The need for death pedagogy: Academics’ opinions on the place of death in the curricula

This paper seeks to explore the opinions of educational sciences academics on how death pedagogy should be integrated into curricula across preschool, primary, secondary, and high school levels. The sample comprises academics specializing in educational sciences, who have conducted at least two studies on death, loss, and bereavement, and are affiliated with various universities in Türkiye. Seven academics responded to six open-ended questions, and their qualitative responses were analyzed. The results indicated unanimous support for including death pedagogy in the formal curriculum. Key implementation considerations include: (a) collaborating with experts to define the content, methods, and scope; (b) providing comprehensive training for all teachers on the subject and offering additional support for those grappling with their own mortality; (c) ensuring that school counselors play a central role in all phases of planning, implementation, and evaluation; and (d) highlighting the significance of death pedagogy in fostering students' psychological resilience.