Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Infusion Into Curricula: Influences on Students' Understandings of Sustainable Development and ESD

Formal education for sustainable development (ESD) is in large part dependent on capacity-building and training of teachers as they are the individuals who must both deliver ESD at the classroom level as well as utilize their own knowledge, values, and skills in support of sustainability. In this paper, teacher educators within a higher education institution in Jamaica who infused ESD in their course delivery analyze data collected from approximately 140 of their students pre- and post-intervention to ascertain whether individuals' awareness and knowledge of sustainable development (SD) and ESD had changed because of the infusion process. Preliminary findings indicate that students' understanding of SD broadened after the courses, with most students believing that SD involves social, economic, and environmental improvements that do not come at the expense of our natural resources. Additionally, students' thoughts about ESD shifted, with students highlighting aspects of the interdisciplinary nature of ESD, and ESD as involving equitable, inclusive education. The findings are significant in highlighting how intentional infusion of ESD into courses can enhance students' knowledge and awareness of SD and ESD.