Teacher Readiness for Implementing Sustainable Education: A Comparative Synthesis of Predictive Factors Across Diverse Educational Contexts

Dwi Sulisworo; Ika Maryani; Siti Mahsanah Budijati

doi:10.56741/bei.v4i03.1303

Authors

Dwi Sulisworo
sulisworo@gmail.com
Universitas Ahmad Dahlan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7625-8505
Ika Maryani Universitas Ahmad Dahlan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7154-2902
Siti Mahsanah Budijati Universitas Ahmad Dahlan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6047-5161

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56741/bei.v4i03.1303

Keywords:

Comparative Education, Education For Sustainable Development (ESD), Institutional Support, Professional Development, Self-Efficacy, Sustainability Education, Teacher Readiness

Abstract

Teacher readiness is a critical determinant of effective implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across global educational systems. This study synthesizes evidence from ten international studies involving more than 7,000 teachers to examine the factors that predict readiness for sustainable education and how these predictors vary across different contexts. Using a systematic semantic search, screening, and structured data extraction process, the review identifies four overarching domains shaping readiness: individual characteristics, knowledge and skills, attitudes and environmental commitment, and institutional and system-level factors. Findings reveal that demographic variables such as age, gender, and teaching experience exert limited influence, while disciplinary background, sustainability knowledge, and technological–pedagogical competence demonstrate stronger predictive power. Notably, self-efficacy and personal engagement in sustainable behaviors emerge as dominant predictors, especially in systems with greater ESD maturity. Institutional conditions—including leadership support, resource availability, school culture, and policy alignment—further moderate the translation of individual readiness into classroom practice. The review highlights significant gaps, particularly the absence of studies comparing high-performing and low-performing systems directly, and the inconsistent provision of discipline-specific professional development. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for a holistic, context-sensitive approach to strengthening teacher readiness as a foundation for advancing sustainable education globally.

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Author Biographies

Dwi Sulisworo, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

is a lecturer at the Doctoral Program in Education, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master’s in Industrial Engineering and Management from Institut Teknologi Bandung, and a Doctorate in Educational Technology from Universitas Negeri Malang. His research centers on ICT-integrated learning strategies, innovative pedagogy, and technology-enhanced assessment. (email: dwi.sulisworo@uad.ac.id).

Ika Maryani, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

is an Associate Professor at the Doctoral Program in Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In 2022, she obtained her doctoral degree in educational studies, focusing on science education. Her research interests lie in teacher education, science education, higher education, and learning innovation. Her works have been published in books, articles, and proceedings at the national and international levels. (email: ika.maryani@pgsd.uad.ac.id).

Siti Mahsanah Budijati, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

is affiliated with the Department of Industrial Engineering at Ahmad Dahlan University, Indonesia. Her research interests include Green Supply Chain Management, Reverse Logistics, System Modelling, and Production Planning and Inventory Control. She has published several research papers on topics such as supply chain management, reverse logistics, and system dynamics. Her Scopus profile shows that she has an h-index of 4 and has 37 citations for 35 documents. (email: smbudijati@ie.uad.ac.id).

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