Nafn nemanda: Veronica Wendoly Espitia
Námsleið: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði, MA (Kjörsvið: Stjórnun náttúruauðlinda)
Leiðbeinendur: Ásthildur Björg Jónsdóttir (leiðbeinandi) og Þorvarður Árnason (sérfræðingur)
Ágrip: Nordic countries continuously report some of the most resource-intensive lifestyles on the planet, despite their global recognition as countries with strong sustainability values. In response, Nordic educational systems are transforming their pedagogical approaches to sustainability education by increasingly shifting curricula towards expansion of students’ critical thinking, willingness to take social action, and empathy rather than purely knowledge acquisition about ecological issues.
This qualitative, arts-based action research (ABAR) study engages a group of high school students from one school in Reykjavík to understand how one Icelandic school approaches sustainability education using creativity and art. As an action research study, the report focuses on the actions taken by the students and educators as part of a school-wide Environmental Day in winter 2026. 70 students from grades 7-9 are engaged through a series of lectures, artmaking workshops, and a trip to a local art exhibition focused on climate change in the Arctic region. The literature in this study draws from existing pedagogical frameworks on sustainability and art education in Nordic countries, while field data compiles qualitative sources including group discussions with students and student artwork. Three educators from the participating institutions are additionally interviewed, providing insights into their practices. The results reflect how integration of experiential, arts-based learning in collaboration with cultural institutions can engage students through the head (cognitive learning), hand (psychomotor skills), and heart (affective and relational knowing), engendering a holistic educational process. Ultimately, these methods of engagement hold the potential to enhance youth’s capability for action and global citizenship, creating future drivers for sustainability.