Transformative Sustainability Learning Research Articles

The Role of the Civic University in Facilitating Inclusive and Transformative Pedagogical Approaches to the Sustainable Development Goals: A Systematic Literature Review

Facing rising financial pressure due to economic stagnation and lacklustre engagement from policy-makers, higher education institutions (HEIs) and local communities are placing increasing emphasis on cooperative efforts between universities and communities to co-create positive societal change in the face of the triple planetary crisis. Based on the PRISMA method, this systematic literature review seeks to contribute to the academic knowledge on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) governance at the local level by unpacking the contribution of HEI-community cooperative approaches to transformative learning and action for sustainability. In order to successfully incorporate communities’ priorities in the local-level integration of the SDGs, it is crucial that these new collaborative initiatives foster transformative learning approaches to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in an equitable, intersubjective, and inductive manner. The findings present the various strategies used to build long-term, impactful, and resilient learning skills for sustainable development for all ESD stakeholders at the local level, including communities, HEIs, and city authorities. This review proposes these interventions as tools for better local governance towards the integration of the SDGs into HEIs and communities, specifically through SDG4 Quality Education.

Transformative organisational learning for sustainability in higher education: A literature review and an international multi-case study

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a critical role in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SD). However, this contribution requires a significant transformation in HEIs, encompassing all their activities. In this regard, the main objective of this study is to understand the learning processes, paths, and practices that can contribute to this transformation, from the transformative and organisational learning perspectives. Specifically, this study seeks to investigate: (1) what the literature states on transformative and organisational learning for sustainability in higher education; (2) how top sustainable HEIs are embedding sustainability into their activities; and (3) the role of transformative and organisational learning for sustainability in higher education. For that, we combined a bibliometric review of relevant literature on the topic with fifteen case studies from thirteen cities of six different countries, conducted through in-loco observation techniques, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The findings of this study contribute to the literature by mapping current trends on the topic and, from the experience of the most sustainable HEIs, it provides practical insights and frameworks which can inspire and guide other HEIs on their journey towards sustainability.

International trends on transformative learning for urban sustainability

It is widely assumed that transformative societal action is required to address the world's many sustainability challenges of today. This is especially true in an urban context, since urban sustainability may assist in improving the conditions of the urban environment and the quality of life of humans. Nevertheless, and despite the many advantages that urban sustainability may bring about, there is a need for studies that look at the role that transformative learning may play in influencing it. This study will address this need. It provides an analysis of the subject matter of transformative learning and how it may be practised and experienced in an urban context, thus contributing to urban sustainability in practical terms. It reports on a survey specifically directed to the teaching staff, on the extent to which transformative learning is being deployed in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in supporting urban sustainability efforts. In addition, the study ends by listing and presenting examples of approaches, methods, and initiatives in transformative learning within an urban sustainability context, and provides an analysis of its main features and learned lessons. It concludes with some best practices for transformative learning that could assist in designing and implementing urban sustainability teaching at HEIs, on a broader scale. It can be stated that not only can sustainability thought improve the urban conditions, but as the developing world gets further urbanised, sustainability in the urban context specifically becomes a matter of particular relevance.

Transformative learning as societal learning

AbstractThe article synthesizes literature relating to the recent development of the theory of transformative learning (TL) and societal changes using three exemplary fields of study: (1) Civic education and democratic transformations, (2) TL for sustainability and ecology, and (3) TL in the context of migration (and especially for refugees). This article contends that in the literature, TL is considered a promising answer to an urgent search for conceptual and practical tools to address the wicked problems of our time. We see, however, also the potential pitfall of TL if used as a buzzword or understood as a comprehensive reeducation program designed from above that ignores human agency and the emotional, relational, and political challenges of transformation.

Exploring the development of change agents for sustainability: outcomes of the Listen, Live and Learn initiative at Stellenbosch University

Purpose Among the various pro-sustainability strategies that universities adopt, Stellenbosch University’s 2030 Agenda further challenges universities to provide sustainability education that enables students to become change agents for sustainability. The Listen, Live and Learn (LLL) initiative is a co-curricular programme developed at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, that seeks to foster social cohesion and develop change agency among students. This study aims to understand how LLL students had developed agency for change through their experiential learning in the programme. Design/methodology/approach Using a transformative sustainability learning approach, this study examined secondary data containing qualitative and quantitative data from the 2018 LLL end-of-year survey. The qualitative data was analysed thematically, and the quantitative data was analysed using counts and frequencies. Findings Through their participation in the programme, the students learned about their character and opened up to engage with the ‘others’ whom they lived with in the same residence. They also reported becoming more open-minded, intentional, reflective and confident. Another personal change reported by the students was their ability to collaborate with their housemates. The learners recommended that the programme could be improved by providing resources for house projects, guidance with inviting house theme experts and help with conflict resolution. Originality/value Through this research, the authors have demonstrated the ability of a transformative sustainability learning programme to effect a change in the attitudes, norms and behaviours of students at a higher educational institution towards a sustainable and just society.

