Assessing the integration of content knowledge of selected Sustainable Development Goals into lesson delivery among Geography pre-service and in-service teachers in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

This study explores the level and integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Pedagogical Content Knowledge into Geography lessons among pre-service (n=182) and in-service teachers (n=120) in Gauteng, South Africa. Data were collected through online and hard-copy surveys from purposive- and snowball-sampled participants. Drawing on Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge theory, results show that there is inadequate knowledge of the SDGs amongst participants, with 40 out of 120 (33.3%) and 64 out of 182 (35.2%) rating it as ‘average’. Pre-service teachers mainly learn about SDGs through university courses, while in-service teachers rely on their experience. In-service teachers achieved higher mean Likert-scale scores for their content knowledge of selected SDGs (scores of SDG 4: 3.42; SDG 7: 3.38; SDG 13: 3.39) compared to pre-service teachers (SDG4: 2.95; SDG 7: 3.02; SDG 13: 3.01). However, pre-service teachers more frequently integrated SDGs into lessons, with a stronger correlation between SDGs 7 and 13 (r=0.816) than in-service teachers (r=0.696). The study recommends strengthening sustainability education in all stages of teacher development.