The goal of the project is to contribute to teacher education for sustainability (EduS) in different European countries. In general, this goal will be achieved by promoting professional knowledge about EduS both in theory and practice in contexts of in-service teacher education. Teacher education for EduS include the following dimensions: equity and social solidarity; diversity, dialogue and inclusion; natural resources, environment and technology; economy and financial literacy. The project is designed for 36 months, involving a network of teachers, teacher educators and researchers from 5 countries and a collaborative work between higher education institutions, teacher education centers and schools. With the main aim of understanding how to educate teachers and teacher educators for EduS, the team of the project will analyze and systematize produced knowledge on EduS; will analyze teachers and teacher educators’ social representations on EduS; will develop collaboratively teacher education programs (TEdP) in order to reinforce networking within the community of teachers, teacher educators and researchers; will develop and disseminate case studies on teacher education for EduS. The project has 3 phases: (1) construction of teacher EduS framework, emerging from a literature review and a characterization of teachers and teacher educators’ social representations; (2) design, implementation and evaluation of TEdP, including action research projects in schools for EduS; (3) construction of a teacher education framework for EduS and dissemination of the project results at institutional, local, regional, national and European levels.
The application for TEDS was originated by the will to contribute to the construction of educational knowledge about education for sustainability in different European countries. The teams of the 5 countries involved (Finland, France, Lithuania, Malta and Portugal) felt the need to systematize knowledge produced on education for sustainability, extending it beyond the environmental dimension, and investing this knowledge in the design, implementation, and analysis of teacher education programs in the various national contexts. The broadening of the concept of education for sustainability was based on the will to articulate this type of education with issues of education for equity and social solidarity, for diversity, dialogue and intercomprehension, for the responsible use of technology and for a circular economy. The project aimed to develop professional teaching knowledge on education for sustainability through national partnerships (interaction between higher education institutions and teacher training centers) and international partnerships. The sharing of knowledge and experiences made possible the reconstruction of teacher training and education practices for sustainability adapted to the characteristics of each context.
The application of TEDS project aimed to support teachers and teacher educators in building knowledge on education for sustainability, considering the key role that these actors play in the reconstruction of school curricula, contexts and educational innovation. TEDS aimed to educate teachers and teacher educators to promote an education for sustainability considering their professional contexts at curricular, social, cultural and environmental level, fostering the responsibility of the actors and institutions involved. The team considered necessary to develop a network, at European level, able to support teacher education programs at local level, designed around innovative practices, enhancing a change of mentalities on the need and the possibilities of education for sustainability. Fostering sustainability science was one of the goals of UH, education for sustainable development and natural resources were goals of UOM, technological education was a goal of VMU, and intercultural education, diversity and intercomprehension were goals of UAVR and UN. These topics became priorities for TEDS partners, expanding the perspective on sustainability and broadening the perspective on education and teacher education for sustainability.