Sustainability

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19 pages, 2205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of an Environmental Education Program Using a Cross-Sectoral Approach to Promote the Sustainable Use of Domestic Drains

by Juan-Jesús Martín-Jaime, Leticia-Concepción Velasco-Martínez and Juan-Carlos Tójar-Hurtado

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12041; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112041 - 31 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1700

Abstract

The discharge of hygienic waste down domestic drains has become a socio-environmental problem that is causing serious damage to aquatic ecosystems and wastewater management systems. In this paper, we report the results of our study to determine the effectiveness of an environmental education [...] Read more.

The discharge of hygienic waste down domestic drains has become a socio-environmental problem that is causing serious damage to aquatic ecosystems and wastewater management systems. In this paper, we report the results of our study to determine the effectiveness of an environmental education (EE) program to raise awareness of this problem among primary school students. A longitudinal study was carried out using a survey methodology. A questionnaire, including Likert-scale items, was designed (n = 4362). A study of the reliability and validity of the measure was carried out using validations conducted by experts, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, factor analysis, and the categorical analysis of principal components (CATPCA). The analyses showed that there were significant differences between the educational cycles of primary education and two different versions of the program. For example, a second version of the EA program, with a more positive approach, produced an improvement in the acquisition of knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes regarding the development of good habits concerning the use of household drains. The conclusions show the suitability of this cross-sectoral EE program for actively involving students and their families in the proper management of household hygienic waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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15 pages, 1064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy of an Emotional and Cognitive Regulation Programme for Mathematics Problems Solving

by Ana Caballero-Carrasco, Lina Melo-Niño, Luis Manuel Soto-Ardila and Luis M. Casas-García

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11795; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111795 - 26 Oct 2021

Viewed by 1731

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the efficacy of an emotional and cognitive regulation programme in mathematics problem solving (MPS) in primary education preservice teachers (PEPSTs). The objective was that the PEPSTs learn to solve mathematical problems and become aware of [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the efficacy of an emotional and cognitive regulation programme in mathematics problem solving (MPS) in primary education preservice teachers (PEPSTs). The objective was that the PEPSTs learn to solve mathematical problems and become aware of their emotions, self-regulating their learning process. The programme consists of two parts: the first one involves awareness and control of one’s affective responses before the MPS, and the second one involves an integrated model of MPS and emotional control (IMMPS). For the study, we opted for a pre-experimental pretest/posttest design with an experimental group and the complementarity of qualitative and quantitative methods. Some of the results that were obtained were greater emotional control in the PEPSTs, reducing the anxiety and blockages that MPS initially caused them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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13 pages, 411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Professionals as Collaborative Mentors in Early Childhood Family Education

by Sylvia Liu, Barry Lee Reynolds, Xuan Van Ha and Chen Ding

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10644; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910644 - 25 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2356

Abstract

Early childhood education (ECE) in China has become complex and multi-dimensional. Chinese parents/caregivers are actively involved in ECE. This qualitative study provides insights into how three ECE-related professionals, namely, a family education professional, an ECE enrichment teacher, and a founder/administrator of an ECE [...] Read more.

Early childhood education (ECE) in China has become complex and multi-dimensional. Chinese parents/caregivers are actively involved in ECE. This qualitative study provides insights into how three ECE-related professionals, namely, a family education professional, an ECE enrichment teacher, and a founder/administrator of an ECE centre, worked collaboratively in a transdisciplinary early childhood family education (ECFE) program in a northern city of China. Qualitative data was collected via three rounds of interviews with each of the three ECE professionals and several sources of documents. The findings are generally in line with existing literature regarding the factors that influence effective transdisciplinary collaboration among ECFE team members. The ECE professionals claimed the program was a success was due to their willingness to become ergonomists, daily collaborative practice with team members, interaction with both the caregivers and their children, and non-judgmental sharing among colleagues. These positive outcomes occurred due to the continued support and instruction from other ECFE team members, especially when applying approaches outside one’s respective fields. The findings illuminate several insights relating to ECFE and offer several implications regarding hands-on practices for effective ECFE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

15 pages, 1110 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Sustainable Development in Education: Implementing a VET System for In-Service Teachers in Albania

by María-José Vieira, Camino Ferreira, Agustín Rodríguez-Esteban and Javier Vidal

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168739 - 5 Aug 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1717

Abstract

The Albanian Strategy of Pre-University Education (2014–2020) stated the need to raise the competencies of in-service teachers in the non-university sector by asking Albanian universities to provide Vocational Education and Training (VET). The Erasmus+ project, entitled “Developing Teacher Competences for a Comprehensive VET [...] Read more.

