Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Infusion Into Curricula - Influences on Students’ Understandings of Sustainable Development and ESD

Oct 15, 2026

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Formal education for sustainable development (ESD) relies heavily on building and training teachers, since they both deliver ESD in classrooms and apply their own knowledge, values, and skills to support sustainability. In a Jamaican higher-education context, teacher educators analyze pre- and post-intervention data from about 140 students to assess changes in awareness and knowledge of sustainable development (SD) and ESD. Results show broadened SD understanding and shifts toward ESD’s interdisciplinary character and equitable, inclusive education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose and educational context

Higher education and teacher educator roles

Infusion approach and research questions

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Infusion Into Curricula: Influences on Students’ Understandings of Sustainable Development and ESD A journal of educational research and practice 2022 Vol. 31 (2) 63−84 [https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked](https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked) Therese Ferguson* , Carmel Roofe , Loraine D. Cook, Sharon Bramwell-Lalor, Carol Hordatt Gentles The University of the West Indies Abstract Formal education for sustainable development (ESD) is in large part dependent on capacitybuilding and training of teachers as they are the individuals who must both deliver ESD at the classroom level as well as utilize their own knowledge, values , and skills in support of sustainability. In this paper, teacher educators within a higher education institution in Jamaica who infused ESD in their course delivery analyze data collected from approximately 140 of their students pre-and post-intervention to ascertain whether individuals’ awareness and knowledge of sustainable development (SD) and ESD had changed because of the infusion process. Preliminary findings indicate that students’ understanding of SD broadened after the courses, with most students believing that SD involves social, economic , and environmental improvements that do not come at the expense of our natural resources. Additionally, students’thoughts about ESD shifted, with students highlighting aspects of the interdisciplinary nature of ESD, and ESD as involving equitable, inclusive education. The findings are significant in highlighting how intentional infusion of ESD into courses can enhance students’ knowledge and awareness of SD and ESD. Keywords: education for sustainable development , sustainable development , teachers, infusion, Jamaica * [therese.ferguson02@uwimona.edu.jm](therese.ferguson02@uwimona.edu.jm) Introduction Education for sustainable development (ESD) is critical to achieve sustainable development (SD)—societal well-being based on a balance between economic development, environmental sustainability, social inclusion , and good governance (Sachs, 2012) . As UNESCO (2020) highlights,“ESD empowers learners with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to take informed decisions and make responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society empowering people of all genders, for present and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity” (p. 8) . This is important for the Caribbean given the various sustainability issues that challenge the region , such as climate change and violence (Down, 2015b) . ESD is most effectively pursued by formal, non-formal , and informal means geared at all education levels and sectors within society. At the tertiary level, ESD is particularly important given higher education institutions ’ potential to engage in public awareness and education, to serve as models of sustainability for the wider society, and to implement project-and community-based ESD and sustainability work that is relevant for the communities and the wider society that these institutions serve. Indeed, Ryan and Tilbury (2013) propose that higher education is critical for engaging individuals with sustainability because “this is the arena for significant encounters with critical thinking, provocative questions and alternative ideas about our current patterns of development and our potential to devise new ways of living”(p. 273) . Additionally, the role of universities in shaping the managers, decision-makers, and teachers within society necessitates their acknowledgment of the critical role they play in shaping sustainability at national and local levels (de la Harpe & Thomas, 2009) . With this in mind, this paper highlights one component of a larger collaborative action research project carried out by an ESD Working Group (WG) comprising teacher educators from various disciplines. Within the larger project, their task was to enact and evaluate the infusi

FAQs

What problem does the paper address about ESD implementation?

The paper addresses how formal ESD depends on teachers’ capacity and training, because teachers must deliver ESD and apply their own knowledge, values, and skills to support sustainability.

How does the study evaluate the effect of ESD infusion?

Teacher educators analyze data from approximately 140 students before and after course delivery that infuses ESD, to determine whether students’ awareness and knowledge of SD and ESD change.

What changes do students show after the infusion process?

Students’ understanding of SD broadens, and many associate SD with social, economic, and environmental improvements. Students’ views of ESD also shift toward its interdisciplinary nature and its emphasis on equitable, inclusive education.

Oct 15, 2026

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