Bibliography:
Learning Outcomes In Sustainability
Ashwani Vasishth <vasishth@ramapo.edu> October 13, 2011
Allevato, Eugene
& Joan Marques. 2011. "Systemic
thinking from a scientific and spiritual perspective," Journal of Global
Responsibility, v2n1 (2011): 23-45. [Purpose -
The purpose of this paper is to enhance awareness and foment the concept of "eco-citizenship"
within today's students in higher education. Design/methodology/approach - The
paper takes the form of a literature review on environmental issues and
spiritual thinking, student reports, discussion. Findings - The paper's three
main findings are: the need to develop educational methodologies that allow
students to become advocates of a new society and way of thinking is
insufficiently addressed so far; exposing students to such learning triggers a
factual mindset change; and faculty and student engagement on matters of
spirituality and environmental issues is becoming pivotal in a period where
natural resource limitations in conjunction with overpopulation are stressing
ecological systems to a threshold where it cannot be sustainable any further.
Research limitations/implications - Further implementation of similar courses,
and monitoring of students' long-term behavioral changes are suggested to
verify if such courses trigger a domino effect in terms of the emergence of the
"eco-citizen". Originality/value - This was the first time that such an
educational approach was employed, where students not only critically
investigated the course material in respect to environmental science and
spirituality but also became facilitators to their own community, assisting in
the development of good citizenship and enhancement of responsibility. It is
clear to the authors that community interaction is very important in the
curriculum design as the working ground to bring real world experience to the
classroom as well as for the development of environmental and spiritual
awareness. Based on the students' community activities and personal comments,
in regard to the course focus and its effectiveness in changing their attitudes
towards a more sustainable way of living, it was demonstrated that the course was
successful.]
Altomonte,
Sergio. 2009. "Environmental
Education for Sustainable Architecture," Review of European Studies,
v1n2 (Dec 2009): 12-21. [Awareness of the role that buildings play in the
current climate crisis poses new onerous tasks for architectural educators and
practitioners. The promotion of sustainability in the design of the built
environment is a key-factor for addressing the challenges that mankind faces in
response to finite resource availability, ecological deterioration and climate
alteration. No longer can the global environmental system support
fully-serviced carbon-intensive buildings with the energy consumption and CO2
emissions they trigger. In response to these challenges - and considering the swift
development of construction methods and techniques in the building industry -
nowadays the professional market demands graduates of architectural disciplines
endowed with a number of competences that range from creative design and
visualization skills up to detailed technical and environmental competence. A
new pedagogical methodology has consequently to be developed in order to
overcome existing educational and professional barriers and act as a
communication platform that facilitates the transfer of knowledge between
sustainability-related building sciences and creative design in the
architectural curriculum. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the
hindrances to the successful integration of sustainable environmental design in
the pedagogy and practice of architecture and introduce a European Action set
to promote the comprehensive implementation of environmental sustainability in
building design.]
Benn, Suzanne
& Cathy Rusinko. 2011. "The
technological community as a framework for educating for sustainability in
business schools," Journal of Management and Organization, v17n5
(Sep 2011): 656-669. [This paper adapts and extends the
technological community perspective (e.g., Van de Ven, 1993), to review and
analyze the outcomes of a series of three research projects funded by the
Australian Government as reported in a number of publicly available documents.
The projects were designed to support education for sustainability within
Australian business schools and to promote knowledge sharing between the
business schools and industry around sustainability. Project participants
included seven business schools and their industry collaborators. The
technological community perspective, which is particularly well-suited to
examining this innovative education for sustainability project, is a
theoretical framework that examines evolution of innovation at the community
level; this includes multiple internal and external stakeholders, and is beyond
the more traditional uni-dimensional focus on organization or industry levels.
This approach provides lessons with respect to complex and dynamic interactions
between and among multiple stakeholders responsible for successful development
and dissemination of sustainability in business schools, corporations, and
beyond. Hence, this paper addresses issues raised in the call for papers for
the special issue of Journal of Management and Organization, 'Educating for
Sustainability and CSR: What is the role of business schools?' The paper
addresses the questions: (1) What are the barriers for business schools with
respect to integrating sustainability in the curricula; (2) What role do
partnerships with other stakeholders play in such initiatives?]
Boud, David & Nancy Falchikov. 2006. "Aligning Assessment with Long-Term Learning," Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, v31n4 (Aug 2006): 399–413. [Assessment in higher education is commonly held to contribute to feedback to students on their learning and the certification of their achievement. This paper argues that this short-term focus must be balanced against a longer-term emphasis for learning-oriented assessment to foster future learning after graduation. The paper proposes that students need to become assessors within the context of participation in practice, that is, the kinds of highly contextualised learning faced in life and work. It discusses the kinds of practices that are needed to refocus assessment within higher education courses to this end.]
Brundiers, Katja
& Arnim Wiek & Charles L. Redman. 2010. "Real-world learning opportunities in sustainability: from
classroom into the real world," International Journal of Sustainability in
Higher Education, v11n4 (2010): 308-324. [Purpose -
Academic sustainability programs aim to develop key competencies in
sustainability, including problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate
successfully with experts and stakeholders. These key competencies may be most
fully developed in new teaching and learning situations. The purpose of this
paper is to analyze the kind of, and extent to which, these key competencies
can be acquired in real-world learning opportunities.
Design/methodology/approach - The paper summarizes key competencies in
sustainability, identifies criteria for real-world learning opportunities in
sustainability programs, and draws on dominant real-world learning models
including project- and problem-based learning, service learning, and
internships in communities, businesses, and governments. These components are
integrated into a framework to design real-world learning opportunities.
