The Competence Dimension of Education for Sustainable Development in the Professional Training of Future Primary School Teachers: A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2312-5829/2025.4.3Keywords:
education for sustainable development, sustainable development competencies, professional training, future primary school teachers, pedagogical activityAbstract
This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the key competences in education for sustainable development and synthesises contemporary scholarly approaches to their cultivation in the professional preparation of future primary school teachers. It underscores that education for sustainable development constitutes a pivotal driver of educational system transformation, as it entails not only the acquisition of cognitive knowledge but also the integration of value orientations, the advancement of critical thinking and reflection, and the development of practical skills essential for effective functioning in the context of global uncertainty and contemporary civilizational challenges.
The essence and content of systems thinking, anticipatory, normative, and strategic competencies, as well as competencies in collaboration, critical thinking, self-awareness, and integrated problem-solving, are revealed. It is emphasised that these competencies possess an integrative character and constitute an interconnected complex of professional and personal readiness among teachers to implement the principles of sustainable development in the primary school educational environment. The research methodology is based on the use of a set of theoretical methods (analysis, synthesis, generalisation, comparison), which made it possible to conduct an interdisciplinary review of international and national concepts, and identify scientific approaches to the development of sustainable development competencies in teacher education.
It is concluded that the implementation of a competence-based approach in the professional training of future primary school teachers is a necessary condition for integrating the knowledge, skills, and value orientations of sustainable development into pedagogical practice. Such an approach ensures the formation of a new generation of teachers capable of systems thinking, strategic action, evidence-based decision-making, and educating younger generations in the spirit of responsibility, ecological awareness, and social justice. The practical significance of the findings lies in the possibility of applying the proposed provisions to modernise educational programmes, develop methodological support, and introduce innovative educational technologies into the system of professional teacher training.
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