EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON EMOTIONS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY – CONCEPTUALISATIONS, METHODOLOGICAL QUESTIONS, EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS, AND PATHWAYS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

We investigated the motivational factors and coping mechanisms of Hungarian environmental educators and environmentally focused university students through focus group interviews. We hypothesized that environmental educators are at risk of burnout due to limited intervention opportunities, and therefore often experience feelings of ineffectiveness or frustration due to lack of professional recognition. Engaged students may also be at high risk of negative emotions, e.g. isolation, ineffectiveness, or climate anxiety. Our research suggests that our respondents have strong feelings of isolation and misunderstanding, as well as a gap between their professional and personal identities. This study does not aim to define a therapy for burnout, but we do present some techniques from respondents' toolbox for prevention. We highlight a need for institutional prevention, support and self-reflective techniques for pro-environmentally engaged people, and specifically for professionals, since the negative emotions of environmental and sustainability educators may strongly obstruct and slow down the potential positive effects of sustainability education. We have also seen from our previous research experience that these professionals have to deal with constant anxiety, a sense of loss, emotional isolation and the distancing of the majority society, which is less sensitive to these problems, due to the close emotional ties to nature (Mihók et al. 2021). This is because their problems are often not perceived, denied or trivialised by others (Usher et al. 2019; Kovács et al. 2023), and they are often unable to discuss them satisfactorily with others. Our research method was a focus group interview. Our respondents were young people and professionals (students and environmental educators) from Hungary. The students were aged between 20 and 35 years with an average age of 26 years, the environmental educators were aged between 41 and 74 years with an average age of 56 years, active and committed to environmental protection and environmental education. A total of two focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 10 participants. Our research questions are how our respondents perceive their own environmental commitment and their role as environmental educators. What emotional difficulties and support do they encounter in practice? Are there emotional burdens associated with their environmental education role, and if so, what are they? What coping strategies do they use to alleviate the associated psychological difficulties? The research can be significant in demonstrating stress release techniques, the importance of recharging, creative activities. In addition to it we see a need for conscious and institutional prevention at individual and community level, professional assistance in identifying stressors and in stress relief. Keywords: environmental awareness, environmental education, burnout, coping, focus group interview