Findings - A "functional and progressive" model of real-world learning
opportunities seems most conducive to introduce students (as well as faculty
and community partners) to collaborative research between academic researchers
and practitioners. The stepwise process combined with additional principles
allows building competencies such as problem solving, linking knowledge to
action, and collaborative work, while applying concepts and methods from the
field of sustainability. Practical implications - The paper offers examples of
real-world learning opportunities at the School of Sustainability at Arizona
State University, discusses general challenges of implementation and
organizational learning, and draws attention to critical success factors such
as collaborative design, coordination, and integration in general introductory
courses for undergraduate students. Originality/value - The paper contributes
to sustainability education by clarifying how real-world learning opportunities
contribute to the acquisition of key competencies in sustainability. It
proposes a functional and progressive model to be integrated into the
(undergraduate) curriculum and suggests strategies for its implementation.]
Carew, A.L. & C.A. Mitchell. 2002. "Characterizing Undergraduate Engineering Students' Understanding of Sustainability," European Journal of Engineering Education, v27n4 (Dec 2002): 349(13). [Engineering professionals in Australia and internationally are coming under increased pressure to practise engineering more sustainably. In response to this pressure, the Institution of Engineers, Australia, has updated the procedure for accreditation of the engineering baccalaureate to ensure inclusion of sustainability learning. In order to graduate, Australian engineering students must now 'understand sustainability'. This paper reports on a theoretical synthesis of the literature on sustainability and understanding, and an empirical investigation into sustainability conceptions held by a group of chemical engineering undergraduate students at the University of Sydney. During the theoretical synthesis we examined what it might mean for a student to understand sustainability by deriving a suite of sustainability principles and describing the component parts of an expert-like understanding of sustainability. In the empirical investigation, students' written responses to the question 'In your own words, what is sustainability?' were analysed using a modified version of the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy. The SOLO analysis revealed broad structural variation in the way our students understood sustainability.]
Castle, Sidney
R. & Chad J McGuire. 2010.
"An Analysis of Student Self-Assessment of Online, Blended, and
Face-to-Face Learning Environments: Implications for Sustainable Education
Delivery," International Education Studies, v3n3 (Aug 2010): 36-40. [Online delivery has the potential to offer significant
benefits in achieving multiple goals related to sustainable education. For
example, students from a variety of backgrounds can access educational
opportunity, allowing for vast dissemination of education. In addition, the
methods employed in online learning are generally much lower in carbon
intensity, providing an added operational benefit to online education. Beyond
these stated benefits, we must also identify what components of online
education are deemed effective from the student's perspective. This article
summarizes a recent study conducted by the authors on overall student
self-assessment of learning at a major online university, and compares these
results with general pedagogical assumptions regarding the perceived benefits
of online learning. The goal is to highlight what factors students find
important in ensuring quality learning outcomes in the online learning
environment. The extension of this work is to link successful components of online
delivery to the general achievement of sustainability in education delivery
methods.]
Chaplot,
Priyadarshini. 2010. "Implementation
and Sustainability of Learning Assessment Efforts: Facilitators and Inhibitors,"
Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, v17n2 (Spring
2010): 35-43. [Over the past few decades,
deterioration in student achievement has provoked a pervasive public sentiment
that American institutions are failing to meet the needs and expectations of
society. The growing public demand for transparency and accountability has
fueled the integration of state-mandated learning outcomes assessment into the
standards established by regional accrediting agencies. The assessment of
student learning outcomes (SLOs) serves as one strategy to improve the
scholarship of teaching and learning as well as provide evidence for
institutional effectiveness. Though SLOs have been present in the institutional
landscape for many years, colleges are still struggling to establish a
consistent and sustained program for outcomes assessment. Many college
departments have developed SLO assessment plans but continue to face challenges
in their implementation. Through interviews with key individuals involved in
the SLO assessment process at a California community college, this study
investigates the factors that can affect the ability of institutions to
implement and institutionalize outcomes assessment efforts.]
Cohen,
Nevin. 2010. "Designing the
Sustainable Foodshed: A Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Environmental Studies
Course," Innovative Higher Education, v35n1 (Feb 2010): 51-60. [This article demonstrates the educational value of an
undergraduate course that integrates design and the liberal arts to teach about
ecological systems, using study of the university campus as the means to
connect theory and practice. It presents the curricular goals, objectives,
results, and lessons learned from a qualitative case study of a
cross-disciplinary course that required design and liberal arts students to develop
innovative solutions to improve the sustainability of The New School's food
system. Student and faculty evaluations suggest that an integrated design and
liberal arts course can be an effective and enjoyable method to learn about
sustainability and urban systems; and it helps students learn different
techniques for research, problem-solving, and communication.]
Cotgrave, Alison
J. & Noora Kokkarinen. 2010.
"Developing a model promoting sustainability literacy through
construction curriculum design," Structural Survey, v28n4
(2010): 266-280. [Purpose - The aim of this
paper is to describe the research and process used to develop a curriculum
design guidance model that can be used to develop a sustainability literate
construction curriculum in higher education. Design/methodology/approach - A
comparative study between the UK and Australia was undertaken. Qualitative and
quantitative data were collected in both countries and then analysed to
determine what was needed to develop an appropriate model for curriculum design
within construction education. Various areas regarding curriculum assessment
were considered in order to provide an insightful and comprehensive model for
curriculum design. Findings - The results indicated that the UK and Australia
do not differ significantly with regards to best practice in curriculum design.
