The impact of feasibility and meaningfulness of ESD activities on sustainability awareness in Japanese community learning centers
Abstract
Although feasibility (practical accessibility) and meaningfulness (personal relevance) are established drivers of participation in non-formal education, their direct impact on learning outcomes, specifically sustainability awareness within Japanese Community Learning Centers (CLCs), has not been empirically established. This research addresses this research gap by examining how perceived feasibility and meaningfulness of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) activities affect sustainability awareness among participants in CLC in Japan. Using a mixed-methods case study approach, quantitative data were collected from 370 participants at Misonou Community Center in Hiroshima and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM), complemented by qualitative insights from 30 follow-up interviews. Results indicated that both feasibility (β = 0.32, p < .001) and meaningfulness (β = 0.48, p < .001) significantly predicted sustainability awareness, collectively explaining 56% of variance, with meaningfulness showing stronger predictive power. These findings provide an empirically validated framework for ESD program design, suggesting that practitioners should adopt a dual-focused strategy that reduces logistical barriers while collaboratively developing curricula that reflect local contexts and participant values. This evidence-based approach enables CLCs to effectively support national sustainability objectives and promote environmental consciousness.
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Abdellatif, K. M. (2021, March). Factors affecting the participation of learners in social education: A study of community-based learning activities at Kominkan. 教育学研究ジャーナル = The Journal of Educational Research, 26(1), 21-32. https://doi.org/10.20677/csssej.26.0_21 J-STAGE+2CiNii+2
Abe, O. (2014). ESD projects in Japanese schools and in non-formal education in Japan. In J. Lee & R. Efi (Eds.), Schooling for sustainable development across the Pacific (pp. 125-139). Springer.
Arai, Y., & Tokiwa-Fuse, M. (2013). Social education and Kominkan. Human Right Education in Asia-Pacific, 4(1), 169-194. https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/asia-pacific/section1/pdf/Regional%20Programming%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Education.pdf
Boeren, E., Nicaise, I., & Baert, H. (2010). Theoretical models of participation in adult education: The need for an integrated model. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 29(1), 45-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370903471270
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brundtland, G. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our common future (UN General Assembly document A/42/427). United Nations. Retrieved March 21, 2025, from http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm
Courtney, S. (2019). Why adults learn: Towards a theory of participation in adult education. Routledge.
Fuwa, K. (2001). Lifelong education in Japan, a highly school-entered society: Educational opportunities and practical educational activities for adults. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 20(1), 127-136. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370010008327
Gericke, N., Boeve-de Pauw, J., Berglund, T., & Olsson, D. (2019). The Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire: The theoretical development and empirical validation of an evaluation instrument for stakeholders working with sustainable development. Sustainable Development, 27(1), 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1859
Heddy, B. C., Sinatra, G. M., Seli, H., Taasoobshirazi, G., & Mukhopadhyay, A. (2016). Making learning meaningful: Facilitating interest development and transfer in at-risk college students. Educational Psychology, 37(5), 565-581. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2016.1150420
Hovdhaugen, E., & Opheim, V. (2018). Participation in adult education and training in countries with high and low participation rates: Demand and barriers. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 37(5), 560-577. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2018.1554717
Kawano, A., Matsuda, T., & Xiao, L. (2016). Social education in Japan. Pedagogía Social, 27(1), 253-280. https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2016.27.12
Kline, R. B. (2023). Principles and practice of structural equation modelling (5th ed.). Guilford Press.
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner (6th ed.). Elsevier.
Kwakman, K. (2003). Factors affecting teachers’ participation in professional learning activities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(1), 149-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00101-4
Lau, C. Y. H., & Tov, W. (2023). Effects of positive reappraisal and self-distancing on the meaningfulness of everyday negative events. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1093412. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093412
Levy, A., Orion, N., & Leshem, Y. (2016). Variables that influence the environmental behaviour of adults. Environmental Education Research, 24(3), 307-325. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2016.1271865
Maruyama, H. (2010). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Japan. NIER. Retrieved March 21, 2025, from https://www.nier.go.jp/English/educationjapan/pdf/201103ESD.pdf
Mezirow, J. (2012). Learning to think like an adult: Core concepts of transformation theory. In E. W. Taylor & P. Cranton (Eds.), The handbook of transformative learning: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 73-95). Jossey-Bass.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan [MoFA]. (2018). Japan’s efforts for promoting the SDGs. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/sdgs/pdf/about_sdgs.pdf
Noguchi, F., Guevara, J. R., & Yorozu, R. (2015). Communities in action: Lifelong learning for sustainable development. UIL.
Nomura, K., & Abe, O. (2009). The education for sustainable development movement in Japan: A political perspective. Environmental Education Research, 15(4), 483-496. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620903056355
Ogawa, S. (2005). Lifelong learning and demographics: A Japanese perspective. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 24(4), 351-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370500169269
Proctor, E., Silmere, H., Raghavan, R., Hovmand, P., Aarons, G., Bunger, A., Griffey, R., & Hensley, M. (2011). Outcomes for implementation research: Conceptual distinctions, measurement challenges, and research agenda. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 38(2), 65-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-010-0319-7
Purvis, B., Mao, Y., & Robinson, D. (2019). Three pillars of sustainability: In search of conceptual origins. Sustainability Science, 14(1), 681-695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0627-5
Rogers, A. (2019). Second-generation non-formal education and SDGs: Operationalizing the SDGs through community learning centers. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 38(5), 515-526. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2019.1636897
Sato, C. (2016). Kominkan: Its roles in education and community-building. In K. Okano (Ed.), Nonformal education and civil society in Japan (pp. 159-178). Routledge.
Summers, D., & Cutting, R. (2016). Education for sustainable development in further education. Palgrave Macmillan.
Tanaka, H. (2017). Current state and future prospects of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Japan. Educational Studies in Japan. International Yearbook, 11(1), 15-28. https://doi.org/10.7571/esjkyoiku.11.15
UNESCO. (2014). Roadmap for implementing the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002305/230514e.pdf
Authors
Abdellatif, K. M. (2025). The impact of feasibility and meaningfulness of ESD activities on sustainability awareness in Japanese community learning centers. Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education, 3(3), 435–443. https://doi.org/10.62672/joease.v3i3.140
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