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Reviewing Vietnam Geography Textbooks from an ESD Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Thao Phuong Nguyen

    (Institute of Didactics in Geography, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
    Faculty of Geography, Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam)

Abstract

This paper examines how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is transmitted in the context of geography education by investigating the extent to which geography textbooks in Vietnam promote ESD principles. At the same time, the paper helps clarify how ESD is anchored in formal education and how ESD is contextualized in the specific context of Vietnam. This study involved a qualitative analysis supported by MAXQDA software (VERBI, Berlin, Germany), where geography textbooks from grade 6 to grade 12 in Vietnam were analysed to determine (1) how sustainable development (SD) issues are integrated into the content of the textbooks and (2) the extent to which questions and tasks in the textbooks promote competencies regarding the demands of ESD. The findings show that the textbooks somewhat promote ESD through their content and didactic approach. However, there are still some drawbacks. In terms of content, the textbooks’ main approaches to both SD content and geography core knowledge are description and indoctrination. In terms of their didactic approach, almost all questions/tasks ask students to memorize and reproduce information and rote learning rather than helping them promote ESD competencies. This reconfirms that ESD remains an add-on issue to an overcrowded curriculum, and the geography textbooks reflect an instrumental approach to ESD.

Suggested Citation

  • Thao Phuong Nguyen, 2019. "Reviewing Vietnam Geography Textbooks from an ESD Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:2466-:d:226152
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Delfín Ortega-Sánchez & Almudena Alonso-Centeno & Miguel Corbí, 2020. "Socio-Environmental Problematic, End-Purposes, and Strategies Relating to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through the Perspectives of Spanish Secondary Education Trainee Teachers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-10, July.
    2. Ensaf Nasser Al Mulhim & Yara Ahmed Mohebeldin Zaky, 2023. "Sustainability in E-Learning: E-Books and Academic Procrastination among Secondary Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-13, October.
    3. Manuel Herrador & Tran Tho Dat & Dinh Duc Truong & Le Thu Hoa & Katarzyna Å obacz, 2023. "The Unique Case Study of Circular Economy in Vietnam Remarking Recycling Craft Villages," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.

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