Sustainability-related Courses Research Articles

Exploring the Case: Social Justice in the Hospitality Industry – Better Pay Equals Better Employees and a Better Hotel

Introduction The Parkside Hotel in Victoria, Canada faced an issue of how to deal with high staff turnover, employee dissatisfaction and increasing minimum wage. This case outlines the issues surrounding labour shortages and how to address sustainability challenges that required investment in order to address increasing business risk. This case is appropriate for marketing, strategy and sustainability-related courses. The case will be particularly useful for students who wish to gain experience in strategy or complex issues relating to business and sustainability. The case will allow students to understand the role a company or organization can play in a larger stakeholder and legal context. It will also aid understanding of the role of shareholders, not just stakeholders, and demonstrate the importance of core business values as a means of doing good, not just doing well.

EffSET: a Self-Evaluation Tool to Assess the Effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) plays a prominent part in the process of building the ethical, responsible, and sustainable consciousness of future generations and in addressing the sustainability challenge that society is facing. Nevertheless, very few methodologies have been developed to assess the effectiveness of sustainable and responsible teaching, so far. EffSET is a qualitative and quantitative instrument which was developed to enable Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and instructors to classify and analyse their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability related courses and teaching concepts according to different criteria. The tool is also intended for benchmarking courses and HEIs in time (i.e. against previous years’ evaluation) and space (i.e. against comparable courses/HEIs) and to become an instrument to foster debate on ESD within and outside the institution. The idea behind EffSET is that a holistic perspective that involves, in an inclusive approach, values, strategy, operations, activities, stakeholders, structures, etc. of the HEIs and considers inputs and knowledge from different field of studies must sustain CSR/sustainability curricula/course if an effective impact on students’ long-term ethical, sustainable, and responsible behaviour is the envisaged learning outcome. This paper introduces EffSET and discusses its methodology. Preliminary results from very first applications are, also, showed.

University as a Living Learning Lab for Sustainable Futures

“Leading University Creating Innovation for Sustainable Future”, the vision of Siam University, reflects our commitment to ensure that all learners acquire necessary mindset, skills, values, and knowledge to become co-creators of a more sustainable futures. The vision has been implemented in a whole institution approach. Faculty members, staff, and students are encouraged to integrate sustainable development and SDGs in their academic, research, and engagement activities. The latest survey showed that 2,023 out of 2,152 courses (94%) provided in the academic year of 2020 had integrated SDGs in their content and class activities. In addition, our general education program has been redesigned to serve as “Living Learning Lab (LLL)” for sustainable development projects. This revised program offers many sustainability and sustainability-related courses. They are designed to be interdisciplinary in nature. Teaching-learning activities with emphasis on “living lab” as well as experiential and project-based learning are introduced through team teaching. LLL encourages faculty members and students to work as partners for sustainable development in the surrounding communities which serve as our social living labs. During Covid-19 pandemic, we have to redesign this LLL and rethink from the learnt lessons. Nevertheless, it is our belief that these practices in the “living learning lab” will foster needed sustainability competencies leading to sustainable futures.Keyword: living learning lab, learning ecosystem, sustainable development, sustainability competencies, general education

Assessing sustainability knowledge for undergraduate students in different academic programs and settings

PurposeAs sustainability teaching and learning rises in importance, an increasing number of higher education institutions (HEIs) are assessing the effectiveness of their approach to sustainability education. However, most assessments fall short in determining the impacts of curriculum plans on learning outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of curricula on undergraduate sustainability knowledge and assess opportunities for improving sustainability education in HEIs.Design/methodology/approachA campus-wide survey deployed at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, (Cal Poly) solicited data identifying students’ sustainability knowledge score (SKS). The survey collected responses from undergraduate student groups enrolled in different curriculum plans under different academic settings.FindingsThis study reveals that Cal Poly honors students enrolled in a structured sustainability curriculum have significantly higher SKS than general students (i.e. nonhonors students) enrolled in random sustainability courses. Further, taking at least three sustainability-related courses significantly distinguishes SKS for general students. The results also show that SKS does not significantly differ across colleges, suggesting that additional sustainability education can benefit all students.Originality/valueFindings of this study provide statistical evidence to justify institutional efforts to integrate sustainability into existing courses, with the minimum requirement of three sustainability-related courses to make an impact on SKS for the general student population. Such efforts could represent the first steps toward developing sustainability education at a HEI and improving sustainability learning outcomes.

