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Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies

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  • Eva-Maria Waltner

    (Department of Biology and Pedagogy of Biology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117 Freiburg, Germany)

  • Werner Rieß

    (Department of Biology and Pedagogy of Biology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117 Freiburg, Germany)

  • Christoph Mischo

    (Department of Psychology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117 Freiburg, Germany)

Abstract

The importance of education, and ESD in particular, for achieving sustainable development is highlighted in the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the Brundtland Report (1987) and the Agenda 21 conference in Rio in 1992, many measures and programs have been launched. However, no widely accepted and validated assessment instruments are currently available to examine the output levels of ESD on the student side as a means to contribute to monitoring the effects of ESD initiatives. Furthermore, connections to the results of empirical educational research are often lacking. Indeed, operationalization is necessary in order to evaluate actions of fostering ESD. Taking concepts of empirical educational and other relevant research findings (for example, psychology for sustainability) into account, this study develops a reliable and valid approach to measuring sustainability competencies. In this paper, novel data of a first school assessment is presented. One thousand six hundred and twenty-two students (aged from 9 to 16) participated in the survey. The paper-pencil questionnaire covers general (socio-demographic) as well as cognitive, affective, behavioral, application- and curriculum-orientated aspects of sustainability competencies. The evidence for the validity and reliability of the instrument indicates that the presented assessment tool constitutes a suitable instrument by which to measure sustainability competencies in secondary schools. The gathered insights show a path towards the operationalization of sustainability competencies to clarify the needs and achievements of ESD implementation in schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva-Maria Waltner & Werner Rieß & Christoph Mischo, 2019. "Development and Validation of an Instrument for Measuring Student Sustainability Competencies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:6:p:1717-:d:215978
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    7. Katja Scharenberg & Eva-Maria Waltner & Christoph Mischo & Werner Rieß, 2021. "Development of Students’ Sustainability Competencies: Do Teachers Make a Difference?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-22, November.
    8. Eva-Maria Waltner & Katja Scharenberg & Christian Hörsch & Werner Rieß, 2020. "What Teachers Think and Know about Education for Sustainable Development and How They Implement it in Class," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    9. Jinyuan Guo & Zhixia Chen & Binyao Zheng, 2021. "Postgraduate Competence and Academic Research Performance: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, June.
    10. Ramón Martínez-Medina & José C. Arrebola, 2019. "Analysis of Sustainability Activities in Spanish Elementary Education Textbooks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, September.
    11. Naresh Giangrande & Rehema M. White & May East & Ross Jackson & Tim Clarke & Michel Saloff Coste & Gil Penha-Lopes, 2019. "A Competency Framework to Assess and Activate Education for Sustainable Development: Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals 4.7 Challenge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.
    12. Werner Riess & Monika Martin & Christoph Mischo & Hans-Georg Kotthoff & Eva-Maria Waltner, 2022. "How Can Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Be Effectively Implemented in Teaching and Learning? An Analysis of Educational Science Recommendations of Methods and Procedures to Promote ESD Goa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    13. Muhammad Noman Malik & Huma Hayat Khan & Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh Chofreh & Feybi Ariani Goni & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš & Youseef Alotaibi, 2019. "Investigating Students’ Sustainability Awareness and the Curriculum of Technology Education in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Anna Oberrauch & Helga Mayr & Ivan Nikitin & Tanja Bügler & Thorsten Kosler & Christian Vollmer, 2021. "“I Wanted a Profession That Makes a Difference”—An Online Survey of First-Year Students’ Study Choice Motives and Sustainability-Related Attributes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-28, July.
    15. Tobias Hoppe & Alexander Renkl & Tina Seidel & Stephanie Rettig & Werner Rieß, 2020. "Exploring How Teachers Diagnose Student Conceptions about the Cycle of Matter," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    16. Miguel Leiva-Brondo & Natalia Lajara-Camilleri & Anna Vidal-Meló & Alejandro Atarés & Cristina Lull, 2022. "Spanish University Students’ Awareness and Perception of Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability Literacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-26, April.
    17. Herlambang Herlambang & Amelia Dwi Fitri & Amirul Mukminin & Muhaimin Muhaimin & Marzul Hidayat & Elfiani Elfiani & Nyimas Natasha Ayu Shafira & Anggelia Puspasari & Susan Tarawifa & Ahmad Abdun Salam, 2021. "Quality Assurance for Sustainable Higher Education: Structural Equation Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, April.
    18. Figen Akça, 2019. "Sustainable Development in Teacher Education in Terms of Being Solution Oriented and Self-Efficacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-16, December.
    19. Vasiliki Kioupi & Nikolaos Voulvoulis, 2019. "Education for Sustainable Development: A Systemic Framework for Connecting the SDGs to Educational Outcomes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-18, November.
    20. Zhenwen Liu & Hsi-Chi Yang & Yan-Chyuan Shiau, 2020. "Investigation on Evaluation Framework of Elementary School Teaching Materials for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.

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