The Influence of Higher Education on Student Learning and Agency for Sustainability Transition

Higher education (HE) has a key role in educating graduates as decision makers and change agents; however, sustainability education (SE) remains on the fringes of mainstream curricula and is conducted on an ad hoc basis. The context of this research is five connected studies that aimed to investigate the influence of SE on tertiary students’ views, knowledge, behaviour, and agency to contribute to sustainability transitions. The mixed-methods study investigated learning for sustainability by focusing on key elements of the “learning system”, namely the learner’s personal context, the teaching context (SE compared to regular education) and learning outcomes. The research was guided by a unique conceptual framework that linked theories in education and learning, environmental psychology, and sustainability transitions. The influence of educational interventions was assessed using online pre-post surveys that consisted of well-established instruments and open-ended questions. Key transversal findings are resistance to SE, converging views and attitudes towards an “anthropocentric environmentalist” perspective, limited empowerment and occasional disempowerment from SE, a focus on personal behaviour change rather than professional action/agency, and a limited incidence of wider agency. Cumulative and deeper learning for sustainability occurred with repetition of SE and a greater connection to a student’s lifeworld. The current ad hoc approach to SE in HE is ineffective in creating widespread agents for change. Influences that foster transformative learning for sustainability and the development of competency and agency for sustainability are identified, and recommendations are provided for educational policy and praxis to enhance student learning and agency for sustainability transitions.

Instructor–Student Mentoring: Strengths of Transformative Sustainability Learning and Its Direct Application to Impact Industry and Curricular Refinement

There is a growing need to educate students about the applications of environmental sustainability to current and future jobs. One method that has emerged to teach this application is transformative sustainable learning (TSL). Instructors can use TSL to understand better how to integrate sustainability topics into seemingly unrelated course topics. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a series of TSL courses in a graduate sport management program. To this end, a collaborative reflection guided the data collection from weekly one-on-one conversations between the researchers (i.e., instructor, student). Results aligned with TSL themes (i.e., head, heart, hands) and suggested that the intentional TSL course design and scheduled conversations benefited both the instructor and student. The student experienced an in-depth experience to understand and apply course concepts. The instructor was able to gain better insights to structure the class and create assignments adapted to meet student needs through collaborative reflection during mentoring sessions.

“Looking garbage in the eyes”: From recycling to reducing consumerism- transformative environmental education at a waste treatment facility

Making people aware of the interconnections between personal consumerism and its environmental consequences is fundamental for motivating them to engage in more environmentally responsible consumption practices. This interpretive study, conducted in 2018, explored how transformative sustainability learning is implemented in waste education conducted at an environmental education center within the largest waste-treatment facility in Israel, and if it initiates a transformative process. Educators were selected since they serve as societal change-agents. Data were collected from learning plans developed by the center, observations, and interviews of participants (150) during and after their visit. Findings indicate that the educational intervention comprised a “key experience”, initiating a transformative process, and elicited a framework of characteristics for transformative waste education. In view of the role of consumer society in contemporary waste-related challenges, the principles emerging from this study may provide a model for other such centers, based on critical waste education that may motivate behavioral change.

The wheel of fortune as a novel support for constructive alignment and transformative sustainability learning in higher education

Purpose Education for Sustainability in Higher Education (ESHE) sits within and across disciplinary settings that share the need for a framework that provides a basis for pedagogy, assessment and learning outcomes (Kalsoom, 2019). ESHE strives to create transformative learning spaces that help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to understand and contribute to shaping a world based on communities living within the limits of earth’s resources. This paper aims to offer a novel solution to the challenge of teaching students from different disciplines struggling with the complexity of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores the development of an interdisciplinary subject designed for undergraduate students from four faculties. It presents a case study of pedagogy that moves away from three pillars/concentric circles approaches towards practices based in systems thinking and interactive transformative learning. It describes the iterative process of developing and implementing an infographic: the “Sustainability Wheel of Fortune” (Wheel), to support constructive alignment of content, assessment tasks and learning outcomes. Findings The Wheel provides a holistic, interconnected and dynamic focus for framing content and teaching. The pedagogy aligns with sustainability competencies, builds in flexibility in response to changing times and student experiences and provides teachers and students with a common framework for interrogating the possibilities for sustainable futures. Originality/value The Wheel is a novel learning tool for contemporary sustainability education. It captures key elements of approaches to and concepts about sustainability, visually reinforces the idea of a holistic interconnected approach and provides a framework that supports the constructive pedagogy of an interdisciplinary sustainability subject.