The Influence of Instructional Delivery Modality on Sustainability Literacy

As human environmental impacts have increased, so has the desirability of sustainable practices in multiple dimensions and at multiple scales. In this context, sustainability literacy has become a desirable outcome of higher education, driving the advance of sustainability as a core component of higher education institutions’ missions at local, regional, and global scales. However, little is known about the efficacy of different instructional delivery modalities of higher education courses in delivering desired outcomes of sustainability education. This study employed a quasi-experimental design to explore the relative influence of a limited range of instructional delivery modalities and sustainability content (study abroad/home campus and sustainability/non-sustainability) on growth of sustainability literacy among university students. Within each modality (study abroad or home campus), studying sustainability was associated with higher sustainability literacy scores than studying non-sustainability. However, studying non-sustainability courses abroad showed comparable growth in students’ sustainability literacy scores compared to studying sustainability on home campuses. These results support not only the idea that sustainability can be taught but also that study abroad, regardless of course content, may be at least as effective at increasing sustainability literacy as home campus sustainability-related courses.

Exploring the Case: Parkbus – A Sustainable Transport Solution for Both Residents and Visitors

Introduction The Parkbus case raises important questions about how tourism can be implemented more sustainably and highlights issues relating to eco-mobility in both access for marginalized groups to the outdoors as well as carbon reduction through transportation. In the exploration of the case, first three key issues are raised about mobility in and around protected areas. Then some avenues are identified for study and some discussion questions are provided for use in seminars and the classroom. This case is suitable for students from marketing, tourism development, transportation, planning and sustainability related courses.

Meaningful Learning and The Integration of Responsible Management Education in the Business School Courses

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in responsible management education. Integration of the principles of responsible management education (PRME) within the core curricula of business schools and management education-related institutions calls for the creation of innovative pedagogies and educational approaches. Responding to the inherent challenges associated with the development and implementation of education for sustainability within existing business‐related education, this paper seeks to discuss a teaching initiative of introducing Model United Nations (Model UN) as a classroom activity for undergraduate students. The main purpose of research presented in this paper is to explore students’ experience of engaging in Model UN debates around topics related to the sustainable development goals as defined in the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development (for example, youth unemployment, climate change, poverty, etc.). Model UN is traditionally known as an extra-curricular educational simulation of the United Nations where students play their roles as delegates from different countries and endeavour to solve real world issues using the policies and perspectives of their assigned country as well as policies and procedures of the United Nations. In this paper Model UN is proposed as a classroom engagement activity which assists undergraduate students in recognising the complexity of international negotiations and reflecting on challenges associated with the decision making process and how it affects the sustainability agenda on the individual and societal level. This paper seeks to provide a useful insight into the practical value of Model UN simulation as a means to facilitate meaningful learning on the course. It is suggested that experience of introducing Model UN as a core curricular activity, rather than one that is extra-curricular, will be of particular interest for educators who are involved in delivering sustainability-related courses or wishing to teach sustainability-related topics in globally responsible business-related education programs for undergraduate students.

Sustainability education in public administration and policy: A multi-method study of NASPAA accredited programs

ABSTRACTThis study examines the nature of sustainability education in public affairs programs. First, through web content analysis of NASPAA accredited MPA/MPP programs, and second through web survey of program directors, data were collected on perceptions about sustainability education and public administration, demand for sustainability education, sustainability related courses, pedagogical tools used, nature of collaborators that make sustainability education possible and factors that impede or enable the inclusion of sustainability education in these programs. When considered as a holistic concept without being broken down into its three componential parts, only 10% of all courses offered are on sustainability. Results show that a total of 164 programs (~94%) have listed courses in at least one of the three areas (economic, environmental and social) of sustainability. Programs vary in terms of whether they offer courses as core or electives. Thirty-five programs offered a dedicated concentration in environmental sustainability. Survey results indicate general agreement about synergies in sustainability education and PA education which should be formalized through curricular inclusion. However, only about 50% of survey respondents experienced demand for sustainability education. Programmatic, institutional and professional facilitators, and impediments to infusion of sustainability education in PA curricula are discussed.

