New pedagogical perspectives to integrate the environmental dimension for sustainability in the curriculum from a transformative approach

Abstract

There is a robust literature in the field of Environmental Education for Sustainability (ESS) that calls for the need to implement new ways of teaching and learning that go beyond traditional visions as an imperative for learning that truly has an impact on eco-social improvement. The EAS must contribute to the education (personal, political, social and environmental) of citizens who, in the sense of transgressive learning, are able to question existing structures, to think beyond them and thus be able to contribute to stimulating truly transformative learning processes. On this premise, this paper analyses new pedagogical perspectives to promote the integration of the environmental dimension for sustainability in the educational curriculum from a transformative approach. As results, we present a) an overview of the key pedagogical approaches for EAS; b) the importance of incorporating the (trans)personal, subjective and inner dimension as a backbone element in learning scenarios is analysed; c) Transformative Learning is positioned as a profound pedagogical approach for the incorporation of the intrapersonal dimension in the development of EAS.  The results obtained allow us to conclude that it is necessary to integrate training processes and scenarios that facilitate critical self-reflection and the generation of deep learning processes that, at the same time, trigger processes of conflict and shared reflection, problem solving and experiences of participation in a community activity, as this will be what favours and enables a change of awareness in students, teachers and, in general, in people, in order to participate from their professional and personal work in the construction of a better world.