Mathematics education

Ecology

Biology

Social psychology

Pedagogy

Scope (computer science)

Computer science

Education for sustainable development

Environmental education

Psychology

Critical systems thinking

Political science

Critical thinking

Sustainable development

Sociology

Artificial intelligence

Programming language

Systems thinking

Competence (human resources)

Science education

Journal of Geography in Higher Education

Systems thinking is regarded as a key competence in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD), because it helps students to understand the complexity and dynamics of natural, social and economic systems. In our research group, we developed a competence model that distinguishes four dimensions of systems thinking in ESD. Based on this model, we designed different university courses in biology and geography teacher education and measured their effects on student teachers’ systems thinking and the pedagogical content knowledge for teaching systems thinking with two different tests. Both variables could be effectively promoted depending on the course.

Systems thinking within the scope of education for sustainable development (ESD) – a heuristic competence model as a basis for (science) teacher education