What was the goal?
The goal of the project was to explore pre-service teachers’ perspectives on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within teacher education at the University of Vienna. The study examined how student teachers perceive their knowledge, pedagogical competencies, values, and sense of responsibility related to ESD, and how prepared they feel to implement it in their future teaching practice. The central research question asked how pre-service teachers assess their knowledge, pedagogical competencies, values, attribution of responsibility, and self-efficacy in implementing ESD. The qualitative analysis was theoretically grounded in Nena Vukelić’s framework on action competence in ESD.
How did the project proceed?
The project employed a qualitative research design using an online survey conducted via the app Voiceform, which allowed participants to provide both written and spoken responses that were anonymized and transcribed. The survey was distributed to pre-service teachers at the University of Vienna through seminar instructors and messaging services such as WhatsApp, reaching students from a wide range of subjects. The survey combined scaled questions, where participants rated their confidence in sustainability knowledge and ESD implementation on a scale from 1 to 10, with open-ended questions addressing the value of ESD, perceived responsibility for teaching sustainability, and the impact of teacher education on future ESD practice. The collected responses were systematically coded using thematic analysis, combining deductive main categories derived from the theoretical framework with inductive subcategories emerging from the data. Each response was coded by multiple researchers, and discrepancies were discussed until consensus was reached.
What were the results?
The preliminary results showed that pre-service teachers recognize the importance of ESD and its role in preparing students to address global challenges such as climate change and social inequality. They also acknowledge that responsibility for teaching ESD is shared across educational institutions, families, and society. However, several challenges were identified within teacher education. Participants reported a lack of both subject-specific knowledge and pedagogical skills related to ESD, and while theoretical concepts are covered in some courses, practical guidance on classroom implementation remains limited. This gap affects students’ self-efficacy, leaving many uncertain about integrating ESD into their future teaching, which in turn constrains their motivation and willingness to apply it. Responsibility for ESD was often perceived as diffuse, shifted among schools, policymakers, and families, further limiting pre-service teachers’ perceived ability to act. Knowledge and responsibility emerged as the most frequently mentioned themes, while value, self-efficacy, and intention were addressed less often. The study concluded that while pre-service teachers value ESD and are willing to integrate it, gaps in knowledge, pedagogical support, and clear responsibility reduce their self-efficacy and the likelihood of effective implementation. The findings highlight the need for teacher education to move beyond theory-focused modules toward hands-on, practice-oriented approaches, supported by clearer institutional guidance, concrete strategies, and sustained cross-curricular integration of ESD.