This article presents an interdisciplinary teaching–learning sequence (TLS) about air quality for pre-service primary teachers using an organic learning garden. The design involved a curricular integration of concepts and competences about sustainability, mathematics, and science disciplines following constructivist and active learning strategies, such as problem-based learning and place-based education. In this TLS, both the topic and the learning context act as facilitators of education for sustainable development (ESD). The contents address the overarching STEM and sustainability concepts related to air pollutants, weather, and climate. Our results show that students learned about a STEM topic within a space and context that enables ESD. Several misconceptions related to air quality, weather, and statistics were identified through the evaluation of students’ initial ideas. Furthermore, students’ attitudes towards the topic of study and self-efficacy and perceived relevance of ESD improved after the implementation. These results will guide further improvements of the designed TLS, which connects STEM education and ESD as a transformative educational experience for pre-service teachers. In this sense, we conclude that such initiatives can improve pre-service primary teachers’ self-efficacy as agents of change towards sustainable development goals.

This paper examines the beliefs and environmental attitudes of university individuals towards bottled and tap water use and examines tap and bottled water availability and sales volumes at the University of the Basque Country. The research employed a mixed methods approach including (i) an exploratory survey to document environmental beliefs and behaviors towards bottled and tap water; (ii) written questionnaires addressed to faculty administrators to inquire about accessibility to tap water and, (iii) personal interviews with restaurant managers to inquire about sales volumes of bottled water. Respondents to our survey predominately drink tap water and no health or taste issues associated with its consumption are perceived among respondents reporting to drink two or fewer bottles per week. These results imply that in our context, there are positive perceptions towards tap water and pro-environmental behavior regarding water consumption. However, respondents also claimed to use reused plastic water bottles as the most common tap water container. Moreover, there was widespread presence of bottled water sales at university premises, confirming the ubiquity of this commodity worldwide. Collectively, both survey and sales volume analyses suggest that a greater shift in sustainable behavior is needed in our community. Regarding measures and policies to promote tap water accessibility, considerable differences were found within and between campuses. These findings should help to inform university managers and support sustainability goals where bottled water consumption could be minimized or even eliminated.

Las universidades deben contribuir a la formación de una ciudadanía crítica que sea capaz de afrontar la actual crisis ecosocial y sea partícipe en la propuesta de soluciones respetuosas con las personas y el planeta. En la formación inicial de profesorado, favorecer la concienciación y las actitudes positivas hacia la educación en sostenibilidad es clave por su potencial multiplicador. En este trabajo presentamos resultados de un estudio transversal sobre conciencia de sostenibilidad, actitudes hacia la Educación para la Sostenibilidad y conexión con la naturaleza en alumnado de los grados de Educación Primaria e Infantil. Los resultados muestran que, en líneas generales, existe un alto grado de conocimiento medioambiental y que la actitud hacia la Educación para la Sostenibilidad mejora tras una intervención de enseñanza-aprendizaje sobre biodiversidad en el huerto ecodidáctico en el marco de una asignatura de didáctica de las ciencias naturales.

En este artículo se presenta una propuesta didáctica que ha sido elaborada para trabajar contenidos matemáticos de Educación Primaria desde la asignatura de Educación Física. La propuesta didáctica elaborada contiene diversos juegos y actividades que han sido diseñados con un tratamiento interdisciplinar, entre las Matemáticas y la Educación Física, teniendo en cuenta diferentes criterios, como son la edad del alumnado, el tipo de actividad o el tema a tratar. La información sobre el diseño de las actividades propuestas se presenta de manera funcional y práctica, con la intención de facilitar la labor al profesorado que decida utilizar este recurso, con especial énfasis en actividades cooperativas y actividades que abordan el tema de la salud.

The integration of sports-related contexts into mathematics education, along with the inclusion of guest speakers in classroom settings, is a widely acknowledged pedagogical strategy. This study employs a descriptive research approach to analyze a didactic activity conducted with 86 third-year students pursuing a Degree in Primary Education at the University of the Basque Country. The chosen sport for this activity was Basque pala, featuring a guest speaker renowned as one of the sport's all-time greats. This activity aimed to enhance the future primary school teachers' capacity to develop and select appropriate mathematical educational materials. Data for this research comprise the mathematical inquiries generated by students' post-guest lectures and responses gathered from a post-session survey. Findings reveal that student participants held a notably favorable perception regarding using Basque pala as a mathematical context within primary school education and as a component of their pedagogical training. The involvement of the guest speaker received exceptionally high acclaim. These outcomes remained consistent across two academic years and regardless of respondents' gender. In summary, when introduced by a distinguished practitioner, Basque pala proved to be a fertile ground for generating mathematical tasks and was a highly motivating factor for pre-service teachers.