Teacher Perceptions of Education for Sustainable Development Teaching: Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper examines teachers' perceptions of Education for Sustainable Development regarding their practice before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzes approaches to teaching Education for Sustainable Development and barriers faced. While teachers reported shifts in what was taught and how it was taught during the pandemic, most respondents remained committed to the core values of teaching Education for Sustainable Development. Barriers described by teachers before the pandemic included a lack of resources, time, and support, and barriers during the pandemic included a shifting and uncertain teaching environment burdened by video calls during lockdown periods and efforts to keep students safe during in-person teaching. Teacher insights included: spending regular time outdoors and framing the community as a classroom is a benefit for the health of students and their education; learning is inherently more powerful and productive when done socially; and teaching with technology has benefits but should not be the sole medium in which learning occurs. The aspects of school that were taken for granted and that were greatly diminished during the pandemic, social learning, guest speakers, field trips, and a predictable learning environment, were also those elements that were reported as being at the forefront of teachers’ plans for their students when the pandemic ended. This research may benefit teachers, school leaders, policymakers interested in Education for Sustainable Development, and scholars planning future research. Keywords: teacher perceptions, Education for Sustainable Development, COVID-19