Research limitations/implications - The subsequent model can be used by
academics to integrate more opportunities for sustainable literacy into
construction courses. The proposed model has the potential to be used
interchangeably within both countries and possibly beyond. Originality/value -
The paper addresses the need for academia to assess the level of environmental
knowledge that they disseminate to students as an integrated part of their
overall degree rather than at a modular level.]
Fadeeva, Zinaida
& Yoko Mochizuki. 2010. "Higher
education for today and tomorrow: university appraisal for diversity,
innovation and change towards sustainable development," Sustainability Science,
v5n2 (Jul 2010): 249-256. [This article serves as a
position paper of a consortium of universities in the Asia-Pacific region
working to address challenges of sustainable development and rapidly changing
social, economic and natural environments. Member universities of ProSPER.Net
(Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network)
have embarked on a project to develop an alternative university appraisal
system that would potentially become a viable alternative to the existing
higher education ranking and assessment systems perceived as constraining, yet,
powerful. The article discusses the changing landscape for knowledge creation
and the need for universities to assume new roles in a new kind of modernity -
variously termed as liquid modernity (Z Bauman), reflexive modernization (U
Beck) or other neologisms. It recognises that the mainstream ranking and
assessment systems are powerful guiding systems for higher education
institutions (HEI) and, if modified, could be a significant force for
transformation towards a more sustainable future. Recognising the need for HEIs
to address societal challenges and needs, the Alternative University Appraisal
(AUA) project of ProSPER.Net starts by reviewing existing models of recognition
and appraisal of various aspects of HEIs' work and aims at creating space for
individual and collective reflection on HEI practices and outcomes. In addition
to extensive consultations among ProSPER.Net members, as well as with other
higher education actors and international organisations addressing higher
education for sustainability, cross-sectoral consultations, assessments of the
uncertainties and pertinent trends, and engagement with policy-making processes
would be required for the AUA system to become a guiding force that shapes
higher education of today and tomorrow.]
Gundlach, Michael
J. & Suzanne Zivnuska. 2010.
"An Experiential Learning Approach To Teaching Social Entrepreneurship,
Triple Bottom Line, And Sustainability: Modifying And Extending Practical
Organizational Behavior Education (PROBE)," American Journal of Business
Education, v3n1 (Jan 2010):19-28. [When
teaching social entrepreneurship and sustainability, using an experiential
learning approach can be more effective than a traditional lecture approach.
Social and environmental entrepreneurs often have a deep passion for their work
that is important for students to develop early in their careers. Experiential
learning enables students to create and experience this passion for themselves,
thereby preparing them with the motivational and emotional resources they may
need to be successful in the future. We introduce Practical Organizational
Behavior Education (PROBE) as one way of helping students develop this passion.
PROBE was originally developed as a service-learning project for an
undergraduate course in organizational behavior at a very small, private
university. However, in this manuscript, we show how PROBE can be modified and
extended to effectively teach business students about triple bottom line
concepts, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship at the undergraduate and
MBA levels within a large, public university system. We provide practical
suggestions for instructors interested in implementing this approach in a broad
variety of settings.]
Hansmann, Ralf
& Harald A Mieg & Peter M Frischknecht. 2011. "Qualifications for Contributing to
Sustainable Development: A Survey of Environmental Sciences Graduates," Gaia,
v19n4 (2010): 278-286. [A survey of Environmental
Sciences graduates from ETH Zurich was conducted to gain insights into their
sustainability-oriented activities. 567 participants provided 672 concrete
best-practice examples of their professional contributions to sustainable
development. The contributions addressed ecological, economic, and social
aspects of sustainability, and 47 percent of them attempted to systematically
integrate these dimensions. Responsible use of resources and the protection of
the natural environment were the main foci of the examples, and many promoted
health and safety of the public or enhanced the innovative power of the
economy. Qualifications denoted as helpful for realizing the contributions
included broad natural scientific knowledge and ecological systems
understanding, as well as in-depth knowledge in specific fields or domains of
application. Participants thus judged their interdisciplinary environmental
science education as advantageous compared to conventional disciplinary
programs. Social and communication skills, in particular for convincing
communication, also proved important for realizing the examples.]
Hayward, Graeme
& Alan Diduck & Bruce Mitchell. 2007. "Social Learning Outcomes in the Red River Floodway
Environmental Assessment," Environmental Practice, v9n4 (Dec
2007): 239-250. [Resource and environmental
managers are increasingly facing problems characterized by high degrees of
ecological and social complexity, uncertainty and indeterminacy, and conflicts
over values and interests. Moreover, they are often faced with the need to
generate positive change in dynamic social-ecological systems. Comprehensive,
rational management approaches have often failed to respond effectively to
these types of problems. In response, policy makers and managers are
increasingly relying on social learning approaches, i.e., adaptive and
participatory approaches that facilitate learning by the individuals and
organizations involved in resource and environmental governance. In this
article, we examine social learning outcomes from the participation of two
community organizations in the environmental assessment (EA) of a proposal to
expand the Red River Floodway, a 48-km channel that diverts floodwaters around
Winnipeg, Canada. The research design was a qualitative, comparative case study
involving a review of documents, semi-structured interviews, and direct
observation at meetings, open houses, and public hearings. The study findings
demonstrate how EA public involvement processes can provide excellent
opportunities for single-loop learning in community organizations. Through
their involvement, the organizations in question deepened their knowledge,
honed their skills, and made substantive contributions to the assessment
process. The findings also suggest that public involvement processes can result
in double-loop social learning conducive to sustainability. An important
catalyst for the double-loop experience in this case was the provision of
intervener funding. The findings also shed light on the organizational
structure variables essential to create capacity for social learning in
community organizations.]