Enhancing the Efficiency of Massive Online Learning by Integrating Intelligent Analysis into MOOCs with an Application to Education of Sustainability

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is an innovative method in modern education, especially important for autonomous study and the sharing of global excellent education resources. However, it is not easy to implement the teaching process according to the specific characters of students by MOOCs because the number of participants is huge and the teacher cannot identify the characters of students through a face to face interaction. As a new subject combined with different areas, such as economics, sociology, environment, and even engineering, the education of sustainability-related courses requires elaborate consideration of individualized teaching for students from diverse backgrounds and with different learning styles. Although the major MOOC platforms or learning management systems (LMSs) have tried lots of efforts in the design of course system and the contents of the courses for sustainability education, the achievements are still unsatisfied, at least the issue of how to effectively take into account the individual characteristics of participants remains unsolved. A hybrid Neural Network (NN) model is proposed in this paper which integrates a Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and with a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) based Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) in an effort to detect individual learning style dynamically. The model was trained by learners’ behavior data and applied to predicting their learning styles. With identified learning style for each learner, the power of MOOC platform can be greatly enhanced by being able to offer the capabilities of recommending specific learning path and the relevant contents individually according to their characters. The efficiency of learning can thus be significantly improved. The proposed model was applied to the online study of sustainability-related course based on a MOOC platform with more than 9,400,000 learners. The results revealed that the learners could effectively increase their learning efficiency and quality for the courses when the learning styles are identified, and proper recommendations are made by using our method.

Mapping sustainability efforts at the Claremont colleges

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to map and analyze sustainability activities and relationships at the seven Claremont Colleges and graduate institutions using social network analysis (SNA) to inform sustainability planning and programming.Design/methodology/approachOnline surveys and interviews were conducted among faculty, staff and students, and a network map was created and analyzed using network statistics to identify network characteristics.FindingsThe mapped sustainability network has 291 one- and bi-directional connections but with substantial differences among institutions. Pomona and Pitzer colleges have the highest number of sustainability-related courses because of their popular Environmental Analysis programs. The two graduate schools and Scripps College are comparatively isolated. Scripps’ network is small but highly interconnected and resilient. Pomona’s network is extensive but concentrated on a single node. Several other key actors were identified based on the number of nodes extending from or connecting to them. Several new sustainability initiatives were recently launched in response to the study.Practical implicationsSNA and mapping for campus sustainability can highlight network gaps and network vulnerabilities. To increase completeness, a representative and sufficiently large data sample is needed, requiring multiple, coordinated forms of contact. Interviews yield more detailed and comprehensive information than online surveys but are more time-consuming. Thus, the combination of electronic surveys and in-person interviews can be a successful strategy for maximizing information collection.Originality/valueThe case study was the first of its kind conducted at the Claremont Colleges and one of the first in higher education. It informs sustainability planning, coordination and integration efforts.

Engaging head, heart and hands: Holistic learning approach for education for sustainable development

Abstract Sustainable development requires simultaneous and balanced progress in four dimensions i.e; social, economic, ecological and political, those are totally interdependent. Sustainability issues often regarded as complex and difficult to be understood through single discipline. Therefore education for sustainability learning requires integration of various teaching and learning approaches. With this concern in mind, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the holistic learning approach which engaging the head, heart and hands, for Education for Sustainable Development in one higher education institutions in Malaysia. By using the multiple case study design, three sustainability related courses which are from various disciplines was selected as cases. The findings from the semi-structured interview with the lecturers, focus group with students, class observations and course outline analysis showed the unifying framework of head, heart and hands learning and teaching approach. This unifying learning approaches that engage and develops the "whole person": affective, cognitive and practical dimensions and abilities, and in relation to "real-world" issues and concerns, seems provide better opportunity for learning for education for sustainability. Keywords: Education for sustainable development, higher education, transformative learning, systemic learning.

