Where Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education Primary Students Source their Information on Sustainability - Article 4

Oct 15, 2026

Sustainability is implemented as a cross-curriculum priority in Australia through the Australian Curriculum, requiring primary and secondary teachers to integrate Education for Sustainability (EfS) into formal schooling. A WA case study examined Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary) students’ perceptions of sustainability on entering teacher education, focusing on the information sources used to form these perceptions. Findings highlight the need for reliable scientific mass-media information, pre-service teachers’ mistrust of commercial media, and dedicated EfS content in pre-service primary teacher programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background and policy context

Information sources shaping perceptions

Implications for teacher education

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 40 | Issue 10 | Article 4 | | --- | --- | | 2015
Where Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education Primary Students Source their Information on Sustainability
Geoff W. Lummis
Edith Cowan University, [g.lummis@ecu.edu.au](g.lummis@ecu.edu.au)
Julia E. Morris
Edith Cowan University, [j.morris@ecu.edu.au](j.morris@ecu.edu.au)
Graeme Lock
Edith Cowan University, [g.lock@ecu.edu.au](g.lock@ecu.edu.au)
Judith Odgaard Edith Cowan University | | Recommended Citation Lummis, G. W., Morris, J. E., Lock, G., & Odgaard, J. (2015). Where Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education Primary Students Source their Information on Sustainability. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40 (10). [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n10.4](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n10.4) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss10/4](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss10/4) Where Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education Primary Students Source their Information on Sustainability Geoffrey W. Lummis Julia E. Morris Graeme Lock Judith Odgaard Edith Cowan University Abstract: Sustainability has recently been made a cross-curriculum priority in Australia, through the development and implementation of the Australian Curriculum. Subsequently, primary and secondary teachers across all subject areas are required to integrate Education for Sustainability (EfS) into formal education. A recent research case study was undertaken to determine Western Australian (WA) Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary) students’perceptions of sustainability on entering their teacher education course. This paper reports on part of the findings from this study, specifically the sources of information these pre-service teachers used to inform their perceptions of sustainability. The case study emphasised the need for reliable scientific information in mass media and pre-service teachers’mistrust ofcommercial media. It also underscored the need to provide specific sustainability content in pre-service primary teacher education courses. Introduction The researchers maintain that if WA Graduate Diploma of Education pre-service primary teachers are not critically supported by appropriate sustainability pedagogical content knowledge at the pre-service level, or as part ofan ongoing professional development program, sustainability as a cross curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011) could become marginalised (Birdsall, 2014) . In addition, it is suggested that the personal perceptions of sustainability that pre-service primary teachers hold will shape the way they interpret sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority. Education for Sustainability (EfS) is a relatively new initiative, and many pre-service primary teacher education institutions are yet to engage integrated sustainability themes in both courses and units (Stevenson, Davis, Ferreira & Evans 2014) . Therefore, without formal EfS at the researchers’ university it was decided to investigate where pre-service primary teachers access information about sustainability, given that information sources will influence sustainability literacy (Nisbet, Cooper & Garrett, 2015), or in respect to some information sources, have the potential to create alternative conceptions that can misinform their teaching (Boon, 2010, 2011) . The data from this WA case study of 18 participants suggests that preservice teachers’ perceptions of sustainability are informed by: family and friends, mass media, online information, and importantly the subject content presented to them in through their education journey such as university teacher education courses (Dyment & Hill, 2015; Martin & Carter, 2015; Mills & Tomas, 2013) . Therefore, pre-service primary teachers must be sustainability-literate so they can integrate its themes across al

FAQs

What does the paper study regarding WA pre-service primary teachers?

It examines where Western Australian Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary) students access information about sustainability when forming their perceptions of sustainability.

Why does the study emphasize reliable scientific information?

The case study underscores the need for trustworthy scientific information in mass media and notes pre-service teachers’ mistrust of commercial media.

What are the key implications for pre-service primary teacher education?

The paper argues that pre-service programs should provide specific sustainability content and develop sustainability literacies so teachers can critically engage with ongoing public debates, especially around climate change and renewable energy.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by 4398046744996