Hopkinson, Peter
& Peter James. 2010. "Practical
pedagogy for embedding ESD in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
curricula," International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education,
v11n4 (2010): 365-379. [Purpose -
The purpose of this paper is to review and highlight some recent examples of
embedding education for sustainable development (ESD), within science and
related curricula in ways that are meaningful and relevant to staff and
students and reflect on different embedding strategies and discourses.
Design/methodology/approach - A review of recent selected UK and international
teaching and learning practice drawing on an expert workshop and link to wider
debates about student competencies and embedding ESD in the curriculum.
Findings - There are a number of practical ways of bringing sustainable
development into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
related subjects. Successful implementation requires linking teaching
activities to the core activities of the STEM discipline. Reformist approaches
to curriculum re-orientation are more likely to be successful than calls for
radical, transformational models. Practical implications - Embedding ESD into the
core curricula of STEM subjects is potentially difficult. This paper highlights
practical ways of doing this which can be adopted and introduced within the
mainstream of STEM curricula and have a greater chance of being taken up than
bolt-on approaches. Originality/value - The treatment of ESD in STEM subjects
is relatively under-developed compared to social sciences, humanities and
subjects allied to environment. The economic and social significance of STEM
subjects means that STEM-related subjects are integral to sustainable
development and therefore STEM education must be re-oriented to sustainable
development.]
McNaughton, Marie J. 2004. "Educational Drama In the Teaching of Education for Sustainability," Environmental Education Research, v10n2 (May 2004): 139-155. [In this paper, I describe part of my research project that examines the use of Educational Drama in Education for Sustainability in the upper stages of the primary school (10- and 11-year-olds). Central to the research is a small-scale qualitative research study. Here, I describe the educational focus of the study and outline the methodology. Central to the study was a series of drama lessons (taught by me) based on environmental themes. The lessons link with some of the key aims in Education for Sustainability-to help young people to develop awareness, knowledge and concepts, to encourage positive attitudes and personal lifestyle decisions and to help them to acquire action skills in and for the environment. The locus is within the Scottish education system. A number of key data were generated during the teaching and evaluation of the lessons. These take the form of field notes, children's evaluations of their work and learning, observation schedules, taped interviews with participants and observers and videotapes of the lessons. The analysis of the data is ongoing, but already there is substantial evidence to suggest that the drama was instrumental in helping the children to achieve the learning outcomes set for the lessons. Some of that evidence is presented here. I suggest that the active, participative learning central to drama is particularly useful for allowing children to develop skills in communication, collaboration and expressing ideas and opinions. Also, the immersion in the imagined context and narrative, integral to the 'stories' in the drama, allows the children to feel sympathy for and empathy with people who are affected by environmental issues and problems. In giving the children a context for research and in helping them to plan solutions and to suggest alternatives, the drama allows the participants opportunities to rehearse active citizenship and facilitates learning in Education for Sustainability.]
Mochizuki, Yoko
& Zinaida Fadeeva. 2010.
"Competences for sustainable development and sustainability:Significance
and challenges for ESD," International Journal of Sustainability in Higher
Education, v11n4 (2010): 391-403. [Purpose -
The purpose of this paper is to draw attention of the education for sustainable
development (ESD) community to recent discussions on competence approaches and
to examine the adequacy of a competence-based model as the means of achieving
educational and societal transformation towards sustainability. The paper
analyses and highlights some important aspects of case studies of the
contributing authors to the special issue. Design/methodology/approach - The
paper is based on the review of relevant literature and reflections on the
articles that constitute this special issue. It also reflects the authors'
observations through their extensive interactions with theoreticians,
practitioners and policy makers on ESD in the context of the United Nations decade
of education for sustainable development (DESD) and higher education for
sustainable development (HESD). Findings - The paper recognises a highly
complex nature of the conceptualizations of competences for SD and their
articulation in educational programmes. It also highlights a growing interest
in competence-based approaches from institutions of higher education and their
stakeholders in different parts of the world. Practical implications - The
paper provides a broad picture of influential international processes and
diverse players driving competence-based approaches in ESD and indicates a need
for more coherent critical multi-level analysis of such processes.
Originality/value - The paper contributes to a broader debate on strategies of
implementation of ESD and education for sustainability (EfS) by mapping
arguments on competences for SD and sustainability with a particular focus on
higher education institutions.]
Musacchio,
Laura R. 2009. "The
scientific basis for the design of landscape sustainability: A conceptual
framework for translational landscape research and practice of designed
landscapes and the six Es of landscape sustainability," Landscape Ecology,
v24n8 (Oct 2009): 993-1013. [Landscape researchers and
practitioners, using the lens of sustainability science, are breaking new
ground about how people's behaviors and actions influence the structure,
function, and change of designed landscapes in an urbanizing world. The
phrase--the scientific basis of the design for landscape sustainability--is
used to describe how sustainability science can contribute to translational
landscape research and practice about the systemic relationships among
landscape sustainability, people's contact with nature, and complex place-based
problems. In the first section of this article, important definitions about the
scientific basis of the design for landscape sustainability are reviewed
including the six Es of landscape sustainability--environment, economic,
equity, aesthetics, experience, and ethics. A conceptual framework about the
six Es of landscape sustainability for designed landscapes is introduced. The
interrelatedness, opportunities, contradictions, and limitations of the
conceptual framework are discussed in relation to human health/security, ecosystem
services, biodiversity, and resource management. The conceptual framework about
the six Es of landscape sustainability for designed landscapes follows the
tradition in which landscape researchers and practitioners synthesize emerging
trends into conceptual frameworks for advancing basic and applied activities.]
