Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Students’ Learning Opportunities and Innovative Teaching Strategies

   1. Frontmatter

   2. Health at the Margins: Exploration of an Academic Studio Approach to Design for Physical and Mental Resilience in a Sustainable Context

      Robert Fryer

      Abstract

      Although serious issues existed before, the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the severity of health care issues. These must be resolved if marginalized populations are to be cared for healthfully and with dignity. An exploding senior population, dropping fertility rates, and a decrease in families caring for their older relatives lead to a crisis in how society houses and cares for people as they age. The built environment is shown to have a significant impact on wellbeing and quality of care; however, design is falling short in applying these findings. This paper reports on efforts to find an innovative approach in academia to improve health outcomes. The innovation lies in the inclusion of multiple scales and perspectives based on individual and collective lenses, as well the subjective and objective. These perspectives inform research objectives that are foundational to the design process, including carbon reduction, demographics, recent health studies, and state of the art developments, such as technology and biophilia. The projects investigate resilience in the built environment to support the physical and mental resilience of marginalized populations and their caregivers. The paper includes students’ conclusions of the process, and provides insights and recommendations to improve design in-and-out of the studio. The purpose of the paper is to improve design education with potential generalized solutions that may be adopted and used at other institutions in the hopes of impacting future leaders of tomorrow.

   3. Mapping Migration in the SDGs: A Pedagogical Tool of Sustainability Learning for Students of Migration

      Douglas de Toledo Piza

      Abstract

      Students of migration are often surprised to learn that migration is not directly mentioned in any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). Given how comprehensive the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is, that absence is indeed remarkable. Yet, migration does play a role in achieving the SDGs. Migration is mentioned in a few SDG targets, and it features in several indicators. Moreover, there are multiple indirect linkages between migration and sustainable development. This paper aims to describe the development of a pedagogical tool and an assignment that were designed to support higher education learning about the interrelations between migration and SDGs. The assignment’s two learning outcomes are: identifying the SDG targets and indicators that explicitly state migration-related issues; and understanding the cross-cutting connections between migration and the SDGs. By describing the practical steps of the assignment, the paper offers insightful guidance for instructors to adapt it for their courses. The tool was used by 63 undergraduate students from various disciplinary backgrounds in the course “Migration, Cities, Climate” between Spring 2020 and Spring 2021 at The New School. After using the tool, students showed increased awareness of the SDG; critically identified gaps in the goals; demonstrated knowledge of how migration is directly connected with some targets; and understood how migration can be indirectly connected with virtually all SDGs.

   4. Creating Space for Student Action and Reflection on Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

      Melanie Miller Foster

      Abstract

      The aim of this paper is to provide insight to delivering global sustainability education in online asynchronous environments. High impact educational practices such as service-learning, community-based learning and global learning often require face-to-face interaction and off-campus travel. Few high impact practices are offered in an asynchronous online environment, highlighting a need in sustainability education that was made particularly urgent by the covid-19 pandemic. To address this need, an online asynchronous course was developed focused on Zero Hunger. Students explore different aspects of food security in domestic and international settings through asynchronous modules before being tasked in the creation of an individual action plan to address the issue of food security in a designated target audience. Students work independently on the action plans culminating their learning with an impact report presentation to the class community. The authenticity of the learning experience is increased by harnessing the power of student autonomy and student voice in crafting the application of course content knowledge. Intentional reflection on all aspects of the action project, including project impact, is a key aspect of enduring student learning. Course participants have the opportunity for cultural learning and intercultural communication due to a multinational cohort of students in each class. Well-designed high impact educational practices can play an important role in sustainability education in online, on-demand environments.

   5. Roll the Dice: Using Game-Based Learning to Teach Sustainability in Higher Education

      Lisa Heller Boragine

      Abstract

      As the ecological threat to the long-term viability of human society has become more apparent, colleges and universities across the world have pledged their support for sustainability, using a mix of formal and informal approaches across curricular and non-curricular settings. Games should be prioritized among the various educational tools for sustainable development. A growing body of scholarship shows how game-based learning encourages metacognition, problem-solving, systems thinking, engagement, motivation, learning outcomes, and even emotional intelligence. This paper introduces a framework, called the Green Game Frame (GGF), that can be used to identify and select games to educate about sustainable development. The GGF visually represents how a sustainability game might create conditions that facilitate a switch from a sender-receiver model of education to a more interactive learner-centered approach. The GGF model draws on transdisciplinary research from multiple fields to identify essential variables in an effective game that will create the conditions for participants to be receptive to learn and engage in sustainability. This is demonstrated by using the GGF as an assessment tool to evaluate two sample games, Catan: Global Warming and New Shores: A Game for Democracy. This analysis will be useful to anyone who wishes to consider the use of games in educational contexts to teach about complex ecological problems and sustainability.

