Daniel Olsson

Daniel Olsson is a researcher at Karlstad University specializing in environmental and sustainability education. He leads the work package on measurement instrument development within the Horizon Europe-funded IMP>ACT project, collaborating with European academic and social partners. His research focuses on action competence for sustainability, particularly examining how educational experiences influence students' ability to take meaningful action on climate and environmental issues. He has conducted longitudinal studies on whole-school approaches to education for sustainable development (ESD), including projects funded by SKOLFI, and developed assessment tools like the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ) and Self-Perceived Action Competence scales.

Dr. Olsson's teaching focuses on biology and natural science courses within teacher education programs, alongside sustainability-related pedagogical methods. His international collaborations include projects with universities in Norway, Belgium, and Taiwan, exploring cross-cultural aspects of sustainability education. Key research themes include the role of student participation in ESD initiatives, leadership strategies for institutionalizing whole-school approaches, and frameworks for measuring pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors.

His recent work emphasizes insect biodiversity conservation through action competence development, creating new assessment instruments like the SPACIC scale. He also contributes to policy-oriented studies on teacher ESD self-efficacy and leadership agency in facilitating systemic educational change. Olsson's publications span over two decades, reflecting a sustained focus on bridging educational theory and practical interventions to address global sustainability challenges.