Fostering interest in sustainable development with the Global Goals Design Jam – Testing its effectiveness with a mixed methods design

Abstract

Global crises require education to stimulate innovative changes towards a more sustainable development. The Global Goals Design Jam, an educational format rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and guided by design thinking principles, seems to serve as a promising platform for this purpose. The present study posited that participating in a Global Goals Design Jam may serve as an inspiring and motivating introduction to the concept of sustainability and the SDGs. A survey with qualitative and quantitative elements was completed by 381 participants, comprising teachers, college students, upper school students, and middle school students who had taken part in a Global Goals Design Jam. The questionnaire aimed to gauge participants’ levels of intrinsic motivation during the event, their general (whether positive or negative) perception of the event, and their inclination to partake in future Global Goals Design Jams. Moreover, a meta-analysis comprising 17 studies and 37 samples that implemented the German questionnaire ‘Kurzskala intrinsischer Motivation’ (KIM), a short scale measuring intrinsic motivation, was conducted. Results showed that two-thirds of respondents viewed the Global Goals Design Jam positively, with teachers and college students having more positive attitudes than school students. The desire to participate in future Global Goals Design Jams was strongly related to the level of interest/enjoyment and value/usefulness perceived during the event. The average level of intrinsic motivation observed in this study matched the levels reported in other studies. In summary, as an educational format, the Global Goals Design Jam provides an effective entry point into transformative education for sustainable development (ESD). The challenge lies in turning this positive initiation into a long-term commitment that fosters high motivation, positive emotional experiences, and a sense of empowerment to drive meaningful change.