   6. Be(coming) an Ambassador of Transformative Change from the Inside Out

      Theres Konrad

      Abstract

      Intrapersonal competency was recently added to the key competencies in sustainability framework (Brundiers et al., Sustain Sci (Online), 2020; Wiek et al., Sustain Sci 6:203–218, 2011). How it can be developed within sustainability education is yet to be explored. However, theoretically-supported and evidence-based insights from interpersonal competency development can give initial guidance. Three social theories and practices are presented as inspiration for intrapersonal competency development on the course level. These are Theory U, permaculture, and non-violent communication. A newly designed course in the field of social and sustainable entrepreneurship education serves as an example of how the often neglected inner dimension of sustainability can be actively accounted for in and even before the classroom. The potential to facilitate transformative change on both the personal and societal level is discussed. This paper can be useful for course designers and facilitators who strive for holistic change from the inside out.

   7. Active Learning to Foster Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability Awareness

      Javier Sierra, Ángela Suárez-Collado

      Abstract

      There is a widely recognized need to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and higher education institutions must play a leading role to accomplish this objective. In this context, the leaders of the future must develop a set of sustainability-oriented capabilities and leadership skills in order to contribute to society’s transition toward economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The educational strategy presented in this article is based on the combination of two simulations and three serious games used to recreate three different spheres of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. These activities were applied in two different settings to represent three levels of analysis and management concerning sustainability-related issues: local, national, and international. The frameworks addressed sustainability from two perspectives based on two different approaches to the issue of distance: political and geographical. Content analysis was implemented to analyze the effect of active learning to raise awareness among undergraduate Business Management majors and help them understand the potential of this methodology to develop leadership skills. 203 students participated in the activities, and the results suggest that this innovative active learning strategy contributed to fostering key cognitive, skill-based, and affective learning outcomes related to sustainability.

   8. Academic Community Expectations on Climate Change Learning and Engagement: A Case Study at University of Passo Fundo

      Luciana Londero Brandli, Giovana Reginatto, Amanda Lange Salvia, Janaina Mazutti

      Abstract

      Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent as a result of climate change, representing severe risks to the world population. Among the actors applying strategies to fight these climate challenges, universities are implementing actions in their operations and in teaching, research and outreach, with the key role of engaging students during this process. Although some studies have been covering these initiatives, further investigation is needed to understand the changes required within the university to maximize its role in climate action. Thus, this paper aims to describe the academic community's expectations about climate change learning and engagement and the challenges associated with this process, presenting a case study at University of Passo Fundo, Brazil. The methodology is based on qualitative data collection through semi-structured interviews with students and a focus group with professors and managers on their perceptions on learning and engagement opportunities on climate change. The results showed that the academic community established interests on climate change learning and engagement, even though the university does not yet have this theme institutionalised, demonstrating an opportunity for action. Challenges and potential solutions are also discussed, which may also support other universities.

   9. Training a New Generation of Environmental Stewards in Greece

      Chrysoula Sardi, Constantina Skanavis

      Abstract

      As concerns for sustainable development rise, the need to train professionals in formal, non-formal, and informal environmental education remains a dynamic priority. Environmental education should provide trainees with sophisticated tools. The objectives include behavioral change in order to raise environmental awareness and to transform future generations into environmental stewards. Unfortunately, educators' lack of awareness and proper training on environmental issues makes it tough to proceed successfully with related projects. The distinctiveness in environmental education stems from the didactic approach and the effectiveness of environmental communication in motivating trainees' emotions. A proposed method where ecosystem services are tuned with environmental communication serves as the driving force for promoting a sustainable way of living. Based on the above, this paper presents the only Summer Academy for Environmental Educators in Greece, established by Skyros Project in 2016. Summer Academy of Environmental Educators is an environmental communication service based on Skyros Project's long-standing environmental awareness legacy. The 17 SDG Goals play an instrumental role in involved stakeholders’ profiles. The Academy equips graduates with the necessary skills to effectively communicate pertinent environmental and public health concerns. The end outcome is the enrichment of our society with committed environmental stewards, capable of championing sustainability issues.

