A1 Journal article (refereed)
Kestävyysulottuvuudet ja ekososiaalinen sivistys ohjauksen koulutuksen opetussuunnitelmissa (2024)
Sustainability dimensions and ecosocial Bildung in guidance and counselling education curricula

Peltola, S., Vihtari, K., & Foster, R. (2024). Kestävyysulottuvuudet ja ekososiaalinen sivistys ohjauksen koulutuksen opetussuunnitelmissa. Kasvatus, 55(2), 186-199. https://doi.org/10.33348/kvt.129781

JYU authors or editors

Peltola, Sara

Publication details

All authors or editors: Peltola, Sara; Vihtari, Kalle; Foster, Raisa

Journal or series: Kasvatus

ISSN: 0022-927X

eISSN: 2737-0658

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 15/04/2024

Volume: 55

Issue number: 2

Pages range: 186-199

Publisher: Suomen kasvatustieteellinen seura

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33348/kvt.129781

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/94381

Abstract

In Finland, guidance counsellors are trained at universities and vocational teacher training colleges. These trainings provide the legal qualification to work at different school levels. The national core curricula for basic and secondary education include ecosocial Bildung and sustainable future as educational objectives. Thus, guidance counsellors must also be able to promote ecosocially sustainable life orientation. In this study, we use a theory-driven content analysis to examine 1) how the economic, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability are present in the contents and goals of the written curricula of guidance counsellor education programmes and 2) whether their emphases reflect the hierarchy related to the concept of ecosocial Bildung. In contrast to the idea of sustainable development, ecosocial Bildung prioritises the different dimensions of sustainability in a science-based order, with ecological sustainability being the most important. The data used in the study were the curricula of the guidance counsellor programmes at eight Finnish higher education institutions. Ecological sustainability appeared very rarely in the curricula. In contrast, social sustainability’s presence was the strongest. Economic sustainability was visible in terms of meeting the needs of working life. This study underlines the need to review the objectives of the existing curricula to bring guidance counselling education in line with ecosocial Bildung and make it reflect better the order of importance of sustainability dimensions. This could also pave the way to develop the guidance sector to respond better to the ecosocial crises of our time.

Keywords: study counsellors; higher education (teaching); curricula; pedagogy of higher education; pedagogical objectives; economic sustainability; social sustainability; ecological sustainability