The Albanian Strategy of Pre-University Education (2014–2020) stated the need to raise the competencies of in-service teachers in the non-university sector by asking Albanian universities to provide Vocational Education and Training (VET). The Erasmus+ project, entitled “Developing Teacher Competences for a Comprehensive VET System in Albania” (TEAVET, 2017–2020), contributed to the design and implementation of a VET system based on the previous literature of five dimensions: context, content, commitment, capacity and clients. The aim of this study was to assess the VET system for in-service teachers in Albania under these dimensions and identify key elements for sustainability. Through a mixed methods approach that merged quantitative and qualitative data (questionnaires and assessment reports), information was retrieved from the directors of lifelong learning (LLL) centres at eight Albanian universities, the Albanian Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, in-service teachers (n = 1775, response rate 76%), teacher educators from universities (n = 44, response rate 82%) and an external expert. Results show that the VET system for in-service teachers in Albania accomplishes these five dimensions. The main elements for sustainability are that the VET system addresses specific Albanian educational priorities, the Ministry is highly committed and that universities have been empowered as LLL providers within their third mission strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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23 pages, 1689 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating STEM-Based Sustainability Understanding: A Cognitive Mapping Approach

by Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers, Christopher A. Craig, Emily Skonicki, Grace Gahlon, Susan Gilbertz and Song Feng

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 8074; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13148074 - 20 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3055

Abstract

Management education holds promise for addressing deficiencies in interuniversity science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as sustainability curricula. Accordingly, we designed, developed, implemented, and longitudinally evaluated interdisciplinary STEM-based curricula in the United States. Students in five sections of business management courses [...] Read more.

Management education holds promise for addressing deficiencies in interuniversity science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as sustainability curricula. Accordingly, we designed, developed, implemented, and longitudinally evaluated interdisciplinary STEM-based curricula in the United States. Students in five sections of business management courses and two sections of STEM courses received a STEM-based sustainability intervention (i.e., an interdisciplinary STEM and sustainability module). To assess student outcomes following the intervention and examine the feasibility of cognitive mapping as a student learning assessment tool, we implemented a pre- and post-course modified cognitive mapping assessment in treatment and comparison courses. To interpret the results, we ran descriptives, correlations, paired sample t tests, and principal component analysis. The t tests suggest that when all coding categories are considered, those participating in curricular interventions listed significantly more sustainability terms. The principal component analysis results demonstrate that treatment courses improved variability explained by 7.23% between pre- and post-tests but declined by 8.22% for comparison courses. Overall, linkages became stronger between parent code categories for treatment courses and weaker for comparison courses. These findings add to existing research related to cognitive mapping and demonstrate the ability of the method to capture changes in student outcomes after exposure to STEM-based sustainability curriculum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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15 pages, 891 KiB

Open AccessArticle

School-Based Training for Sustainable Emotional Development in Chinese Preschoolers: A Quasi-Experiment Study

by Jianfen Wu, Manlin Zhang, Wenqi Lin, Yunpeng Wu and Hui Li

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6331; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116331 - 3 Jun 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2769

Abstract

Emotional competence (EC) is important for children’s social adjustment and sustainable development. The present study designed a school based emotional competence learning (ECL) program and examined its effectiveness with 56 Chinese preschoolers aged 5–6. A quasi-experimental design was employed to examine the impact [...] Read more.

