A quality education for sustainability teaching (QUEST) framework: Advancing action competence in sustainability education

Abstract

The Anthropocene, characterized by human behavior acting as a formidable force of nature, casts the question what it means to be human in new light. Consequently, discussions on quality education need revisiting. Drawing from the literature on quality education for sustainability (EfS) and decolonization of education, we investigate consequences for teaching and learning. We then zoom in on teaching approaches aimed at equipping current and future generations with what they need to contribute to a sustainable world in an equitable manner that embraces perspectives from both the Global North and South. Although much has been written about EfS, a comprehensive teaching framework is lacking to date. With the development of the Quality Education for Sustainability Teaching (QUEST) Framework, we initiate the quest for answers to what quality education should entail in the Anthropocene.