A Case Analysis of the Visibility of Sustainability in a TVE Teacher Training Program: Evidence from the Program Curriculum of an HEI

Abstract

In the post-DESD (Decade of Education for Sustainable Development) era spearheaded by the United Nations, evidence of the progress of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) integration across disciplines have been recorded. Developed nations have made substantial progress in reorienting their educational systems to reflect ESD. Some developing nations have also begun to integrate ESD into their education systems. Malaysia is one of such nations who has pledged commitment towards the ESD goal and has taken some steps to develop a general philosophy with which higher education institutions can begin to model best practices for ESD. Irrespective of this pledged commitment towards ESD by the Malaysian government through its Ministry of Education, evidence of the extent of ESD integration in Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) teacher training programs have not been reported. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain whether TVE programs were preparing future teachers for ESD. Therefore, this study explores through a Qualitative Documentary Analysis approach, the extent to which ESD is reflected in the TVE program curriculum using a university of education in Malaysia as a case study for the analysis. Findings revealed that some elements of ESD were minutely reflected in the TVE program. Meanwhile, several opportunities to embed ESD content and principles were identified through existing course offerings in the program. Hence it was recommended that TVE institutions begin to model best practices used by western universities in their attempt to embed ESD into TVE programs.