Myers
Jr., Olin Eugene & Almut Beringer. 2010. "Sustainability in Higher Education: Psychological Research
for Effective Pedagogy," The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, v40n2
(2010): 51-77. [[William Perry]
(1970/1998, 1981; see also Belenky et al., 1986) characterized nine
psychological "positions," with developmental steps happening between them.
Perry found that many students enter college in the stage he called "dualism/received
knowledge" (which he numbered position 2; position 1 is a pure hypothetical
form of absolutism). As in all the Perry positions, a particular form of
thinking characterizes these students in terms of their stance on both
epistemological and value matters (Table 1). "Dualism/ received knowledge" is
characterized by a belief in "right/wrong" answers that are known to
authorities and experts. These students see their task as learning the "right"
solutions to questions and problems. As their college encounter with diverse
authorities and perspectives continues, students' thinking is later
characterized by "multiplicity/ subjective knowledge" (position 3). Students no
longer see the world of truth and values in such black-or-white terms. They now
realize there are conflicting answers, so trusting one's inner truth and not
relying on external authority becomes legitimate. In "relativism/procedural
knowledge" (position 4), students evaluate how authorities define their areas
of subject matter, generate questions, and justify their assertions. Further
intellectual-ethical development lies in the direction of "contextual
relativism" (position 5), while later positions (6 to 9), including "commitment
in relativism/constructed knowledge," have a more ethical flavour.]
Nicol, David J. & Debra Macfarlane-Dick. 2005. "Formative Assessment and Self-regulated Learning: A Model and Seven Principles of Good Feedback Practice," Studies In Higher Education, (2005). [The research on formative assessment and feedback is re-interpreted to show how these processes can help students take control of their own learning – i.e. become self-regulated learners. This reformulation is used to identify seven principles of good feedback practice that support self-regulation. A key argument is that students are already assessing their own work and generating their own feedback and that higher education should build on this ability. The research underpinning each feedback principle is presented and some examples of easy-to-implement feedback strategies are briefly described. This shift in focus, whereby students are seen as having a proactive rather than a reactive role in generating and using feedback, has profound implications for the way in which teachers organise assessments and support learning.]
Okonkwo,
Charity. 2010. "Rethinking
and restructuring an assessment system via effective deployment of technology,"
International Journal of Education and Development using Information and
Communication Technology, v6n2 (2010): (15 pp.) [Every instructional process involves a strategic
assessment system for a complete teaching - learning circle. Assessment system
which is seriously challenged calls for a change in the approach. The National
Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) assessment system at present is challenged.
The large number of students and numerous courses offered by NOUN as an open
and distance learning institution make assessment very cumbersome and an
administrative nightmare. This paper has employed descriptive approach in
studying the nature and various directions of challenges associated with NOUN
assessment. These challenges are related to conduct of examination such as
question paper, finance, manpower, collation of results and release of
meaningful results. The study explores how technology envisaged to ameliorate
these challenges can effectively be employed to restructure assessment in NOUN.
Issues relevant for effective deployment of technology in restructuring like
question bank, logistic operations, operational processes of technology and
formal registration of students for assessment are discussed for ease of
implementation. Implications for the use of technology in assessment are presented.
Cogent recommendations are made for effectiveness of the system. In sum, the
deployment of technology is a viable sustainable strategy open to NOUN to
effectively manage the burden of assessment of students' learning outcomes.]
Pepper, Coral & Helen Wildy. 2008. "Leading for Sustainability: Is Surface Understanding Enough?" Journal of Educational Administration, v46n5 (2008): 613-629 [This paper aims to report an investigation of how education for sustainability is conceptualised, incorporated across the curriculum and led in three Western Australian Government secondary schools. It also reports on processes to enable education for sustainability to become embedded into these schools. Data for the research were gathered through semi-structured interviews with teachers who were reputedly leading education for sustainability. With the exception of one participant, the concept of education for sustainability is not widely embraced in the schools of this study. Instead participants focus only on the environmental aspect of sustainability. Again, with the exception of one participant, education for sustainability remains fragmented and vulnerable to changing school conditions. Leadership of education for sustainability occurs whimsically and with little vision for the future across this study with little evidence of alliance building or collaboration among colleagues. The paper concludes that leading for sustainability requires a combination of a deep knowledge of sustainability; forward thinking and the ability to imagine a different future; the interpersonal and networking skills to build strong relationships; and the energy and capability of taking action to achieve the imagined different future.]
Petocz, Peter
& Peter Dixon. 2011. "Sustainability
and Ethics: Graduate Dispositions in Business Education," Asian Social
Science, v7n4 (Apr 2011): 18-25. [In this
paper we investigate sustainability and ethics as graduate dispositions for
students of business in the early 21st century. We base our theoretical
position on recent research investigating students' and lecturers' conceptions
of sustainability and ethics. We apply this to the practical pedagogical
problem of helping students to engage with the notions of sustainability and
ethics in their business classes. In this, we use our recent experiences with a
project investigating the development and embedding of graduate skills in the
business curriculum and, more specifically, with a three-day workshop for
business students run by our team during the course of this project. We draw
conclusions about dispositional learning and suggest practical ways in which
this can be advanced.]
