The local community as a means for promoting education for sustainable development

This article reports on a study investigating the role of the local community in achieving the objectives of Education for Sustainable Development in Cyprus. The data presented was collected from 21 teachers who participated in a nationwide, exploratory research program aiming at offering them training in implementing environmental projects based in the local community. Teachers' experiences about the manner in which local communities were utilized as an educational tool were investigated. Furthermore, their opinions on student engagement during the projects and how this contributed to student environmental literacy were explored. The data set presented consists of structured questionnaires completed by teachers on completion of the program and individual and focus group interviews from participant teachers. The findings highlight the potential of the local community, not only in developing students' community identity and enhancing their environmental literacy, but its importance for renovating the educational process according to the principles and pedagogy of Education for Sustainable Development.