Education for sustainable development in design and technology education in Ireland: an exploration of teacher perception and practice to inform a framework for action

Education has a key role to play in sustainability action globally – Education for Sustainable Development can act as a powerful enabler for positive change within planetary boundaries. In Ireland progress has been made by organisations integrating Education for Sustainable Development in the curricula. Yet, the latest review of the first ‘National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 2014-2020’ identified a significant lack of system-wide awareness of the strategy among teachers. Further, with the launch of Ireland’s ‘ESD to 2030: Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development’, the gap between policy and practice in this context remains significantly underexplored.

In particular, Design and Technology Education subjects continue to underutilise Education for Sustainable Development despite their unique potential to embed deeper elements throughout given the focus of the subjects on creativity, design, and problem solving. This is particularly the case when their purpose is understood through a technological capability framing where learners become agents of change in the made world.

The objective of this thesis is to investigate Education for Sustainable Development in Design and Technology Education, through a critical realist lens, to develop a data driven framework for action informed by second level teachers in Ireland. In doing so, this research explores teachers’ perception and practice of Education for Sustainable Development in Design and Technology Education subjects. Empirical data were generated through an inquiry-based survey with trainee teachers and practicing teachers (n=140). These inquiry-based survey responses acted as a starting point for in-depth semi-structured interviews with practicing teachers in secondary schools around Ireland (n=26).

The contribution of this thesis lies in its illustration that Design and Technology Education in Ireland can, and indeed should, integrate meaningful Education for Sustainable Development through the proposed framework for action. Five recommendations form the framework centring on initial teacher education, professional development, curricula and assessment, transformative education, and systems thinking. The framework offers a broad policy roadmap for the increased integration of Education for Sustainable Development in Design and Technology Education in Ireland. The general principles of which may be applicable to other subjects and even other systems and jurisdictions. This contribution also provides much needed insight as to the realities of teacher practice helping to bridge the discourse-practice gap.