Sustainability Education in Public Administration : A Study of NASPAA Accredited Programs

This study examines the nature of sustainability education in public administration/public policy programs using a multi-method approach. This research fills a gap in research on sustainability education in NASPAA accredited Masters in Public Administration and Public Policy programs. First, through analysis of web content of NASPAA accredited MPA/MPP programs and second through a web survey administered to directors of these programs, this study collected data on perceptions of MPA/MPP program directors about sustainability education and public administration, level of demand for sustainability education experienced by MPA/MPP programs experience, types of sustainability related courses offered, pedagogical tools are used to offer these courses, nature of entities that collaborate with MPA/MPP programs to make sustainability education possible and factors impede or enable the inclusion of sustainability education in MPA/MPP programs. Results show that a total of 164 programs (~ 94%) have listed courses in at least one of the three areas (economic, environmental and social) of sustainability. Programs vary in terms of whether they offer these courses as core or electives. 35 programs offered a dedicated concentration in environmental sustainability. Results from the survey indicate that there is general agreement that sustainability education and PA education share synergies which should be formalized through curricular inclusion. However, only about 50 percent of survey respondents agreed that they experienced demand for sustainability related courses. Results also helped identify programmatic, institutional and professional facilitators and impediments to infusion of sustainability education in PA curricula.

Analysis of sustainability in materials education and research in Korea

This study provides comprehensive data on sustainable education and research in Korea. Engineering courses offered in Korea have been analysed and categorised with relations to sustainability. A total of 608 sustainability courses were available and the majority of the sustainability courses were concentrated in the area of environment and energy subgroups (78.2%). Major research oriented universities with emphasis in sustainability research had sustainability related courses far below the average, which suggested a disparity between research and education. An analysis of the research articles in journals from the Web of Science resulted in the identification of 12 323 keywords related to sustainability in metals and materials. The USA and Germany had the highest percentage in both absolute numbers and per capita and a significant growth was observed in Korea. From the centrality analysis of keywords, much of the sustainability research in metals and materials seem to be scattered and collaborative efforts are not widespread.

Integrating sustainability across the university curriculum

Purpose Colleges and universities increasingly have the mandate and motivation to integrate sustainability into their curricula. The purpose of this paper is to share the strategy used at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and provide an evaluation of its success and guidance to others creating similar programs. Design/methodology/approach This article summarizes Penn’s Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum (ISAC) program. ISAC pairs Penn undergraduate research assistants with instructors in a collaborative effort to incorporate sustainability into courses. Findings In concert with other Penn initiatives (a course inventory, faculty discussion groups and a research network), ISAC increases Penn’s sustainability-related courses and creates dialogue regarding how various disciplines contribute to sustainability. Practical implications The program described in this article is replicable at other institutions. The authors demonstrate that the logistics of recruiting students and establishing the program are straightforward. Undergraduate students are on campus; their pay requirements are modest; and they are desirous of such research experiences. Social implications The ISAC program inculcates a cultural and behavioral shift as students and faculty approach sustainability issues collaboratively, and it facilitates the development of a shared language of environmental sustainability. Such social implications are difficult to quantify, but are nonetheless valuable outcomes. Originality/value The faculty–student partnership used to facilitate the integration of sustainability into courses at Penn is original. The ISAC program provides a framework for engaging students and faculty in curriculum development around sustainability in a manner that benefits the student research assistants, the participating faculty and future students.

A Comparative Study on Sustainability in Architectural Education in Asia—With a Focus on Professional Degree Curricula

Architectural education is a key factor in the re-thinking of the whole industry toward a system of more sustainable buildings and cities. Asia is the continent with the highest population growth and the fastest urbanization rate on earth. It is necessary to educate professionals with a well-balanced and integrated knowledge of local issues and global standards. This paper focuses on education for sustainable architecture in Asian countries. This is an exploratory study, analyzing the curricula of 20 selected influential schools in 11 countries. Sustainability-related courses are identified, classified and summarized in qualitative tables (course matrix) and in quantitative graphs. The analysis helps to identify trends and regional or individual uniqueness. The results show that sustainability education is organized in very diverse ways, according to contents, intensity and sequence. The percentages of sustainable courses range from less than 5% to 25%. Technology-related courses are the most numerous and homogeneous. Sustainability design studios show the greatest variation, from zero to almost 100%. General theory courses help in dealing with sustainability issues through traditional and vernacular philosophies, technologies and strategies that are very adequate to their geographical and cultural settings.

The Beauty of Teaching Interdisciplinary Courses: How Does a Combination of Technology-Based Lectures and Writing-Intensive Assignments Promote Learning?