Podger, Dimity
Margaret & Elena Mustakova-Possardt & Anna Reid. 2010. "A whole-person approach to educating
for sustainability," International Journal of Sustainability in Higher
Education, v11n4 (2010): 339-352. [Purpose -
The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of a whole-person approach
to educating for sustainability (EfS), with a focus on persons' identity,
motivation and higher order dispositions. To propose that approach as an
alternative to the prevalent focus on specific capabilities and competencies in
higher education for sustainability. The paper brings to bear psychological
research on the development of critical moral consciousness, research on
dispositions for learning in higher education, and field research on
spiritually inspired service-learning. Design/methodology/approach - In this
paper, critical analysis is undertaken on the discourses that represent two
fields of study in order to explore the application of the theory of the
ontogenesis of "critical moral consciousness". The model is applied to two
discrete areas to consider implications for higher education - field research
on grass-root Baha'i-inspired service-learning and EfS, and students involved
in design education. Findings - The findings suggest that a whole-person
approach to EfS may yield more fruitful societal and personal benefits than
traditional, and predominantly, behavioural approaches. Research
limitations/implications - The paper only refers to two case studies. One case
study is of a faith based organisation used to represent a whole-person
approach to EfS in a social context. It could be that the findings of this case
are influenced by perceptions of religious activity (for both authors and
readers). The second case study is of a particulate discipline area - design.
Whilst the findings represent learners in the design context, it may be that
learners in different contexts have different (or similar) results.
Originality/value - Sustainability has now become a common orientation for
learning. The paper contributes conceptual understanding of the types of
dispositions higher education needs to foster, as well as congruent pedagogies,
in order to nurture human motivations necessary to advance sustainability. In
particular, there is a need for EfS to focus on the cultivation of critical
moral consciousness and higher order dispositions as a specific orientation
towards studies, work, and social interactions.]
Pontikis, Kyriakos
& Allen Martin & Yi Cai & Jongeun Kim & Wei Cao & Angie
Giordano & Setareh Torabian-Riasati. 2011. "Sustainability in Teaching, Research, and Community Practice:
The FCS Department at California State University, Northridge," Journal of
Family and Consumer Sciences, v103n2 (Spring 2011): 40-46. [The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how a
large comprehensive family and consumer sciences unit has incorporated
sustainability into its curriculum and research agenda. It summarizes how each
area within the department (Interior Design, Apparel Design and Merchandising,
Consumer Affairs, Family Studies, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science) has
been addressing sustainability concepts. It also explains how faculty came
together to offer a co-taught seminar that combines sustainability concepts
across the department. A brief description of this seminar, including learning
objectives and outcome measures, is presented. This article offers an agenda
for departmental curricular and research activities-some of which are student
centered or collaborations among faculty-that incorporate sustainability
knowledge and practices within the local and global communities.]
Rubin, Kyna. 2009. "Globalizing General Education," International Educator, v18n5 (Sep/Oct 2009): 20-24,26-29. [In the twenty-first century, few updated mission statements omit the goal of giving young people the skills and knowledge they need to understand other cultures and compete in the global workforce. Providing Global Education at Home Equipping U.S. college students to become effective world citizens and workers begins with a general internationalization of U.S. campuses. The presence of international students on campuses as well as international scholars teaching and conducting research at institutions outside of their home countries has traditionally been one method of campus internationalization - encouraging a more global perspective.]
Segalas, J. & D. Ferrer-Balas & K.F. Mulder. 2008. "Conceptual Maps: Measuring Learning Processes of Engineering Students Concerning Sustainable Development," European Journal of Engineering Education, v33n3 (Jun 2008): 297-306. [In the 1990s, courses on sustainable development (SD) were introduced in technological universities. After some years of practice, there is increased interest in the evaluation of the most effective ways for teaching SD. This paper introduces the use of conceptual maps as a tool to measure the knowledge acquired by students when taking a Sustainability course. Pilot measurements have been made to evaluate the concepts and their interrelations in order to evaluate the students' learning. These measurements were carried out using a sample of more than 700 European students. To measure the learning outcomes of courses, the evaluation is done twice. Before the course starts, the students' previous knowledge on sustainability is measured; once the students have completed the course they are evaluated again. By comparing conceptual maps drawn by each student, the improvement of the students' knowledge is evaluated. This paper shows the measuring process, and points out the suitability of using conceptual maps for research in education. Moreover, the correlation between the learning outcomes the pedagogical techniques used in each course may indicate the effectiveness of the pedagogical strategies in education for sustainable development]
Sibbel, Anne. 2009. "Pathways Towards Sustainability Through Higher
Education," International Journal of Sustainability in
Higher Education, v10n1 (2009): 68-82. [Purpose - The aim of this
paper is to contribute to aligning higher education towards meeting the
challenge of global sustainability. Design/methodology/approach - The barriers
to sustainability are juxtaposed against the resources, responsibilities and
potential of higher education. Ideas from several models and from within
several disciplines are integrated to construct a framework through the
challenges can be examined and then translated into learning outcomes,
expressed as graduate attributes. Findings - The focus of education for global
sustainability has been on encouraging consumers to modify patterns of resource
consumption and waste management. However, there are some significant
limitations to relying on consumer action. Future professionals, involved in
managing resources or designing options from which consumers make choices, are
in a much better position for influencing how social, cultural and
environmental resources are used. To actualise this potential requires that
higher education curricula offer experiences which develop graduate attributes
of self-efficacy, capacity for effective advocacy and interdisciplinary
collaboration, as well as raise awareness of social and moral responsibilities
associated with professional practice. Research limitations/implications - For
higher education to contribute towards achieving sustainability requires
support of the whole institution, and considerable professional development of
staff to help them appreciate how they can lead the next generation to global
sustainability. The next stage of the research into the role of higher
education in building a sustainable society should focus on how these
objectives can be achieved. Originality/value - Considerable research has been
dedicated to describing the urgent and intractable nature of the problems
facing the global community and, to some extent, the need for higher education
to engage with these problems. This paper takes the next step by presenting
some guidelines for designing curricula to develop graduate attributes required
for this work.]