   10. Education for Sustainability at Distance and Online Learning Universities: Methodologies and Good Practices for Educating Sustainability Experts and Leaders of the Future

       Klaus Fischer, Ralf Isenmann

       Abstract

       Education for sustainable development (ESD) is key for all stakeholders in higher education who want to move forward in terms of sustainability. No matter how universities may structure main fields of action—like research, teaching, the so-called “third mission” or outreach respectively, governance, and operation management—ESD undeniably represents the core of implementing sustainability at universities. Unfortunately, however, despite several agenda-setting efforts at political, governmental, and higher education systems’ levels and notwithstanding considerable progression leading universities have made, ESD still seems to be in its infancy in the entire higher education system. This paper focuses on the role of ESD at and designed by universities specialized in distance and online learning, making clear their considerable and specific impact in the light of the whole institution approach. First, conceptual considerations are presented twofold: (i) the morphological box for ESD provides a powerful development tool for ESD implementation, and (ii) key ESD characteristics of distance and online learning processes and institutions are presented. Second, good practice examples for ESD program development and specific distance and online learning formats are shown, focusing on the case of Wilhelm Büchner Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany’s largest Mobile University of Technology. Finally, conclusions are drawn, and recommendations for action are given, addressing all those interested in the further development of ESD in distance and online learning formats.

   11. Responsibility Through Action Learning—Building up World Relations and Personal Capacity Through Teaching Formats

       Stefan Raich, Anne-Kathrin Lindau, Ina Limmer, Veronika Schwarz

       Abstract

       The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU) considers itself an engaged university pursuing a third mission strategy in order to play a responsible role in society. To this dedication, the universities’ overall sustainability concept is closely linked, which is based on six pillars: governance, research, teaching, campus management, student initiatives and transfer. In all areas, there are related specific social practices that are relevant for developing people’s capacity to act responsibly and sustainably in society. We know from management education (Mintzberg, in Managers, not MBAs: a hard look at the soft practice of managing and management development. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2014) that the training of professional tools is only effective if it is connected to specific contexts and social practices. At KU we try to systematically unfold the potential of those domains by relating concepts to practices and the overall societal responsibility of the university. We use different formats of education for sustainable development as a means to this end and to empower students, scholars, administrative staff and citizens alike to act sustainably in their specific arena. Consequently, the bandwidth of the KU sustainability education formats reaches from peer coaching, seminars, action and Service Learning courses to further and continuing education and master degrees to the field of transfer activities and societal engagement.

   12. Guest Speakers: An Opportunity to Create Shared Value?

       Kay Emblen-Perry

       Abstract

       Approaches to responsible management education are evolving with Business Schools. Through the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education, Business Schools are adopting a mission to educate the leaders of the future in the Sustainable Development Goals and responsible business practices. This has stimulated a shift from traditional teacher-centred lectures to student-centred activities that co-create real world knowledge, employment skills and personal values. One approach, which can extend the value of student-centred activities is the inclusion of sustainability practitioners as guest speakers through smart partnering with Business Schools. Students’ appreciation of guest speakers is generally accepted. However, little consideration of their ability to create shared value for students and guest speakers exists. To address this, this paper reports findings from a two-year study into the shared value of guest speakers within responsible management education and assesses potential benefits of being a guest speaker. Findings confirm students can gain value from guest speakers who provide real world knowledge, particularly if they provide an input for assignments, and suggest that guest speakers can benefit from new perspectives provided by students, including unrecognised personal and business challenges and opportunities. Consequently, the study suggests that through being a guest speaker or engaging with guest speakers, students and sustainability practitioners may be inspired to have a positive impact on their lives and lives of others, as called for by the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper contributes to two strands of pedagogic discourse: firstly, benefits for sustainability practitioners from engaging with Business Schools as guest speakers, and secondly, novel approaches to responsible management education. It will therefore be of interest to those seeking innovative approaches to responsible management education, to those seeking shared value creation through smart partnering with Business Schools and to those who simply want a new challenge.

