Education for sustainable development: an exploratory study in a Portuguese University

Ricardo Torres has a master’s degree in teaching first and second cycles of basic education from the University of Aveiro (UA), and the article presented is a part of his dissertation.

Rui Marques Vieira has been teaching in the UA since 2004. He has been involved in several national and international projects. Throughout his carrier, he tutored more than 20 master students and 7 PhD students, published 10 books and produced more than 100 papers at conferences/congress at a national and international level. He won the stimulating research from a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in 1994, named: “Multimedia Education Program to Promote Critical Thinking Skills”. He developed several educational resources such as the Courseware SERe – The Human Being and Natural Resources, with other colleagues.

Ana V. Rodrigues (www.anavrodrigues.pt) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Psychology of the UA, a Member of the Research Centre “Didactics and Technology in Education of Trainers” [CIDTFF] and a Member of the Technical Advisory Commission of the National Teacher Education Programme in Experimental Science Teaching for Primary Teachers (PFEEC), appointed by Decree from the Minister of Education (2006-2010). She is a Director of the Science Education Integrated Centre [CIEC] at the Ciência Viva primary school of VNB. She has published several articles and has participated in research projects at a national and international level about formal and non-formal Science Education and Teacher Training.

Patrícia Sá is an invited Assistant Professor at the Department of Education and Psychology, UA, and a Researcher at the Research Centre Didactics and Technology in Education of Trainers (CIDTFF). She is also an invited Member of the EDS 2014+ Platform coordinated by UNESCO Portugal. She holds a post-doctorate in Educational Sciences and a PhD in Education conducted at the UA. Her PhD thesis focused on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the first years of schooling. Patrícia Sá has authored several scientific articles, published in national and international journals, scientific reports and educational resources concerning Science Education and ESD.

Gillian Moreira is a Teacher and a Researcher at the UA. She holds a Doctorate in Culture from this university where she teaches in the area of (Inter)cultural Studies at the Department of Languages and Cultures. Her research has focussed on language education policies, interculturality and intercultural competence and identity issues in contexts of personal and professional mobility. She is currently pro-Rector at the UA where she now gives her attention to the quality of the university’s educational offer and the enhancement of teaching and learning in Higher Education.