Sustainability in the Curriculum. Germany and Norway in comparison (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2022 in the subject Didactics - Common Didactics, Educational Objectives, Methods, grade: 1,0, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to show to what extent matters of environmental sustainability are anchored in the Norwegian curriculum in comparison to the Bavarian curriculum.

Specifically, this means examining how many areas of the curricula address environmental aspects by looking at the chapters for mentions of them. This is to be done with the help of a qualitative content analysis of the curricula, followed by a critical comparison.

However, this is by no means a complete evaluation of the Norwegian or the German curriculum but merely a review of the presence and interdisciplinary inclusion of environmental sustainability, sustainable development, and education for sustainable development in the various curricula.

Responsible use of the earth's available resources is one of the most fundamental guiding themes of our time. Environmental changes affect society and everyday life, creating enormous challenges for the present, but especially for future generations.

Whether it is energy consumption, the use of raw materials, waste disposal or the volume of traffic - new solutions need to be found urgently so that the basis of human life can be permanently preserved.

However, all aspects of sustainable development and their interactions shall always be taken into account. The fact that children and in particular teenagers see sustainable development as a pressing issue for the future is demonstrated, for example, by the worldwide activities of "Fridays for Future" and similar global social movements. And since one essential goal of education is to provide young people with orientation and enable them to take responsibility for shaping their own future, the education system has a crucial role to play here.