   13. Infusing Design Thinking into Teacher Preparation: Connecting Learners and Stakeholders Through Classroom-Based Discussions About Local Sustainability Concerns

       Timothy G. Thomas

       Abstract

       This paper surveys the literature on participatory design, place connection, and learner agency to suggest new outcomes from the preparation offered in collegiate Education programs. To achieve sustainable communities and a healthy planet, educated citizens must take action to design and implement sustainable systems in the local community. The composition of learners’ experiences in elementary and secondary schools is vital for developing an environmental identity that connects learners to their localities. Teacher education programs must modify their training for K-12 educators to enable teachers to guide learners through an inquiry process that applies their classroom lessons to the design of systems in their locality. Ultimately, this paper illuminates an approach to exhibitions by learners that presents an examination of scientific data and an understanding of the perspectives of stakeholders in a locality. Formal schooling plays a pivotal role in learners developing the skills to care for their locality. This paper outlines a framework of participatory design for schools; it re-imagines the skills that universities must provide teachers in order to educate connected learners who will be active stewards of their homeplaces. To that end, teachers must learn alternative assessments that employ principles of design as a method to infuse Sustainable Development Goals into community decision-making.

   14. “Innovation and Sustainability”—A Virtual German-American Student Exchange Project

       Andrea Heilmann, Nancy Philippart, Juliane Lessmann

       Abstract

       Sustainability is a driver of innovation yet the integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the innovation process is not yet the norm. In many cases, innovators are not even aware of the goals. To expose technology students and future innovators to the importance of SDGs as drivers of sustainable innovation, students from an American and German university worked together in teams on a sustainability and innovation virtual exchange project. Students chose a social impact area (field of technology)—energy, education, transportation, etc., analysed the current state and then identified the innovation that was required for a sustainable future in three different regions of the world twenty years from now. Students mapped the SDGs to their chosen social impact area, and then used this map as a framework for analysis, ideation and innovation. Working collaboratively, students investigated the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal challenges to achieve a sustainable future in the three chosen regions. The virtual exchange project, lessons learned and results achieved will be presented so that other universities might consider engaging in similar initiatives.

   15. Student Knowledge and Perceptions of a Green Campus

       Lauren Schrock, Lydia Giannini, Beth Choate, Matthew Bethurem

       Abstract

       Allegheny College (Meadville, PA, USA) was the eighth college within the United States to reach climate neutrality. The institution employed a suite of strategies including building retrofits, waste reduction, efforts to modify student, faculty and staff behaviors, and purchasing renewable energy to reach this goal. In the fall of 2019, the student body was surveyed to assess their awareness of campus sustainability initiatives and understanding of the environmental benefits. An online survey was taken by 23.3% of the student body. Demographics of survey participants reflect the student body at the time of survey distribution. Our research demonstrates that students have a basic awareness of the campus’ sustainability efforts, and a majority can identify efforts that they encounter on a daily basis, such as reusable take out containers in dining halls, water bottle refill stations, and the compost/recycling program. Students majoring in environmental science and sustainability ranked Allegheny’s overall sustainability higher than other majors, and were more likely to highlight less visible sustainability efforts such as purchasing green energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The author’s seek to understand how sustainable campuses can be used as an educational tool to create sustainable citizens.

   16. Using Out-Of-Class ESD Experiences to Link the Outside World with Young People’s Lives

       Fiona Vella Ciangura, Mark Christopher Mifsud

       Abstract

       Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is generally understood as education that encourages changes in knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to ensure a more sustainable and fair society for all. ESD requires innovative pedagogies, not only in classrooms, but also in out-of-class activities to promote exploratory, action-oriented and transformative learning. The main aim of this study is to investigate the benefits, if any, of using out-of-class activities, namely gardening to promote ESD. A qualitative case study method was adopted to get a deeper understanding of the learning journey of six students who regularly and voluntarily participate in these activities. Data was collected through online retrospective semi-structured interviews and observations with students, as well as interviews with other stakeholders within their community to achieve triangulation. Data was analysed through a coding system and plotted on pre-post Concept Maps using CMap Tools^™. Such Concept Maps were useful in simplifying intricate concepts, mapping each student’s learning journey and facilitating students’ self-analysis. This study adopted an interactive model of research design, involving an interconnected and flexible structure based on five concepts, namely goals, conceptual framework, research questions, methods, and validity. This research showed how experiential out-of-class activities, namely gardening and activities linked to it, can impact the students’ cognitive, affective, interpersonal/social, as well as physical/behaviour to reflect ESD principles at different levels. This research demonstrates how equitable and effective education for sustainable development needs to move beyond formal exams and must also acknowledge different types of valuable learning. The research findings, including processes, successes and challenges encountered, helped to draft a set of recommendations that aim to give more value to ESD practices at school-level. The results of this research were used to draw up a strategy that can help policy makers in the education sector to better address sustainability through similar outdoor ESD activities. This university research and its outcomes will be of interest to anyone who would like to effectively fuse out-of-class, hands-on gardening activities with ESD pedagogies in a way that increases sustainability values, attitudes and knowledge, globally.

