The need for death pedagogy: Academics' opinions on the place of death in the curricula

Death Studies, cilt.0, sa.0, ss.1-16, 2025 (SSCI)

This paper seeks to explore the opinions of educational sciences academics on how death

pedagogy should be integrated into curricula across preschool, primary, secondary, and high

school levels. The sample comprises academics specializing in educational sciences, who have

conducted at least two studies on death, loss, and bereavement, and are affiliated with

various universities in Türkiye. Seven academics responded to six open-ended questions, and

their qualitative responses were analyzed. The results indicated unanimous support for

including death pedagogy in the formal curriculum. Key implementation considerations

include: (a) collaborating with experts to define the content, methods, and scope; (b)

providing comprehensive training for all teachers on the subject and offering additional

support for those grappling with their own mortality; (c) ensuring that school counselors play

a central role in all phases of planning, implementation, and evaluation; and (d) highlighting

the significance of death pedagogy in fostering students’ psychological resilience