Course overview

Topic 3 - 11 March - 29 March 2024

In this topic, central concepts in ESD are introduced and discussed, e.g. holism and pluralism. Questions to explore are for example: How is knowledge related to sustainability transformed into higher education teaching and learning? In what ways can we bring forth a holistic perspective on sustainability in teaching and learning? What sustainability issues are relevant to consider within different disciplines? How are these issues linked to other fields of knowledge, and the local and global society? What types of teaching and learning activities can be considered fruitful in order to stimulate students' action competence? How do we balance facts, values and diverging views in our teaching? Can we use diversity as a resource in teaching and learning?

Responsible: Anna and Teresa

Activities for all learners

Common course activities

Introduction webinar. Perspectives on teaching sustainability.

Discussion webinar. Prepare by choosing at least one article/model from the reading material. During the discussion webinar, we will discuss your thoughts about how the model(s) function(s) when applied to your own teaching activities. We encourage you to bring your (group or individual) questions and thoughts to the discussion, in order to increase relevance and connection to your own practice. Questions to reflect upon are (for example):

What areas of development are displayed when ESD is applied to your individual courses/pedagogical activities/programs? What becomes visible when you apply the didactic models (or one/some of them) to your own teaching as tools for reflection?
In relation to the first question; what similarities and differences can you identify in your PBL-group when you compare with other members, from the same and other disciplinary fields?

Introduction webinar

March 11 13:00-14:00 CET

Anna and Teresa introduce didactic concepts and models and discuss their usefulness with the participants.

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Go to Event

Recording from event

Presentation material

💬 Discussion webinar

March 20 13.00-14.00 CET

Prepare according to instructions under Common course activities.

Go to Event

Recording from event

Discussion questions

Activities in PBL groups

PBL group work

Scenario:

Your PBL-group has now realized that there is great potential, but also big challenges, to integrate ESD in your own teaching and/or pedagogical activities. You start thinking about what issues connected to sustainability that are part of your specific discipline and and how these possibly relate to other disciplines. You start discussing what types of learning activities that can actually improve students' action orientation during their studies and their ability to contribute to sustainable development in their local society. How can your teaching be adapted to facilitate this kind of learning among your students?

Course synchronous activities

Group meetings first week to start the study of scenario, continue work on scenario the following two weeks.

Individual reflection

Submit your individual reflection and comments to others here:

HEDS241 individual reflections - topic 3

Aims

This topic aims to develop the participants' didactic skills in terms of designing sustainability teaching and learning. Central concepts in ESD are introduced as foundation for development of the participants' ability to use didactic models in planning and evaluating teaching and learning. The participants will develop their ability to apply relevant didactic models to their own field of education.

Checklist

Week 1

Preparation and participation in webinar.
Starting up group work.

Week 2-3

Participation in discussion webinar. Read at least one article/model in addition to Wilhelm et al. (2019). Prepare by bringing questions that address possibilities and/or challenges in relation to the chosen model that have become visible during your individual and group's work.
Posting 400 word individual reflection. Comment on minimum two other posts.
Completing and presenting group work.

Readings and other resources

Wilhelm, S., Förster, R., & Zimmermann, A. B. (2019). Implementing competence orientation: Towards constructively aligned education for sustainable development in university-level teaching-and-learning Links to an external site.. Sustainability, 11(7), 1891.

Additional didactical models:

Öhman, J., & Östman, L. (2019). Different teaching traditions in environmental and sustainability education. In Sustainable Development Teaching (pp. 70-82). Routledge. Alternatively: Rudsberg, K., & Öhman, J. (2010). Pluralism in practice–experiences from Swedish evaluation, school development and research. Environmental Education Research, 16(1), 95-111.
Lundegård, I., & Caiman, C. (2019). Didaktik för naturvetenskap och hållbar utveckling - Fem former av demokratiskt deltagande. Education for science and Sustainable Development-Five forms of Democratic Participation. Nordic Studies in Science Education, 15(1), 38-53. (In Swedish)
Öhman, J., & Sund, L. (2021). A didactic model of sustainability commitment. Sustainability, 13(6), 3083.

Additional reading:

Shephard, K., & Furnari, M. (2013). Exploring what university teachers think about education for sustainability. Studies in higher education, 38(10), 1577-1590.