   17. Moving Towards Sustainability Through Geographical Education in Malta

       Rebecca Cassar, Mark Mifsud

       Abstract

       Education for sustainable development (ESD) plays a crucial role in guaranteeing a sustainable future for this and future generations. This study explores how ESD is integrated into the present geography teaching strategies at higher education level institutions in Malta and seeks to understand how geography educators view and incorporate ESD and its teaching strategies into their lectures. It also aims to understand how ESD is connected to geography education. The methodology included semi-structured interviews held with geography educators. The formation and analysis of the interview questions utilized the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Competences in ESD. The geography educators’ experience with ESD was analysed through a constructionist and interpretative stance to understand their experiences using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). A thematic analysis of the interview data was carried out. The results show that several ESD competences feature in the educators’ teaching experiences, confirming the link between ESD and geography education. Furthermore, educators at this level integrate ESD competences and skills using transformative and participative learning methods. Through the research findings, recommendations are suggested to aid the infusion of ESD practices into geography teaching and learning. The results of this research will also help policy makers in the education sector in Malta to better target the sustainability of current and future generations through geography. This paper will be useful to anyone interested in how university research can be successfully applied to increase the transmission of sustainability values, skills, and knowledge through teaching.

   18. Making Career Development Sustainable: A Senior Capstone Course Case Study

       Candy T. Y. Ho

       Abstract

       The global higher education student population is largely comprised of those within Generation Z, generally characterized by their care and concern for the well-being of our world. However, many are still experiencing a curriculum designed decades ago for their parents or grandparents who lived in a world arguably far less attuned to issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and inequality.

       This paper details a case study of a liberal arts career capstone course that aligns theoretical career development frameworks with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), modernizing the curriculum to help students explore their potential contributions to a more sustainable world. With reflective elements throughout the course, students envision how they can take the skills and experiences amassed during their studies in order to transform into leaders and change agents in their future organizations and communities.

       The main pedagogical interventions from this innovative for-credit course are featured, such as a portfolio with an SDG-infused mission statement and an information interview assignment exploring how professional fields can contribute to the SDGs. This paper will be of interest to faculty, administrators, and curriculum developers interested in infusing sustainable education and the SDGs into the curriculum.

   19. Documentary Film and Institutional Behavioral Change: A Student-Driven Mobilization for Sustainability

       Madhavi Venkatesan, Radhika Barot, Amani Chinni, Adam Regenstrief, Priyasha Singh, Julia Sucov, John Sun

       Abstract

       There are multiple methods available to convey the need for sustainability. However, most often communications are limited to one discipline or one instructional medium, which limits engagement and even interest. In the summer of 2021, students at Northeastern University working with their faculty advisor, adopted a multidisciplinary approach to discussing sustainability by producing a documentary film. The subject of the film is waste resulting from convenience consumption of coffee at the University’s multiple coffee shops. The film educates viewers on the life cycle impact of convenience consumption in the form of plastic, Styrofoam, and paper disposable coffee cups, and highlights the role of economics, biology and human health, environmental science, political science, history, anthropology, and the law as well as other disciplinary areas with respect to present consumption. The theme of how we got here, and the challenge of individual powerlessness is addressed to provide viewers with not only a call to action but optimism for a collective future. This paper provides an overview of documentary film, addresses the use of film in higher education discussion, and shares the development of the Sustainable U Production Team and its initiating project, Plastic Linings. In concluding the discussion, the multidisciplinary core project group members reflect on the transformational nature of the project with respect to their own perception of sustainability and provide next steps.