Educational institutions are envisioned as principal agents for addressing the current sustainability challenge that society is facing. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is transformational and concerns learning content and outcomes, pedagogy and the learning environment in itself. ESD entails rethinking the learning environment (physical and virtual) in line with sustainable development, which implies classrooms’ transformation towards learner engagement, formative assessments and active methodologies. This paper responds to this need through exploring the relationship between Smart Classrooms and four widely used ESD methodologies (project or problem-based learning, case study, simulation and cooperative inquiry), identifying how the dimensions and categories of the characteristics of Smart Classrooms can contribute and lead to the implementation of ESD methodologies in real teaching practice in an effective way. The method used in this study consisted of a literature review of both theoretical frameworks separately, ESD and Smart Classrooms, and a subsequent expert analysis to identify the interrelation between both. The Smart Classroom shows a high level of adequacy for using problem and project-based learning, case study and cooperative inquiry methods because of its characteristics in terms of technology developments, environmental conditions and processes. Simulation is the ESD methodology with the lowest level of adequacy in a Smart Classroom, because it is primarily held online rather than through face-to-face teaching. Smart Education facilitates the putting in practice of ESD processes as it enables the creation of intelligent, sustainable, resource-efficient, personalised and adaptive learning environments. Further empirical research is needed to explore the influence that the Smart Classroom has in enabling ESD processes and practices, and to identify students’ and teachers’ needs at different education levels. Additionally, teacher training programmes focused on the correct use of Smart Classrooms and on the digital competence of teachers are critical to its successful implementation.

Most countries around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions with the aim of containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. How have schools overcome these challenges and delivered education during the confinement period? The purpose of this research was to analyse how primary and secondary schools in Catalonia (Spain) implemented the teaching and learning process during the lockdown, based on 48 semi-structured interviews with school principals from different types of schools, located in urban and rural environments, and from diverse socioeconomic statuses. This article shows that there is a digital divide in students and teachers, emotional accompaniment as a need for online learning, older students are more autonomous and self-regulate better their own learning process, each school used their own strategy because there was no programme prepared for emergency situations, teachers had difficulties in self-regulating their work and communication with families became essential.

The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is introducing developments in Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and other technologies in different sectors of our society, including education. This reality leads to a paradigm shift in which web-based cyber-physical environments will shape future learning environments. Thus, learning becomes ubiquitous, and schools assume new roles with systemic changes in communication, administration and management, becoming learning organisations. The use of technologies aligned with pedagogical strategies and new methodologies must lead to more-personalised systems. In this article, a comprehensive definition of smart schools is proposed. Smart schools must be endowed with integral management systems, inclusive, sustainable, and adopt new learning methodologies and advances from Industry 4.0 in an efficient way. Despite this conception and because research, government policies and business projects are not always in line with research, there is a need for deeper knowledge of how schools are approaching their upcoming transformation. To illuminate this purpose, in this study 37 principals from primary and secondary schools in Catalonia were interviewed. Thematic analysis focusing on technological and pedagogical innovations, management systems, inclusion, and sustainability identified some analogies with related research, pointing out that schools are far from implementing advanced technologies. Inclusion is the most-respected element thanks to the existing government regulation. Sustainability is hardly considered because of a lack of economic resources, but several schools consider themselves green schools and exhibit environmental practices. Conclusions are drawn to show that, although schools are not yet prepared to cope with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, its impact relies on the technology’s level of maturity and ease of use, as well as stakeholders as policymakers.

Acoustics in schools have been studied during years, but nowadays there are more possibilities than ever before to introduce improvements. This study presents a systematic literature review determining what acoustic parameters are present in classrooms and how they affect both teachers and students. Following the analysis, we put forward a two-block classification: the physical parameters of the sound or noise in the classroom and the consequences of the acoustics on the people in the classroom. Advances in the design of learning spaces and the use of technologies ranging from devices and green material to advanced automation systems make it possible to direct acoustic solutions toward smarter learning spaces. This review also highlights the acoustic parameters to consider in smart classrooms (noise, reverberation, speech transmission and speech clarity) and the main effects of acoustics on teachers and students. Some conclusions and recommendations are drawn, but more research is needed in terms of school improvement considering acoustics influence and smart classrooms possibilities.

This study explores school principals’ perceptions and sustainability actions held in schools, the perceived role of the management team and the role of technology in facilitating change processes towards embedding sustainability and 2030 Agenda. This study was conceived as an exploratory qualitative research, where thirty-six primary and secondary school principals from the Catalan region in Spain responded to an open-ended questionnaire. In general, school principals showed commitment towards embedding sustainability education, however different views and understandings of sustainability and diverse levels of engagement and action were evidenced between schools. A number of constraining factors persist such as staff and students’ engagement, lack of resources, governmental support and an overcrowded curriculum, while technology, community projects and school initiatives that engage students in decision-making processes are identified as clear enablers. Effective frameworks and professional development programmes are needed that help develop sustainability competencies amongst school principals and help operationalise sustainability education leadership within schools.