Formación de Profesores Universitarios y su Relación con la Educación para la Sostenibilidad

Abstract

This research emerges in a contemporary context of globalization, technological advances, socio-economic characteristics, particularly unequal ones, a significant reduction of natural resources, and environmental degradation, with an urgent and necessary response from the educational sphere to educate individuals for global solidarity, facilitating the adoption of sustainable behaviors in both individual and community actions. In this sense, points of interest include the emergence and characterization of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the educational intention proposed by Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), and the competencies of university professors to address this educational endeavor. The expected response in education is the adoption of ESD, which proposes a new paradigm from its conception, characterization, and profiling of the actors involved, aiming to achieve a favorable global impact for the benefit of present and future generations. Therefore, the main research purpose is to examine the relationship between the pedagogical competencies of Colombian university teachers required by ESD and the training these professionals receive for their teaching roles. These professionals guide their students to become professionals capable of developing decision-making criteria that can have positive repercussions on the sustainability of the planet. The research paradigm is qualitative, with a phenomenological approach and a comparative method, using data collection techniques that include document analysis, semi-structured interviews with expert researchers in this field, and questionnaires performed to university professors. Triangulation of information has been used to determine the level of coherence between university professors training and the specific demands of ESD on their performance, aiming to contribute to the foundation of a possible path for improving the training of Colombian university professors, aligned with the contextualized professional needs of their students.