Education for Environmental Sustainability and the Emotions: Implications for Educational Practice

TY - JOUR

T1 - Education for Environmental Sustainability and the Emotions

T2 - Implications for Educational Practice

AU - Dunlop, Lynda

AU - Rushton, Elizabeth A.C.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by British Education Research Association Commission 2021– 2022 awards made to both authors. The Geoengineering project was funded by an ESRC Impact Acceleration award made by the University of York to Lynda Dunlop (no award numbers available). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2022/4/1

Y1 - 2022/4/1

N2 - Increasing attention is being paid to the emotions in education and in communication about the climate crisis and other sustainability challenges. This has tended to focus on the relationship between emotions and environmental perceptions and behaviours. In this study, we understand emotions as evaluative feelings which meaningfully connect people and their environment. We draw on data from teachers, teacher educators, and young people (n = 223) to describe educationally-relevant emotions and identify the implications for educational practice. We argue that emotionally-responsive pedagogies are needed to identify responsibilities, develop coping potential, and improve future expectations. These pedagogies must act on the causes and consequences of environmental damage and develop teachers’ and students’ capabilities to take action and ultimately transform emotional appraisals. A more enabling policy environment is needed for teachers to adopt these approaches and empower them to take action relating to climate and ecological crises.

AB - Increasing attention is being paid to the emotions in education and in communication about the climate crisis and other sustainability challenges. This has tended to focus on the relationship between emotions and environmental perceptions and behaviours. In this study, we understand emotions as evaluative feelings which meaningfully connect people and their environment. We draw on data from teachers, teacher educators, and young people (n = 223) to describe educationally-relevant emotions and identify the implications for educational practice. We argue that emotionally-responsive pedagogies are needed to identify responsibilities, develop coping potential, and improve future expectations. These pedagogies must act on the causes and consequences of environmental damage and develop teachers’ and students’ capabilities to take action and ultimately transform emotional appraisals. A more enabling policy environment is needed for teachers to adopt these approaches and empower them to take action relating to climate and ecological crises.

KW - capabilities

KW - climate change

KW - education

KW - emotions

KW - environmental sustainability

KW - pedagogy

KW - teacher educators

KW - teachers

KW - youth

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128702072&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/su14084441

DO - 10.3390/su14084441

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85128702072

SN - 2071-1050

VL - 14

JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)

JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)

IS - 8

M1 - 4441

ER -