Sipos, Yona
& Bryce Battisti & Kurt Grimm. 2008. " Achieving Transformative Sustainability Learning:
Engaging Head, Hands and Heart," Journal of
Sustainability in Higher Education, v9n1 (2008): 68-86. [Purpose - The
current UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development echoes many
scholars' calls to re-envision education for sustainability. Short of a
complete overhaul of education, the paper seeks to propose learning objectives
that can be integrated across existing curricula. These learning objectives are
organized by head, hands and heart - balancing cognitive, psychomotor and
affective domains. University programs and courses meeting these learning
objectives exhibit an emergent property here termed transformative
sustainability learning (TSL). Design/methodology/approach - Theoretically, TSL
grew from traditions of sustainability education and transformative education.
Practically, TSL emerged from experimental learning collaborations sponsored by
the University of British Columbia in 2003 and 2004 in an effort to enable
explicit transitions to sustainability-oriented higher education. Primarily
through action research, these community-based, applied learning experiences
constituted cyclical processes of innovation, implementation and reflection.
Findings - The paper finds: advancement of head, hands and heart as an
organizing principle by which to integrate transdisciplinary study (head);
practical skill sharing and development (hands); and translation of passion and
values into behaviour (heart); development of a cognitive landscape for
understanding TSL as a unifying framework amongst related sustainability and
transformative pedagogies that are inter/transdisciplinary, practical and/or
place-based; creation of learning objectives, organized to evaluate a course or
program's embodiment of TSL. Originality/value - By enabling change within
existing structures of higher education, the paper complements and contributes
to more radical departures from the institution. The work to date demonstrates
potential in applying this learning framework to courses and programs in higher
education.]
Stephens, Jennie
C. & Maria E. Hernandez & Mikael Rom‡n & Amanda C. Graham &
Roland W. Scholz. 2008."Higher Education As A Change Agent
for Sustainability In Different Cultures and Contexts,"
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, v9n3 (2008):
317-338. [Purpose - The goal of this paper is to enhance consideration
for the potential for institutions of higher education throughout the world, in
different cultures and contexts, to be change agents for sustainability. As
society faces unprecedented and increasingly urgent challenges associated with
accelerating environmental change, resource scarcity, increasing inequality and
injustice, as well as rapid technological change, new opportunities for higher
education are emerging. Design/methodology/approach - The paper builds on the
emerging literature on transition management and identifies five critical issues
to be considered in assessing the potential for higher education as a change
agent in any particular region or place. To demonstrate the value of these
critical issues, exemplary challenges and opportunities in different contexts
are provided. Findings - The five critical issues include regional-specific
dominant sustainability challenges, financing structure and independence,
institutional organization, the extent of democratic processes, and
communication and interaction with society. Originality/value - Given that the
challenges and opportunities for higher education as a change agent are
context-specific, identifying, synthesizing, and integrating common themes is a
valuable and unique contribution.]
Stone,
Michael K. 2010. "A
Schooling for Sustainability Framework," Teacher Education Quarterly,
v37n4 (2010): 33-46. [David W. Orr of Oberlin
College describes the task facing educators: to teach students how they are
part of the natural world; to emphasize selfunderstanding and personal mastery;
to recognize the responsibility to use knowledge well in the world; to
understand the effects on people and communities of the application of
knowledge; to provide role models of integrity, care, and thoughtfulness in
institutions whose actions embody their ideals; to recognize that the process
of education is as important as its contents.1 Orr sits on the board of the
Center for Ecoliteracy -www.ecoliteracy.org-in Berkeley, California. Since its
founding in 1995 by Zenobia Barlow, Peter Buckley, and Fritjof Capra, this
public foundation's mission has been education for sustainable living. Since
the outstanding characteristic of the biosphere is its inherent ability to
sustain life, a sustainable community may be defined as one that is designed in
such a way that its ways of life, businesses, economy, physical structures, and
technologies respect, honor, and cooperate with nature's inherent ability to
sustain life.7 The capacity to create sustainable societies, in this
understanding, depends on ecological literacy-the ability to understand the
basic principles of ecology, coupled with the values, skills, and conviction to
act on that understanding.]
Svanstršm, Magdalena
& Francisco J. Lozano-Garc’a & Debra Rowe. 2008. "Learning outcomes for sustainable
development in higher education," International Journal of Sustainability in
Higher Education, v9n3 (2008): 339-351. [Purpose -
This paper sets out to discuss the commonalities that can be found in learning
outcomes (LOs) for education for sustainable development in the context of the
Tbilisi and Barcelona declarations. The commonalities include systemic or
holistic thinking, the integration of different perspectives, skills such as
critical thinking, change agent abilities and communication, and finally different
attitudes and values. Design/methodology/approach - An analysis of LOs that are
proposed in the Tbilisi and Barcelona declarations is conducted, showing
specific issues for the commonalities presented. Examples of LOs from Instituto
Tecnol—gico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in Mexico, as well as
various associations from the USA is shown. A brief discussion is done on the
means to achieve these LOs and learning evaluation. Findings - In the example
sets of LOs shown, the commonalities presented in the paper's first section
appear in the LOs proposed by the institutions. Based on current knowledge and
perception, sustainability is properly addressed in the examples. Practical
implications - The paper can be used to foster a wider discussion and analysis
of LOs for sustainability education, also further work on teachers' capacity
building for sustainability, as well as the assessment needed for future
professionals in higher education institutions. Originality/value - The paper
presents the onset of discussing and comparing commonalities among higher
education institutions regarding sustainability LOs.]
