APPROACHES TO INTEGRATING ESG INTO INTERNATIONAL CURRICULA: DEVELOPING A PROTOTYPE LEARNING UNIT TO PROMOTE EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This research article aimed to 1) Investigate the needs, readiness, current conditions, and desirable conditions for integrating ESG concepts into an international curriculum; 2) Analyze approaches for ESG integration in order to develop a prototype learning unit to promote sustainable learning; and 3) Examine the effects of the prototype learning unit on students’ knowledge and understanding, attitudes, behaviors, and satisfaction. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) methodology conducted in three phases: preliminary data investigation, the development of ESG integration guidelines and a prototype learning unit, and the implementation of the prototype with a sample group of 30 students with purposive sampling. The research instruments included an ESG knowledge test, an attitude assessment form, a learning behavior evaluation form, and a student satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Dependent Samples t-test. The findings revealed that 1) teachers and administrators were aware of and recognized the importance of integrating ESG concepts into learning management, with a high level of readiness for implementation. However, clearer guidelines were still needed regarding curriculum design, teacher development, and assessment methods. 2) The study also found that ESG integration should be systematically implemented through learning activities connected to real-world contexts in order to promote sustainable learning. 3) The implementation of the prototype learning unit showed that students’ ESG knowledge and understanding scores after the intervention were significantly higher than before the intervention at the .001 level. In addition, students demonstrated high to very high levels of attitudes and learning behaviors related to sustainability, and their overall satisfaction with the learning activities was at a very high level ( = 4.75, S.D. = 0.43). These findings indicate that the prototype learning unit effectively promotes sustainable learning and can be effectively applied within international curriculum contexts.