Sustainability 101: Guiding Students on a Sustainability Journey

Abstract

There have been many rigorous discussions about the purpose of sustainability education and the sets of learning objectives, learning outcomes or competencies that will best serve this purpose. Some scholars contend that sustainability education should raise awareness and disseminate knowledge to encourage students to change their attitudes and behaviours, which reflects instrumental goals and a behaviourist learning approach. Contending that education is not about filling empty minds, however, critics of this approach call for emancipatory goals and a more constructivist learning approach that emphasizes capacity development. In common with education in other disciplines, this includes the development of critical thinking. Pointing to the distinct nature of sustainability, many scholars also contend that sustainability education should develop special competencies, such as systems thinking, values and strategic thinking. As a result of these and other discussions, many different learning objectives have been proposed for sustainability education. Since a single program or course cannot include all of these learning objectives, curriculum planners and educators need to choose them carefully. This choice is important because it influences what is taught, how it is taught, and what kinds of knowledge, capacities and dispositions students may develop as a result of their education. In turn, this can impact how well-prepared students will be for sustainability challenges. The purpose of this research was to look at the selection of learning objectives in a sample of introductory sustainability undergraduate courses in higher education institutions in the United States and Canada. Qualitative research methods were used to explore what this choice indicates about the broader educational goals of these courses. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with 20 instructors of introductory sustainability undergraduate courses. Interview transcripts and course syllabi were iteratively coded and thematically analyzed to develop categories of learning objectives and identify themes. Key findings indicate that these courses aimed to do more than raise awareness or disseminate information about sustainability. They were also concerned with developing students’ capacities and dispositions to think, to understand the nature and root causes of sustainability problems, to reflect on their roles in addressing problems, and to apply their knowledge in their own lives. Common learning objectives included the development of critical thinking, systems thinking, values thinking, strategic thinking and interpersonal competence. Student engagement and empowerment were also important objectives. Three themes emerged in the analysis of learning objectives: fostering a different way of thinking, fostering the vision and drive to engage in sustainability, and putting theory into practice. Some interview comments suggested that transformative learning could also be an aspirational goal in some courses. Overall, these results suggest that introductory sustainability courses have the potential to provide an initial orientation on sustainability that may help guide students on a personal sustainability journey.