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Foundations of Sustainability Pedagogy

Sustainability Institute

Overview

Sustainability, one of the most urgent issues of our time, is a distinctly multi-disciplinary topic. It addresses interconnected ecological, social, governance and economic systems and the complex problems that arise from their interactions. Sustainability poses a significant challenge to the traditional division of knowledge in higher education, requiring us to embrace new forms of collaborative and transdisciplinary learning. 

Sustainability pedagogy is a transformative, learner-centered approach that aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to examine these complex interconnections and problems. By emphasizing competencies such as systems thinking, futures thinking, values and ethical reasoning, strategic thinking and collaboration across disciplines, students are supported to analyze “wicked” problems—messy, real-world problems that have no clear or simple solutions.

Integrating sustainability into existing courses enables learners across disciplines—including science, engineering, economics, design, writing, mathematics, and the social sciences—to explore how their fields contribute to understanding and addressing major societal challenges, from a local to global scale. Instructors implementing sustainability pedagogy frequently incorporate active learning and experiential teaching strategies (e.g., case studies, systems mapping, project- or problem-based learning, community-engaged teaching, inquiry-based learning) that promote participation and ownership of learning while connecting course concepts to real-world contexts.

Through sustainability pedagogy, we can empower students to become change agents who consider long term consequences, design thoughtful solutions and take action for a more just and sustainable future. Ohio State instructors from any discipline who wish to enhance student engagement and learning through sustainability-focused teaching practices are encouraged to participate in this endorsement program.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

  • Create Sustainability Pedagogy-focused instructional objectives and integrate them into their courses.
  • Align course learning outcomes with activities designed to integrate Sustainability Pedagogy teaching strategies and competencies
  • Share examples of enhanced student engagement and learning that resulted from implementing Sustainability Pedagogy.
  • Integrate sustainability concepts and perspectives into existing course content in ways that reflect both discipline-specific contexts and multi- or transdisciplinary connections.

Program Requirements

This teaching endorsement is structured around a community of practice (CoP) with a cohort size of approximately 20-particpants. The CoP takes place each spring with recruitment to occur during the previous Autumn semester. The CoP will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no restrictions on who may participate. This opportunity is open to individuals on the Columbus campus as well as on regional campuses. 

Once selected, participants in the Foundations of Sustainability CoP will be enrolled in an online asynchronous CarmenCanvas course. They will also be assigned a coach who has participated in a previous CoP and have the option to attend check-in meetings throughout the semester. The details of requirements for each Carmen course module are listed below. 

 
Carmen Course ModuleDetails
1: Developing a Foundational Understanding of Sustainability CompetenciesObtain an overview of and foundation for the Sustainability Competencies and the 6 Dimensions of Sustainability
2: Using Sustainability Competencies to Enhance Elements of Your Course

Participants will choose one of the following projects to work on:

  • Focus on becoming more familiar with activities and active learning strategies with a plan to incorporate them into a sustainability-focused course
  • Create a high-impact practice Sustainability Project for your students for a particular sustainability-focused course (i.e. a project involving undergraduate research, community engagement, study abroad, ePortfolios utilizing Pebblepad, or project-based learning)
  • Redesign an assessment for one of your sustainability-focused courses
  • Provide resources to help with each choice. Consult with SI for resources. Participants will receive feedback from coaches on their proposal form. 
3:  Pedagogical Practices to Improve Your Teaching of Sustainability

Participants will receive feedback from coaches.

Key Competencies: Practical Approaches to Teaching Sustainability. Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

4:  Professional Development Opportunities for Project Development

Participants will select TWO of the following professional development activities that will assist in designing their project choice:

  • Drake Institute Learning Opportunities (choose from the following list)
    • On-Demand Learning Opportunities:
      • Active Learning with Technology
      • Designing Assignments for your Online Course
      • Enhancing Program Assessment with Carmen Outcomes and Nuventive
      • Supporting Program Improvement through Nuventive and Carmen Outcomes
      • Using Carmen Outcomes for Course and Program Assessment
    • Drake Institute workshops are offered on a rotating basis.  Check the Workshops and Events page to see what's offered each semester:
      • Adopting Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs): Simple Evidence-Based Strategies for Learning Through Assessment
      • An Introduction to Evidence-Based Active Learning
      • Course Design for Experiential Learning
      • Designing Assignments for Teaching about and with Generative AI
      • Evidence-Based Active Learning: Gallery Walk
      • Evidence-Based Active Learning: Jigsaw
      • Facilitating Effective Classroom Discussions
      • Fundamentals of Experiential Learning
      • Getting Started with ePortfolio Assignments
      • Immersive Active Learning Workshop Series
      • The Minute Paper and Muddiest Point Assessment for Learning Strategies
      • Multiple Choice Questions: Assessment, Analysis and Scholarship
      • Planning Active Learning for This Semester
      • Reflective Writing: Assignment Design and Assessment
      • Taking Active Learning Strategies to the Next Level
      • Transparency in Learning and Teaching: Tilting Assignments Toward Student Achievement
      • Transparency: Exemplars in Rubrics
      • Using Case Studies to Enhance Student Learning
      • Using Top Hat to Promote Active Learning in the Classroom
  • Article reflections (listed on Carmen)
  • Other Sustainability Programs offered at Ohio State – approved by CoP manager
5:  Final StepsComplete all steps to be eligible to apply for the Foundations of Sustainability Pedagogy Teaching Endorsement
 

Verification

The final teaching endorsement application will require you to upload a completion of criteria document obtained from the manager of the Community of Practice.

 

 

Interest Form

Complete an optional contact form.

Teaching Endorsement Application

Submit your final application after completing all criteria.