New Perspectives in Science Education
Contribution of Critical Thinking Dispositions in Education for Sustainable Development - through Primary Teachers Perspectives
Sonia Felix, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway)
Abstract
Teachers have a crucial role in using critical thinking (CT) as an integrated aspect of education for sustainable development (ESD). As part of the Critical Thinking in Sustainability Education (CriThiSE) project, this presentation explores how primary school teachers positioned themselves with regard to CT in ESD during group interviews. Among the findings derived through critical discourse analysis, “otherness” positions were identified in teachers’ discourse. Different positions were identified through the use of the pronouns they, theirs and the generic you, suggesting that otherness reflects a tendency to “care about” (CT disposition). Teachers’ collective positions, through the pronouns such as we, us, they, theirs, ours and the generic you, might suggest an implicatory denial embedded in the sociocultural perspective in relation to sustainability. This highlights the importance of taking into account teachers’ CT dispositions as an important aspect to understand teachers’ engagement with CT in ESD.
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Keywords |
critical thinking, education for sustainable development, critical discourse analysis, critical thinking dispositions |
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References |
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