Gymnasieelevers presentationer av relationer mellan miljö och människor – en studie om utbildning för hållbar utveckling

Sammanfattning: This study investigates how upper secondary school students constitute relations between the environment and humanity. The aim of the study is to analyse relations that emerge between and within the Earth´s major systems (humanity included) and how these relations are composed when students are faced with a fictional decision of consuming a pair of jeans.                       Using workshop as a data collection method, students creatively visualize their discussions through participatory modelling in groups. The results of the study are based on the analyses of the concluding presentations of the completed models.The results show difficulties in submitting relations between the three dimensions of the concept of sustainable development together with a dualistic worldview, indicating a lack of complexity in the presentations. Therefore, a gap can be identified between the empirical results and the aims of education for sustainable development (ESD) that, according to the Ministry of Education and Research, should be a part of Swedish upper secondary education. In addition, a gap between the steering documents for the Swedish upper secondary schools and the UNESCO guidelines on ESD is revealed, consisting of the latter more distinctly promoting systems thinking and embracing pluralism.                                                                 Three national programmes are represented in the study; social science, science and economics. Differences between the three are established. Groups with a focus on social science present complexity to higher extent than groups on science orientation. Groups with a focus on economics present least complexity in their presentations.