Teaching Sustainability

 

What It Is

William & Mary defines sustainability as “thinking long-term and inclusively to foster wise decisions towards a flourishing people and planet, for all time coming.” The United Nations defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” and focuses on 17 Sustainable Development Goals for “peace and prosperity” for all people.

This framework reflects the reality that resources are limited, and long-term goals should focus on the interconnected relationships between a healthy environment, social and political equity, and economic prosperity for current and future generations.

This Venn diagram depicts the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability:

venn diagram depicting sustainability intersections of environmental, social, and economic spheres of sustainability

Teaching about sustainability requires multidisciplinary, future-oriented projects relevant across the disciplines. It  lends itself toward engaging pedagogy like service or community learning, project-based learning, place-based learning, and collaborative inquiry. 

Why It Matters

Sustainability education requires collaborative, multidisciplinary, systems-oriented solutions to solve wicked problems like climate change and resource scarcity. Instructors can empower students to develop the knowledge, skills, and mindsets to grapple with the interconnected challenges of our complex world. Colleges and universities expand knowledge through teaching and research in service to humanity, promoting sustainable ways of living through environmental stewardship, education, and service.

Through curriculum, research, facilities management, and community engagement, colleges and universities have the responsibility to educate the next generation and prepare them to guide society toward addressing the most pressing issues of our time.

 

Apply It 

1. Avoid overwhelm.  Global environmental crises can overwhelm students with the scale and complexity of the challenges creating eco-anxiety. This can lead to feelings of disengagement, disempowerment, pessimism, and resentment, disrupting learning.

2. Balance success stories and challenges. Discuss environmental policies, movements, and innovations that have effectively addressed sustainability issues. This can create climate hope, inspire students, and show them a path forward.

3. Facilitate peer engagement and support. Create opportunities for students to work together, problem-solve, and support one another through simulations or service learning projects. These experiences can help combat overwhelm and isolation. 

4. Empower students with data. Provide students with data and encourage them to analyze it themselves to improve their quantitative reasoning skills and investigate environmental issues with nuance.

5. Deconstruct environmental terminology. Examine the historical origins and uses of key environmental concepts, emphasizing sustainability as a discourse used by competing individuals, groups, and cultures. This promotes a more nuanced understanding of environmental issues.

6. Embrace interdisciplinary approaches. Collaborate with colleagues, bring in guest speakers, or team teach across disciplines to bring multiple perspectives, comprehensive approaches, and critical understanding of issues related to environmental sustainability. 

7. Equip students with systems thinking skills.  Explore  the complex connections between sustainability and the broader social and ecological context to help students conceptualize the problem from all angles. 

8. Make it local. Place-based education focusing on where students live and the influence of sustainability practices on their lives makes the issue easier to understand while offering opportunities for agency.

Resources

References

Abo-Khalil, A. G. (2024). Integrating sustainability into higher education challenges and opportunities for universities worldwide. Heliyon, 10(9), Article e29946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29946

Demssie, Y. N., Biemans, H. J. A., Wesselink, R., & Mulder, M. (2023). Fostering students’ systems thinking competence for sustainability by using multiple real-world learning approaches. Environmental Educational Research, 29(2), 261-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2141692

Gutherie, C. (2024). Teaching systems thinking for sustainable development in business schools: A hands-on project using the online news. Decision Sciences, 22(4), 233-244. https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12324

Seatter C. S., & Ceulemans, K. (2017). Teaching sustainability in higher education: Pedagogical styles that make a difference. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 47(2), 47-70. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1154160.pdf

Viqueira, P. (2023, May 23). Why does sustainability matter in the higher education sector? Odgers Berndtson. https://www.odgersberndtson.com/en-us/insights/why-does-sustainability-matter-in-the-higher-education-sector

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). Sustainability primer: A guide for using sustainability in decision making. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-05/documents/sustainability_primer_v7.pdf

Cite This Resource

Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. (2024, November). Teaching sustainability [Teaching resource]. https://linkhere.com

Updated 11/2024