The Extent of Geography Teachers' Awareness of the Dimensions of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The current research aims to identify the level of knowledge that geography teachers possess regarding the three dimensions of sustainable development: social, economic, and environmental. A questionnaire consisting of 26 items was prepared, with 19 items covering the three dimensions, and was administered to a sample of 100 male and female teachers from various secondary schools in the Karkh and Rusafa directorates in Baghdad Governorate. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach, and data were analyzed using Excel. A three-point Likert scale was used to determine the level of responses (Disagree, Neutral, Agree).

The results revealed that the social and economic dimensions each had two items with a high level of agreement, while the remaining items scored a moderate level. In contrast, the environmental dimension received only one item with a high level of agreement and five items with a moderate level. The overall average for all dimensions indicated that the level of knowledge falls within the "moderate" range. This suggests that teachers have a basic understanding, but it needs further development and deepening, particularly in environmental aspects. The study recommended the need to strengthen the dimensions of sustainable development in the training programs for geography teachers and to effectively integrate them into the school curricula.