From Global Policy to Local Classrooms: The Hidden Dynamics of Environmental Education Worldwide

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Educating for Climate Literacy and Justice: Preparing Teachers, Students, Communities, and Institutions for Sustainable Futures

Abstract

Drawing on a unique dataset that encompasses national curricular policies from 170 countries linked with PISA 2018, this study employs natural language processing techniques and multilevel modeling (countries-schools) to analyze the cross-national integration and implementation of environmental and sustainability education (ESE). The findings reveal complex patterns: while international normative pressures effectively promote formal policy adoption, they can paradoxically widen gaps between commitments and implementation. Notably, domestic environmental non-governmental organizations emerge as critical translation agents, bridging national policy commitments with school-level implementation. These findings advance our understanding of environmental education policy diffusion and implementation. They also imply that implementing ESE in local schools involves both normative pressures and strong domestic environmental organizations to ensure these policies translate into meaningful classroom practices.

Author

• Sukie Xiuqi Yang, University of Pennsylvania