Leveraging sport as a venue and vehicle for transformative sustainability learning

Purpose Given greater awareness of environmental issues and the acceleration of climate change, universities are increasingly requiring undergraduate students to complete coursework in environmental issues. Research has shown that environmental courses hosted in science departments can be too challenging for students with no science background. Thus, new approaches to general environmental education at the undergraduate level are necessary. This paper aims to advance three transformative sustainability learning (TSL) interventions that leverage sport as the living laboratory for environmental education through examining green teams and in depth sport venue tours. Design/methodology/approach This paper details the experimental application of three TSL interventions in undergraduate sport courses. Findings Each intervention produced lasting benefits for several parties. Students benefit from greater exposure to sport management organizations and a hands-on learning opportunity. Sport organizations benefit from a promotional opportunity to showcase their sustainability efforts, improved sustainability practices at their facilities and the opportunity to leverage the students’ involvement for fan engagement initiatives Research limitations/implications The interventions presented in this paper were developed in a North American sport context, however, there is a considerable opportunity to develop similar interventions in any region where sport organizations exist. Originality/value Despite being one of the most universally appreciated and visible industries, the sport industry has yet to be used as a site for meaningful sustainability learning interventions. The interventions presented herein introduce the opportunity to leverage students’ love of sport for outcomes for all parties: the students, the host organization and sport fans.

The Ideal Outcome of Education for Sustainability: Transformative Sustainability Learning

AbstractThis chapter presents an overview of transformative learning theory while illuminating its connections to education for sustainability.

Transformative Social Learning for Agricultural Sustainability and Climate Change Adaptation in the Vietnam Mekong Delta

Climate change has seriously affected agriculture and many aspects of the life of local people in the Vietnam Mekong Delta (VMD). Learning to shift towards sustainable development to successfully adapt to climate change is essential. The VACB (V—garden/orchard; A—fishing farm; C—livestock farm; B—biogas) model is considered one of the best approaches and methods to adapt to climate change in the VMD. This paper aims to explore the transformative social learning and sustainable development associated with this model in terms of agricultural transformation for sustainability to climate change adaptation in the VMD. The mixed methods approach that guided the data collection included focus group discussions, in-depth interviews with key informants and household surveys. Our findings show that there are three learning processes associated with transformative social learning linked to the VACB model: instrumental, communicative and emancipatory learning. Farmers reported increased knowledge and improved relationships and efficiency when applying the VACB model using several learning channels, both formal and informal. Farmers highlighted six factors that influenced transformative social learning during the adoption and development of the VACB model and several barriers to implementing adaptation strategies to climate change in an attempt to upscale the VACB model.

A transformative sustainability learning model for inculcating passion for learning about green food and beverage in hospitality college students

ABSTRACTLearning outcomes for higher education in sustainable development include a strong emphasis on transformative abilities. The purposes of this study were to develop a transformative sustainability learning of green food and beverage (TSL-GFB) curriculum and to evaluate the learning outcomes by investigating five GFB transformative abilities in students who have completed the TSL-GFB curriculum. A quasi-experimental research design was employed. The experimental group included 67 students, and the control groups included 84 students. The results indicated that the TSL-GFB curriculum improved the transformative abilities of students. The five transformative abilities (self-reflection after learning about GFB, passion for learning about GFB, psychological empowerment regarding GFB, creative thinking regarding GFB, and problem-solving attitude regarding GFB) of the experimental group students were superior to those of the control groups. The valuable contributions of this study are the TSL-GFB curriculum model developed in this study and the tools for evaluating transformative abilities, which would be useful for teaching GFB in hospitality education.

Reshaping our world: Collaborating with children for community-based climate change action

This paper documents a collaborative, multi-site participatory action research project in collaboration with children to act on climate change within local community settings. The project was an after-school program that combined hands-on climate change educational activities with photovoice, a participatory action research method that uses digital photography as the basis for problem identification, group dialogue, and social change action. Grounded in transformative sustainability learning theory and integrated with an arts-based participatory action research methodology, the program was designed to strengthen children’s climate change awareness and sense of agency through youth-led action projects. After describing the program, this article details the collaborative action projects designed and carried out by 10- to 12-year-olds in each community (e.g., policy advocacy, tree-planting, community garden) as well as how the program facilitated children’s constructive climate change engagement through children’s enjoyment and agentic action. The critical importance of participatory process and collaborative action in strengthening children’s sense of agency is discussed.