Svanstršm, Magdalena
& Francisco J. Lozano-Garc’a & Debra Rowe. 2008.
" Learning Outcomes for Sustainable
Development In Higher Education," International
Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, v9n3 (2008): 339-351.
[Purpose - This paper sets out to discuss the commonalities that can be found
in learning outcomes (LOs) for education for sustainable development in the
context of the Tbilisi and Barcelona declarations. The commonalities include
systemic or holistic thinking, the integration of different perspectives,
skills such as critical thinking, change agent abilities and communication, and
finally different attitudes and values. Design/methodology/approach - An
analysis of LOs that are proposed in the Tbilisi and Barcelona declarations is
conducted, showing specific issues for the commonalities presented. Examples of
LOs from Instituto Tecnol—gico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in
Mexico, as well as various associations from the USA is shown. A brief
discussion is done on the means to achieve these LOs and learning evaluation.
Findings - In the example sets of LOs shown, the commonalities presented in the
paper's first section appear in the LOs proposed by the institutions. Based on
current knowledge and perception, sustainability is properly addressed in the
examples. Practical implications - The paper can be used to foster a wider
discussion and analysis of LOs for sustainability education, also further work
on teachers' capacity building for sustainability, as well as the assessment
needed for future professionals in higher education institutions. Originality/value
- The paper presents the onset of discussing and comparing commonalities among
higher education institutions regarding sustainability LOs.]
Vincent, Shirley
& Will Focht. 2010. "Environmental
Reviews And Case Studies: In Search of Common Ground: Exploring Identity and
Core Competencies for Interdisciplinary Environmental Programs," Environmental
Practice, v12n1 (Mar 2010): 76-86. [The
National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) and other
constituencies have advocated the development of core competency guidelines for
environmental educational programs for many years. Despite the high level of
interest, no consensus has emerged on program identity that could lead to their
development. The lack of a clearly defined identity has threatened program
legitimacy and raised concerns about how well these programs are preparing
students for entry into the environmental profession. To address these
concerns, the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors, a group of academic
environmental program leaders operating under the auspices of the National
Council for Science and the Environment, launched a study to learn more about
extant program curricula and investigate the potential for reaching consensus
on core competence areas. In this article, we review selected findings from the
study to date and discuss their implications for the development of core
competency criteria. Despite differing perspectives on curriculum design, our
research indicates that programs share a common vision of program identity
congruent with sustainability. A review of employer and employee surveys and
reports from environmental professionals also point toward participation in and
understanding of sustainability processes as increasingly important components
of practice. Taken together, these findings indicate that sustainability could
serve as an overarching paradigm to inform the development of core knowledge
and skill competency recommendations for curriculum design.]
von
der Heidt, Tania & Geoff Lamberton. 2011. "Sustainability in the undergraduate
and postgraduate business curriculum of a regional university: A critical
perspective," Journal of Management and Organization, v17n5 (Sep
2011): 670-690. [The challenge to embed
sustainability in the formal curriculum has been greatest for the business
studies curriculum. Schools of business have been perceived as key socialising
agencies for the intelligentsia of advanced capitalist societies, whereas the
students of sustainability need to be helped to critique the dominant
capitalist paradigm and consider its alternatives. Drawing on a critical
perspective of education for sustainability, this paper presents a detailed
examination of the sustainability curriculum at a regional university in
Australia. The paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what
sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education
programs may need to change to develop these skills. In this way the nature of
the role that business schools should be playing in leading and managing change
towards sustainability is further informed.]
Vu, Tori
& Brendan Rigby & Leigh N Wood & Anne Daly. 2011. "Graduate Skills in Business Learning,"
Asian Social Science, v7n4 (Apr 2011): 2-11. [This article presents the background to a general
increase in interest in developing the graduate skills of undergraduates in
business in Australian universities. The change reflects the call from industry
for greater emphasis on these skills; changes in the existing skills of students
commencing a business education; and in the perceived role of universities in
developing their students' capacities. The aim of our project, "Embedding the
development and grading of generic skills across the business curriculum"
(EDGGS), was to develop new ways of successfully embedding these skills in the
curriculum. This article outlines the research methodology and presents our
project outcomes. The project has made a significant contribution to the
development of readily accessible material for the embedding of generic skills
in the business curriculum, as discussed in this and the other articles in this
Issue.]
Wood, Leigh
N. & Theda Thomas & Brendan Rigby. 2011. "Assessment and Standards for Graduate
Outcomes," Asian Social Science,
v7n4 (Apr 2011): 12-17. [Assessment
drives what students learn and standards drive industry. In this paper we link
the two and describe how we developed robust, practical standards for graduate
skills that can be used to design learning tasks and rubrics to assess learning
tasks. They act also as a clear statement to students about expectations for
their learning as well as to industry on the standard of the graduates that
universities are delivering.]