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Bridging STEM Education and Sustainability: Insights from Pennsylvania Educators

Cordaro, Jessica A., Murphy, Clíona orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6251-5785 and Redman, Erin orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-6816-9898 (2025) Bridging STEM Education and Sustainability: Insights from Pennsylvania Educators. Education Sciences, 15 (3). ISSN 2227-7102

Abstract
STEM education’s focus on interdisciplinary learning presents an ideal platform for integrating education for sustainability (EfS) in K–12 curricula. Understanding STEM educators’ sustainability knowledge and their current incorporation of sustainability topics into STEM lessons is essential for further advancing EfS. To investigate these aspects, a mixed-methods study, involving both surveys and interviews, was conducted on STEM educators in Pennsylvania, United States. The results showed that most STEM educators surveyed had a simplified and incomplete understanding of sustainability, which aligns with the findings of international research. Despite the assumption that greater sustainability knowledge and perceived importance of EfS lead to teaching more about sustainability, no statistically meaningful correlation was found among these variables, indicating additional obstacles to integration. Watersheds, wetlands, and environmental experiences were identified as the least integrated topics in STEM curricula, suggesting a need for targeted efforts to enhance these areas.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:STEM; Sustainability
Subjects:Social Sciences > Education
Social Sciences > Teaching
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education
DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education > School of STEM Education, Innovation, & Global Studies
Research Institutes and Centres > Research Centre in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education (CASTel)
Publisher:MDPI AG
Official URL:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/3/282
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:32122
Deposited On:09 Jan 2026 11:10 by Tom Feeney . Last Modified 09 Jan 2026 11:10
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