Gräv där du står och ända ner till Kina :   En studie av två grundskolors omvärldsrelationer med fokus på hållbar utveckling

Sammanfattning: The aim of the study was to analyse relations between the school and the surrounding world and how these relations affects the schools’ work for sustainable development. This was mainly an interview study but teachers’ self-valuations have also been used. Totally six teachers at two primary schools has been interwied. The schools were chosen because of their acknowledged work for sustainable development. From the interviews, it was found how the teachers interpreted the conception the schools´ surrounding world, what relations the schools had with the surrounding world and how that affected the schools´ work for sustainable development. The surrounding world was interpreted as both the close and immediate neighborhood but also in a wider perspective as other countries. The schools had mostly contacts with the close-by immediate surroundings. The school situated in the urban environment had more access the culture of the city and the school situated near nature used the forest and water more often. The schools had a few national and international contacts. The relationships with surrounding world changed over time and with age of the pupils. Personal contacts and interest helped to establish contacts. The teachers see the school as an integral part of the society. The relations with the surrounding world seem to have a positive impact on education for sustainable development. The learning became concrete, varied and the pupils view themselves as a part of something larger. Ecological, social and economic perspective could be identified in the schools relations with surrounding world. According to the self-evaluations the schools had more contacts to the surrounding world than to the society.