Teaching off-track: Contributions of interdisciplinarity and sustainability in teacher education. First insights from the AGIR project

Background In the context of growing socio-environmental crises, higher education institutions are increasingly expected to integrate sustainability across curricula through interdisciplinary and interinstitutional approaches. This study presents the initial findings from the preclinical phase of the AGIR project, a collaborative action research initiative involving four higher education institutions in the French-speaking part of Belgium. This project aims to support the development of sustainability education in teacher training programs. Methods Grounded in a design-based research approach, this study focuses on an interdisciplinary course on sustainability education designed for prospective secondary school teachers. A mixed-methods research design was implemented, drawing on the Action Competence in Sustainable Development (ACiSD) framework to examine students’ relevant knowledge, willingness to act, capacity expectations, and outcome expectancy in relation to sustainability. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to capture the cognitive and affective dimensions of student learning. Results The findings indicated that interdisciplinarity constitutes a significant pedagogical lever for enhancing student engagement and perceived capacity to act in relation to sustainability issues. Participants reported an increased willingness to engage with sustainability-related challenges and greater confidence in their capacity to contribute meaningfully. However, persistent difficulties were observed in relation to conceptual knowledge, particularly regarding some pillars of sustainable development as well as in students’ outcome expectancy. Conclusion These initial results provide practical insights for the design of transformative learning experiences in sustainability education within teacher training. They highlight the value of interdisciplinary and collaborative frameworks, particularly within the social sciences and humanities, while also pointing to areas requiring further pedagogical attention to strengthen the conceptual understanding and perceived effectiveness of action.