Promoting sustainability engagement in primary education: Knowledge, behaviors, and gender differences

This study examines how fifth-grade students engage with Education for Sustainable Development across four dimensions—knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and conative awareness—while also exploring gender-based differences that offer valuable insights for designing more inclusive and effective teaching practices. A sample of 165 students from four Spanish primary schools completed a structured questionnaire addressing their understanding of Sustainable Development Goals and their engagement with environmental, social, and economic sustainability practices. Findings show that students have a strong grasp of environmental issues and report frequent participation in pro-environmental behaviors, such as recycling and conservation. However, engagement with social and economic aspects of sustainability was less robust. Female students demonstrated higher levels of sustainable behavior and stronger intentions to act sustainably in the future. These insights suggest that while current sustainability education efforts are promoting environmental awareness, a more balanced and integrated curricular approach is needed to equally emphasize all dimensions of sustainability.