Slaven Gašparović, Rawad Chaker, Maria Impedovo

 

DOI: 10.35666/23038950.2024.50.119

UDC: 378.14:91(497.5)

 

Abstract: The role of geography in promoting the importance of sustainable development in the educational process: an example of the geography curriculum in Croatia

Sustainable development has become an indispensable element of contemporary society. Schools play a critical role in enabling the continuous acquisition of new knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. This raises the question of the extent and manner in which the topic of sustainable development is integrated a specific school subject curriculum. The main objective of this study is to analyze this question using the example of Geography as a school subject in Croatia. Due to its integrative nature, Geography serves as a key actor in promoting sustainable development and positions sustainability as one of its core aspects. The research was conducted using a qualitative method by analyzing and comparing documents from the Geography Curriculum for primary schools and gymnasium schools with regard to their upbringing-educational outcomes and alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The study revealed that the content of the geography curriculum is generally well aligned with the 17 SDGs. However, discrepancies are most evident in the primary school curriculum, where some SDGs are not represented. The study also explores the specific knowledge and skills that geography teachers must acquire in order to effectively communicate the principles of sustainable development to students.

Keywords

sustainable development, geography curriculum, 17 Sustainable Development Goals, upbringing-educational outcomes, Croatia

GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW - SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL FOR GEOGRAPHY  No 50, Year 2024. pg. 119-141

Full text PDF