RESEARCH ON SUPPORT METHODS FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS EDUCATING SDGS WHILE UTILIZING DESIGN METHODS
Year: 2023
Editor: Buck, Lyndon; Grierson, Hilary; Bohemia, Erik
Author: Zhang, Yanfang; Cruz, Christian; Loh, Leon; Shimomura, Moe; Takano, Noriko
Series: E&PDE
Institution: Kyushu University, faculty of design, Japan; Yamaguchi University, faculty of global and science studies, Japan
Section: Sustainable development and working towards UN Sustainable Development Goals
DOI number: 10.35199/EPDE.2023.53
ISBN: 978-1-912254-19-4
Abstract
In order to respond to rapid changes in society and the economy, it is expected to develop human resources who understand the social issues of the SDGs, can proactively propose solutions and possess skills based on conventional knowledge-oriented education. In Japan, the SDGs are being addressed in the education sector: many high schools have started to offer classes on the SDGs. However, promoting education on the SDGs is a huge challenge for teachers in the existing high school education system, as there are no clear teaching methods or educational materials. In particular, there are no good methods for educating students on how to discover social issues from familiar places and more in-depth. Teachers urgently need to know how to support students in this relatively new education process. This study aims to focus on the part of social issue discovery in the process of SDG education for high school students using design thinking and to propose a support method that can help teachers solve the problems they are facing so that high school students can discover better and deeper social issues. Using the SDGs Challenge Project of Japan Fukusho High School as a case study, 27 high school teachers from various domains such as language, society, and arts were educated on the SDGs for third-year high school students in 2021. A questionnaire survey of teachers was conducted on the difficulties in identifying social issues in this context, and a questionnaire survey of 314 students was conducted after the class. In response to the results, support proposals were made according to the educational process to be carried out in 2022. A questionnaire of 22 teachers in charge in 2022 who received this support and a questionnaire of 301 students were conducted, the results of which were compared with those of the previous year to analyze the effectiveness of the support methods and to make support proposals for teachers so that students can better identify social issues. The 2022 teacher questionnaire showed that more teachers are confident about education on social issues and that many teachers think that the educational tools are effective. Total support for the education process is needed. Specifically, it was found that preliminary support such as workshops on understanding design thinking and understanding SDGs, a support system to facilitate teaching, as well as a reflection after the project and improvement of instructional materials based on the content of the questionnaire, are needed.
Keywords: Design thinking, SDGs education, Teaching support