Pre-Service Teachers’ Metaphorical Perceptions of Sustainable Development and Their 2030 SDG Priorities

For sustainability education to support societal transformation, it is necessary to understand how pre-service teachers conceptualize sustainable development and which Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) they prioritize. This study examined pre-service teachers’ metaphorical perceptions of sustainable development, their 2030 SDG priorities, and convergence/divergence between the two. A qualitatively driven convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used with 93 pre-service teachers from six teacher education programs at a public university who had completed a sustainability-related course. Data were collected through a metaphor elicitation form and an SDG priority-ranking form. Content analysis produced 226 valid metaphor units grouped into six overarching themes and 17 subthemes. Metaphors centered mainly on future and intergenerational transfer, environmental protection and responsibility, and sustaining life and continuity. Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Clean Water and Sanitation, No Poverty, and Quality Education received the highest priority. Participants conceptualized sustainable development positively, holistically, and with a future orientation, yet prioritized immediate basic human needs. Environmental protection, systems integrity, and intergenerational responsibility were prominent metaphorically, whereas Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, ecosystem-related goals, and Partnerships for the Goals ranked relatively low. The findings highlight a need for interdisciplinary, practice-oriented teacher education that makes the interdependence of the SDGs more explicit.