Mapping the representation of four SDGs in international elementary science curriculum and textbooks

Education for sustainable development (ESD) equips individuals with perspectives of value, ethics, foresight, and long-term decision-making regarding our future. Education plays a crucial role in acquiring the necessary knowledge and behaviors related to sustainable development (SD). Additionally, the curriculum can facilitate students in gaining competencies related to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study aims to explore how SDGs 4, 6, 8, and 15 and their three relevant competencies (knowledge and understanding; skills and applications; and values and attitudes) are incorporated in the current United Arab Emirates (UAE) elementary school science curriculum framework (2022) and science textbooks (grades 1-4). Guided by a qualitative approach, this study utilized content analysis for examining the objectives of the science curriculum and document analysis for assessing the extent to which SDGs are addressed in science textbooks. The results indicated that the science curriculum framework prominently features skills and applications for SDG 4 across all four grades. There was a moderate representation of knowledge and understanding and skills and applications for SDG 15, while SDG 6 and SDG 8 were represented minimally or not at all at times. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that no grade completely represented all three dimensions for any of the SDGs. Instead, the social dimension of SD was represented in SDG 4, the economic dimension in SDG 8, and the environmental dimension primarily in SDG 15 and occasionally in SDG 6. The document analysis of the Science textbooks from grades 1-4 showed similar findings to the content analysis. Overall, SDG 4–Quality education was the most represented goal in both the science curriculum framework and science textbooks, followed by SDG 15–Life on land, with SDG 6–Clean water and sanitation and SDG 8–Decent work and economic growth having the least representation. For SD to be achieved, curricula must be enhanced, updated regularly, and revised constantly. Learning outcomes should align closely with SDGs to ensure appropriate representation at each grade level.