Sustainability is not solely a scientific issue or an environmental issue. It presents enormous challenges to human and natural systems and includes political, economic, legal, and ethical dimensions. Instructors who teach sustainability-related courses face significant challenges following from the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Some students lack an interdisciplinary approach, as they have been strongly ingrained in traditional natural or social science academic domains. In other instances, students are unaware of or unconcerned about environmental or sustainability issues, being less actively engaged in classroom discussions. This session presents strategic pedagogical techniques that have been implemented in a single interdisciplinary sustainability course titled, "Environmental Policymaking in Developing Countries." The course, which has been offered to upper-level undergraduate students in Global Affairs and other majors, also meets the university's writing-intensive course requirements. The findings suggest that technology-based learning tools, including video clips and game simulations, are useful in integrating multiple sources of information and ensuring students receive a more inclusive perspective than they would from consulting a single conventional textbook. Research-based writing assignments, in which students apply concrete learning concepts to real-world sustainability challenges, are shown to be a powerful vehicle for enhancing students' understanding of the multifaceted concept of sustainability. This session provides insights into how to build interdisciplinarity into teaching that are relevant for instructors in a broad range of courses in various academic domains.

An overview of management education for sustainability in Asia

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the holistic picture of sustainability curricula in Asian higher education. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was conducted based on Asian management education for sustainability in higher education. Online courses arrangement, teaching methods, instructors’ educational background and cross-referencing data between triple bottom line and sustainability courses have been investigated. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights about the current state of sustainability education in Asia. The results show that there is an opportunity for interdisciplinary integration, as there are imbalanced sustainability courses offered by business, science and engineering schools. It also suggests that Asian universities should add an international connection and active promotion of sustainability education on their Web sites. Research limitations/implications – Findings are based on web-based sustainability -related courses. Future research could apply method of case study to do a deeper study. Practical implications – The paper provides an overview of Asian management education for sustainability and curricula analysis through our research, and that this will further assist in the development of interdisciplinary integration in Asian management education for sustainability. Originality/value – This paper is the first attempt to gain better understanding of sustainability-related courses offered in leading business/management colleges in Asia.

Sustainability Education in Massive Open Online Courses: A Content Analysis Approach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of sustainability education in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Sample MOOCs were searched for from seven popular platforms and three search engines. After screening, 51 courses were identified as the final sample. Course description, content outlines, reading materials, recommended textbooks and discussion threads were coded to obtain insights into sustainability education learning contents, pedagogical methods, and interaction situations. Results indicated that: (1) Edx and Coursera are platforms that incorporated the most sustainability-related courses, and most instructors were senior academics with the title of professor. American and European countries outperformed other English speaking countries as early birds in sustainability education using MOOCs. The average course length of our MOOC samples is 7.6 weeks, which is much shorter than a typical face-to-face college course; (2) Current MOOCs provided mainly introductory-level courses without prerequisites. Fourteen sustainability-related hot topics and five most popular textbooks were identified; (3) The pedagogical means used most frequently were discussion forums and lecture videos, while pedagogies such as team-based learning were not used to a large extent; (4) Learner interaction flourished in MOOCs, and sub-forums regarding Lecture Reflection, Welcome and Introduction were posted with most threads, replies, and votes. Our findings suggest that the MOOC is an innovative method in sustainability education and research. A variety of information and strategies could be used when preparing sustainability-related MOOCs.

Transdisciplinarity by Interdisciplinary Integration: A Proactive Sustainability Education Case.

Many sustainability related courses in business schools could be categorised as reactive. Examples include offering sustainable business as a boutique program or specialist courses peripheral to th...

Profiling Sustainability Curriculum in AACSB Schools

This article describes the landscape of Sustainability Curriculum being used across the Association of Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)–accredited schools in the United States on the basis of a non-probabilistic sample ( n = 119). Using hierarchical cluster analysis, four clusters were obtained based on sustainability-related courses in management, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance, accounting, information systems/information technology, strategy, globalization, communication, and miscellaneous. Cluster 1 had uniform dispersion on sustainability courses in all business courses except marketing. Clusters 2 and 4 were the largest ones with most sustainability courses in the management area, whereas, Cluster 3 had weak, but uniform, dispersion of sustainability courses in most business disciplines. Based on their characteristics and strength of dispersion among 10 business subject areas, these were labeled as Sustainability Prominent, Sustainability Moderate, Sustainability Meek, and Sustainability Quiescent.