Finnish primary school student teachers’ systems thinking regarding sustainability

What is it about?

The aim of the present study is to analyse the systems thinking levels of Finnish primary school student teachers regarding sustainability and to assess how they explain the relationship between reproduction, biodiversity and sustainable development. The goal of this survey is to encourage the developers of the curricula and teachers and student teachers to consider systems thinking in their teaching and to offer ideas about the levels of systems thinking that should be supported.

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Photo by Nico Evard on Unsplash

Photo by Nico Evard on Unsplash

Why is it important?

In its ecological, economic and social dimensions, sustainable development includes a variety of interrelated cultural, health and political aspects. In the educational systems of many countries emphasizing economic growth, the citizenship skills needed in the global information economy are emphasized, with sustainability issues receiving less attention (Stevenson, 2007). Systems thinking, which examines the interconnected parts of a system, could support a better understanding of the complexity of sustainable development. It is part of scientific thinking and can be regarded as a tool for learning and seeking paths to improve performance and quality (Draper, 1993).