Enabling effective education for sustainable development: Investigating the connection between the school organization and students’ action competence

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we investigate the relation between the school organization and outcomes of education for sustainable development, namely students’ action competence in sustainable development. Data were collected among 629 students. At the organizational level, we collected data among 207 school staff concerning organizational characteristics including school resources, sustainable leadership, pluralistic communication, supportive relations, collective efficacy, adaptability, democratic decision-making, and shared vision. Results indicate that the school organization is primarily connected to students’ knowledge and willingness. They also show that organizational characteristics such as sustainable leadership, pluralistic communication, adaptability, and democratic decision-making have a significant correlation with student level outcomes.