Tom 16 (2014): Zeszyt 1 (June 2014)

Individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews with three mathematics teachers were conducted to investigate the dynamics of their life-long relationships with mathematics, synthesised as mathematical identity from different identity positions in the context of dialogical self. The qualitative data were scrutinised employing interpretive phenomenological analysis that displayed mostly positive instrumental relationships with mathematics and explicit connections between the teachersí life experiences and their disctinct identity voices that surfaced in interviews. Similarly, teachers appeared to be experts in different professional spheres: pedagogy, subject or didactics. The teachersí accounts contain various models of relationships between the other-motive and the self-motive as reflected in their pedagogical approaches. Emergent patterns resulting from the interaction of the teachersí mathematical identity and their perception of studentsí mathematical philia/phobia included the humanistic approach with an instrumental interpretation of mathematics and its teaching methods, self-actualisation in achieving success in mathematics through hard work and the issue of attribution of failure in mathematics either to external or internal factors. Moreover, these dialogical models and interactive patterns show alignement with one of the core competences for educators in education for sustainable development, that is, achieving transformation in what it means to be an educator, in teaching and learning, as well as in the entire education system. Practical implementation of findings and limitations of the study are outlined along with venues for future research.

The media, as a source of information, is supposed to have a significant role in effecting peopleís environmental knowledge and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to find studentsí perceptions of environmental issues as presented in the media and how students in Finland, Lithuania and Sweden used these media sources in the matters related to environmental issues. The most important source of environmental knowledge was found to be the Internet, followed by newspapers, television, school and education. In their own lives, students discussed environmental issues every day and, to some extent, in social media, discussion forums and blogs. In Finland, newspapers represented the most important source of environmental knowledge; in Lithuania, environmental organisations were the most prevalent, and, in Sweden, it was in a school or educational context. Based on these results, it was concluded that, in order to reach both genders of students in different countries and to more greatly benefit from all sources of information, a variety of media should be used in education for sustainability.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the multi-ethnic and multicultural characteristics of the diverse Ethiopian society are incorporated into the current secondary teacher education curricula of the country. To that end, both qualitative and quantitative content analyses were used as tools for data collection. The Ethiopian general national secondary teacher education curricula framework and three other specific secondary teacher education curricula were analysed based on Banksí (1993, 2001, 2006) four approaches to the integration of ethnic and multicultural contents into teacher education curricula. The study exhibited an increasing ambition to address issues of multicultural education into the Ethiopian general national secondary teacher education curricula framework. Nevertheless, elements of multi-ethnic and multicultural education are, to a great extent, missing in the specific secondary teacher education curricula. Implications which are assumed to improve fair representation of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the Ethiopian peoples into the entire secondary teacher education curricula are presented in the article.`

This article discusses the five-string kantele as an example of the Finnish national heritage, a school instrument and an example of sustainable design. A qualitative case study was made by collecting the data from the Finnish students – prospective teachers – and the sixth form pupils, who had designed and carved their own five-string kanteles. The purpose of this research was to find out which aspects of five-string kantele design are considered the most important for sustainable principles and design among these youngsters. As results, the elements and principles of designing the five-string kantele are discussed and its relevance to five sustainable characteristics (creative, ecological, economic, aesthetic and socio-environmental) is presented. The sustainable values of the kantele and the purpose for which it is made are also considered.

The sustainability of technology education is related to a traditional understanding of craft and the methods used to teach it; however, the methods used in the teaching process have been influenced by the innovative changes accompanying the development of technology. In respect to social and economic development, it is important to prepare young people, both boys as well as girls, with comprehensive knowledge and a basic education in technology for the benefit of their future life. Teachersí assessment of craft and technology education, from two different periods of time, are compared in light of two different national curricula in order to explain possible changes in teachersí conceptions related to the teaching methods of technology and examines teachersí opinions on the methods of technology education. This research attempts to find answers to the questions: What are teachersí attitudes towards teaching methods at the two different periods of time? What changes occurred in the teaching methods of the syllabi in light of the curricula adoptions in 2004 and in 2011? The research is based on questionnaire surveys administered across Estonia in 2004 and 2011. Findings indicate that during the two periods in question the teaching methods used by the teachers of technology education in Estonian schools shifted from the traditional approach to teaching towards a more constructivist approach. The researcher concludes that the teaching methods applied in technology education must keep current. Teaching would greatly benefit from the introduction of more activating teaching methods, particularly those connected with applying technology.

Environmental education in the 21^st century requires well-instructed teachers with teaching and communication abilities. This paper presents an educational experience developed in several biology and environmental teacher training courses and focused on the treatment of environmental education as a transversal educational topic. For that aim, text analysis techniques, concept mapping and informatics tools have been used to represent individual and collaborative knowledge about environmental topics. 69 students participated in the research. Data about the educational activities developed by the participants have been collected. Furthermore, students have expressed their opinions on the formative process by means of an opinion survey. The outcomes of this study reveal that future teachers and environmental educators consider that concept mapping is a valuable tool to represent their knowledge about environmental education, to encourage reflexive and collaborative learning, to improve teaching communicative abilities and to use effectively ICT in the classroom.

This paper highlights the importance of integrating indigenous perspectives on environmental sustainability into mainstream education as a way of bridging the gap in the understanding of indigenous knowledge systems into Western science explanations of sustainable development (SD) in education, at the same time ensuring traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) continuity for future generations as well as taking a steady stand in the global debates on SD. The first part of the paper will attempt to explore the issue of SD through Western and indigenous perspectives and will emphasise on the model of strong sustainability (in theory). Secondly, the importance of TEK will be examined and justified through case studies on Aboriginal peoples of British Colombia and Roviana people of Solomon Islands in achieving goals of sustainability. Thirdly, challenges for TEK will be investigated and some possibilities of protecting the rapid disappearance of indigenous knowledge will be dealt with. Lastly, a pedagogical approach to sustainability will be provided that postulates the relevance of indigenous pedagogy to formal and informal education, attempting to integrate Tilburyís (1995) characteristics of environmental education for sustainability.