Analysis of the Concept of Energy in the Spanish Curriculum of Secondary Education and Baccalaureate: A Sustainable Perspective

• Main Authors: Guadalupe Martínez-Borreguero, Jesús Maestre-Jiménez, Francisco Luis Naranjo-Correa, Milagros Mateos-Núñez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-05-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: sustainability; energy; cognitive demand; Spanish curriculum; environmental education; secondary education; baccalaureate
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/9/2528

Teaching and learning of concepts within the science, technology, society, and environment (STSE) approach, such as energy, are key elements in improving students’ competencies in sustainability within the framework of environmental education. The overall objective of this research has been to analyze the concept of energy in secondary education curriculum from a sustainable perspective. Likewise, the levels of cognitive demand in the curriculum for the students’ acquisition of the concept are analyzed. The design of the research is a descriptive, exploratory type, with mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the obtained data. A methodology similar to that carried out in other researches was followed, and an analysis established a system of categories to classify the references found. The results obtained reveal that the regulations that govern teaching of secondary education (12−18 years) deal in depth, and in an compulsory way, with the concept of energy. However, more action is required to promote sustainability at all stages of education, in order to alleviate current and future environmental problems.