Evaluation of the sustainability concept in science education and construction of a model programme

Abstract: The main purpose of the study is to develop a new model programme based on the principles of sustainable development to address the defects, deficiencies and needs in science education around the world. The direction of study was to examine whether or not the science education for sustainable development (SESD) model programme, which was developed by the researcher, had a significant effect on the academic success and opinion of sustainable development of primary school fifth-grade students in science lessons. This study was administered to the three fifth-grade classes at a primary school (permission for the application was granted) located in İstanbul, which is dependent on the Ministry of Education, in the 2015‒2016 academic year. The sample of the study comprised 92 students who study in the 5/A, 5/C and 5/D classes. A mixed method allowing both qualitative and quantitative research methods was adopted. The Science Knowledge Test and semi-structured interview questions aiming to determine the opinion of sustainable development, which were developed by the researcher, were used as data-collecting instruments. The data collected during the research were evaluated using one-way analysis of covariance (one-way ANCOVA) and content analysis. According to the results of the study, the science education model programme for sustainable development has a significant effect on academic success in comparison with the current programme. Moreover, it was observed that the opinions of the students in the experimental groups regarding sustainable development increased after the SESD model programme had been applied. This result shows that the SESD model programme could be integrated into all education curricula in science education across the world. As the implementation of sustainable development increases in education, more individuals will follow a sustainable lifestyle. Thanks to this, our world will become more liveable.