Exploring drivers and challenges for the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development in upper secondary school

Abstract

The national curricula in Norway are currently under review and revision. As part of the revision, sustainable development becomes an interdisciplinary and comprehensive subject in school. There are presently few or no examples of schools that work comprehensively with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Norway. In this study, we have interviewed school management, teachers, student council, operation manager and school owner at four upper secondary schools in order to map what supports and what constrains a holistic effort to ESD in Norwegian upper secondary school. Findings from the study show that all the interviewees are positive to a commitment to sustainable development as part of the new curriculum. Further, we identify nine key factors influencing action as well as resulting from it, in the direction of support or constraint of a holistic effort to ESD. The interviewees point to each other when it comes to taking the initiative to develop ESD locally; this can result in a pulverization of responsibility as long as everyone "sits on the fence" waiting for others to take the initiative. A binding commitment to ESD places demands on all actors and levels at the school. We ask whether the inclusion of sustainable development in the new curriculum is sufficient for developing an interdisciplinary understanding and the action competence that is necessary to prepare the students for living sustainable lives in the future. A commitment to ESD also requires the school and the teachers to have the time and space to develop the organization and learning methods locally.