Emotional competence (EC) is important for children’s social adjustment and sustainable development. The present study designed a school based emotional competence learning (ECL) program and examined its effectiveness with 56 Chinese preschoolers aged 5–6. A quasi-experimental design was employed to examine the impact of the ECL program on young children’s EC. Two upper Kindergarten classes (Daban) for children aged 5–6 were randomly assigned as experimental group (n = 31, 42% girls, Mage = 68.31 months, SD = 3.75) and control group (n = 25, 44% girls, Mage = 68.16 months, SD = 3.77). The experimental group was engaged in a 15-week ECL program, whereas the control group had similar duration courses without emotional competence training. All the children were administered the Test of Emotion Comprehension, Expression Identification Task, and Emotion Regulation Strategy Inventory before and after the intervention. The results indicated no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the pre-test. In contrast, the experimental group outperformed the control group in most EC components in the post-test. Meanwhile, the experimental group demonstrated greater increases in EC components. The findings suggest that this ECL program has strong potential as a school-based, structured program for enhancing children’s emotional competence. The educational implications of these findings are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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12 pages, 602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Moderating Factors in University Students’ Self-Evaluation for Sustainability

by Samuel P. León, José María Augusto-Landa and Inmaculada García-Martínez

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4199; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084199 - 9 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2692

Abstract

Background: Self-evaluation is a multidimensional construct that has raised increasing interest within educational research at different educational stages. Different studies have pointed out the important role that Student Self-Assessment plays in improving student learning and ensuring the sustainability in instructional and evaluation processes. [...] Read more.

Background: Self-evaluation is a multidimensional construct that has raised increasing interest within educational research at different educational stages. Different studies have pointed out the important role that Student Self-Assessment plays in improving student learning and ensuring the sustainability in instructional and evaluation processes. Method: The aim of this study with 630 university students is to analyze how engagement profiles and study strategies (measured by questionnaire) can predict the accuracy of students’ self-assessment of their achievements. For this purpose, the UWE-9 questionnaire was used to evaluate engagement, the Study Techniques Questionnaire scale to measure study strategies and a content-based test to evaluate performance, along with a self-assessment test in which the student had to estimate the level of achievement obtained in the content-based test, once the test had been completed. Results: The results show that both the academic engagement and the study strategies undertaken by students can be important factors that may influence different aspects of learning in the educational context. Students with higher performance and more engagement tend to show greater skills with student self-assessment (SSA) and students with better study habits tend to have better scores, greater confidence in the SSAs delivered and better skills for self-assessment. Conclusions: Findings suggests that providing opportunities for students to have a greater involvement in the construction of their learning and in its evaluation raises positive attitudes, which results in increased performance in order to achieve greater sustainability in the learning process assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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14 pages, 673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Early Education Care from Its Practitioners to Achieve Sustainability

by Óscar Gavín-Chocano, David Molero and Inmaculada García-Martínez

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3396; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063396 - 19 Mar 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2282

Abstract

(1) Background: Early intervention professionals are involved in the reconceptualisation of their service due to the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, within the family context and aware of the children’s needs, with an impact on their emotional well-being to ensure sustainability. [...] Read more.

(1) Background: Early intervention professionals are involved in the reconceptualisation of their service due to the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, within the family context and aware of the children’s needs, with an impact on their emotional well-being to ensure sustainability. An analysis of their socio–emotional profile and training is increasingly needed to face their professional development effectively; (2) Methods: In this study, 209 early intervention professionals participated (n = 209), with an average age of 37.62 (±9.02). The following instruments were used: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-S) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between early intervention (EI) and engagement as predictors of greater life satisfaction using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). (3) Results: There exists a relationship between some dimensions of the instruments used (p < 0.01). The model obtained good structural validity (χ² = 3.264; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) =.021; Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI) = 0.991; Comparative Goodness of Fit Index (CFI) = 0.999; Incremental Fit Index (IFI) = 0.999). Subsequently, the results described above were verified through Bayesian statistics, thereby reinforcing the evidence provided; (4) Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of providing professionals with emotional tools and strategies, from the educational context, in order to carry out their activity effectively and ensure the sustainability within the current situation, while remaining fully engaged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Evaluation of Sustainable Educational Programs)

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