Abstract
This theoretical paper clarifies the concept of sustainability learning and specifically analyzes motivational aspects. Mastering the challenges of sustainability requires individual learning as well as learning processes on different levels of human systems ranging from groups and organizations to human societies, and mankind as a whole. Learning processes of individuals play a fundamental role, since individuals constitute and shape the larger social aggregates. Learning processes on the level of social aggregates are important since social systems embed and influence individuals. Therefore, sustainability learning needs to be understood as a multi-level concept, comprising individual learning as well as learning processes of human systems. Transdisciplinarity and mutual learning between science and society are considered fundamental approaches of sustainability learning, and hence increase the capacity of mankind to manage human-environment systems in sustainable ways. Based on systemic considerations, the two-fold role, in which motivations act as determinants and targeted outcomes of sustainability learning processes, is explained together with the outstanding role that cooperation, hence cooperative motivation, plays for sustainable development. Finally, the multifaceted, controversial discourses on what sustainability ultimately means (for the scientific community, for a given cultural or political entity, organization, or individual person) are considered.
Highlights
It is important to consider that promoting the motivation to act in sustainable ways represents itself an affective learning goal of sustainability learning
Motivation plays a crucial role in sustainability learning as an antecedent and moderating variable influencing the learning process, and, at the same time, needs to be understood as an educational objective of sustainability learning. This implies that both the motivation to act in sustainable ways, as well as the motivation to participate in further activities of sustainability learning, are important affective learning goals (Figure 1)
Sustainable development was defined by World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) [1] with reference to human needs, and approaches linking motivation to needs are interesting in the present context
Summary
Based on serious concerns about the deterioration of the environment and natural resources, the. Environmental literacy entails cognitive, social, value related, and behavioral aspects It refers to an ―individual‘s knowledge about, and attitudes toward, the environment and environmental issues; skills and motivation, to work toward the resolution of environmental problems and active involvement in working towards the maintenance of dynamic equilibrium between quality of life and quality of environment‖ The field of sustainability communication and education is growing and a diversification of settings, topics, and formats has been taking place [28,29] It addresses behaviors in domains directly related to environmental problems (e.g., mobility, energy and food consumption or waste disposal and recycling), as well as in a broad range of other societal relevant issues such as health care, respecting human rights, cultural tolerance, social justice, and prevention of crime. Affective objectives include positive emotional bounds to nature and other human beings and pro-sustainability values, attitudes, and motivations [36,37]
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