies conducted in different formal education contexts. The corpus of analysis consists of articles indexed in the Scopus and ERIC databases, which were analysed through categorical content analysis.
The findings show that the concept of “sustainability” is presented through different scientific perspectives and terminologies. Likewise, the concept of “curriculum” is subject to multiple interpretations, enabling different approaches to analysis and intervention. In this regard, the studies suggest that a curriculum for sustainability should be adapted to specific contexts, responding to local challenges while considering the multilevel impact of human action. Accordingly, the findings suggest a flexible curricular approach, integrating different dimensions of sustainability and promoting educational practices oriented towards transformation.
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