Didaktiske refleksjoner fra møter med bærekraftig utviklings økonomiske dimensjon

Abstract

The economic dimension of sustainable development is underrepresented in education. This article explores possible content and didactical approaches in social studies teaching. Inspired by Paulo Freire’s thematic investigation, student teachers and I explored socioeconomic issues such as poverty and inequality through structure-oriented perspectives, including neoliberalism, Doughnut Economics, and degrowth. Using multiple methods of data collection, an ongoing dialogue emerged between myself as a teacher educator and the student teachers. In this dialogue, we shared experiences from our encounters with socioeconomic themes. Through these reflections, several issues emerged that Freire refers to as “generative themes.” Examples include challenges related to the language often used to frame economic issues, how to navigate the sensitivity embedded in many socioeconomic topics, how to address responsibility without putting all of it on the individual, and the considerations teachers must balance. The discussion considers what questions and challenges these generative themes engender and how they can encourage further transformative didactic work in social studies.