Transformative Sustainability Learning Within a Material-Discursive Ontology

In this article, sustainability education is defined within the three orders of change—education about, for, and as sustainability. The third-order change, education as sustainability is defined as transformative sustainability education—an ontological change in how humans and the material world relate. The dominant higher educational paradigm tends to educate about subject matter (i.e., sustainability) distanced from material and focuses on individual human cognition. This does not go far enough to enact sustainable change. Rather, a human and nonhuman materialization within teaching and learning is explained through agential realism, as conceptualized by Barad. The author narrates her way through her own transformative learning journey as an environmental science and sustainability educator going from a reductionist paradigm instructor into a relationality paradigm educator living into sustainability. From dualist teaching in environmental and human health where the study of food was an object, she undertook teaching and research on the pedagogy of food as a material subject. The findings explore the practice of agential realism in relation to the field of transformative sustainability education, namely, that teaching and learning intra-actively engages body, mind, and all material, including food, water, soil, trees, people, and communities. This is a profoundly transformative pedagogic shift in higher education. Whether we teach sustainability-related subject matter or not, a relational ontology of teaching and learning has the potential to create the conditions for a transformative learning process through an iterative reconfiguring of our relationality—moving towards a social and ecologically sustainable society.

Organizing reflection to address collective dilemmas: Engaging students and professors with sustainable development in higher education

Critical reflection and transformative learning theories generally place emphasis on individual change, giving little consideration to the organizational and societal aspects. Consequently, it is individual and not collective dilemmas that are reinforced in higher education. However, a call for an education initiative for sustainable development requires a shift in focus. This article considers transformative learning for sustainability within the context of an American university whose mission encompasses being a center for excellence in transformative teaching and learning. The analysis is divided into three parts as follows: The organizing reflection process of the university; b) how professors concretize collective dilemma in their teaching; and c) student engagement levels in collective dilemmas with regard to the tenets of service learning and civic engagement. Despite its unique trajectory, this qualitative case study presents an argument – in order to achieve a paradigmatic shift toward sustainability, we need to create an organizing process of reflection to address collective dilemmas and engage faculty and students in a continuous and institutionalized transformative learning process. The results show the potential and limitations of the analyzed experience; further, it addresses the theoretical implications and practical insights for fostering critical reflection and transformative learning toward sustainability.

Implementation of Transformative Sustainability Learning into Engineering Curricular

Implementation of Transformative Sustainability Learning into Engineering Curricular

Transformations in Ukrainian Culture of Learning

AbstractObjective: Since more diverse audiences attend universities, nowadays, more advanced educational approaches are required. The current study explores the role of culture of learning transformations in facing this challenge. We employ the notion of ‘cultures of learning’ to draw attention to the socio-cultural, sustainable and competence-oriented aspects of key educational practices. We are focusing on advances in students’ learning-culture, which are implemented at the university: interdisciplinary, transformative sustainability learning and experiential learning.Methodology: The paper considers practical issues related to the educational approaches, their benefits and limitations.Findings: The results of the observations indicated that students’ learning culture was highly affected by educational approaches.Value Added: We highlight that mutual relations exist between learning-culture and teaching-culture and exactly the student-teacher dialogue should be changed to transform traditional learning in higher education.Recommendations: Interdisciplinarity and creativity can serve as the key factors in establishing a productive educational cycle that fosters a learning-culture based on students’ needs and values consideration.

The potential of orienteering for arts-based research as a means to rethink transformative learning for sustainability

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Stretching the boundaries of transformative sustainability learning: On the importance of decolonizing ways of knowing and relations with the more-than-human

This paper chronicles students’ experiences of transformative sustainability learning through ‘epistemological stretching’ – a pedagogical orientation which focuses on expanding the ways of knowing that someone respects, understands, and/or engages with. With a particular emphasis on decolonizing relations between humans and the more-than-human, epistemological stretching enables students to articulate and critically engage with the epistemologies of their academic fields, gain new(old) perspectives on relations with the more-than-human, and interact with Indigenous knowledges in more effective and ethical ways. Students in this study experienced powerful learning outcomes in the following areas: reconceptualization of relationships, acknowledgement and deconstruction of power, and worldview bridging. Some students also received validation for ways of knowing that they previously engaged in but were unsure about expressing in academic contexts.