This document summarizes the results of a survey conducted to gather ideas for how to introduce sustainable development concepts into teaching. The survey received 111 responses from 8 countries. Most respondents have significant teaching experience and teach in bio- and environmental-related fields. Respondents indicated introducing more active and learner-based teaching methods. Topics covered include agriculture, water management, and biodiversity. Advice focused on using clear definitions, relating concepts to real-world problems, and emphasizing student activities. A variety of teaching materials are used. The workshop will develop guidelines in an easy-to-use format with examples to help teachers introduce sustainable development concepts, targeting both new and experienced teachers.
1. Workpackage 5
SURVEY FOR HOW TO START TEACHING
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (SD)
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
WORK OF THE TASK FORCE,
PRESENTED BY
KRISTINE KILSÅ
SWEDISH UNIVERSITY
OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
2. Purpose of the survey
Not a quantitative survey
Gathering of ideas and inspiration of how to start
invoking sustainable development in one’s teaching
Teaching IN sustainable development?
Teaching ABOUT sustainable development?
Teaching FOR sustainable development?
Outcome: A user-friendly, fairly short but full
of examples, easy-to-read and inspirational
booklet of guidelines for how one may start
doing this
3. Background information
• Survey with 14 questions, of which 5 with free text
answers
• ISLE partners asked to distribute the electronic
survey (link) at their university/college
o Only people who already teach sustainable development
were asked to answer
• Survey active Dec 4, 2012 - Jan 7, 2013
• 111 answered (257 took a look)
4. Which questions were asked?
Experience as teacher Introduction of SD to
Experience teaching SD students
Educational level (of the Main topics
students) Change of teaching
Subject area (same as methods
used in previous survey) Single best advice
Class size Teaching material
Course activities Usage of the term SD
Proportion of SD in the Email address
course
5. Demographics
• 8 countries were represented (based on the 66
who provided their email address)
o In decreasing order: Sweden, Norway, Poland, Bulgaria,
Portugal, Turkey, UK, Denmark
• Mainly experienced teachers
o 3% have been teaching < 1 year; 50% for > 20 years
• 51% teach in bio- and environmental related
courses, 15% in economy, social and law sciences
6. Which class were you thinking of?
#
• Respondents were asked
to relate their answers to
one specific course
• Majority of the courses
(72%) were at the master
level, followed by
bachelor level (50%),
then PhD level (14%)
• All types of teaching
methods are used
7. Change of teaching methods over the years?
79% of respondents have
changed their teaching
methods over the years.
The most common way
of changing the course is
related to more active,
learner-based methods:
more discussions
more student self-analysis
more case studies
8. Who teaches SD?
• Not really a whole lot of Main topics covered are:
correlation between General perspective,
anything definition
o i.e. it is more an Agriculture
individual choice to Water management
invoke SD, rather than Energy
based on experience, class
Biodiversity
size, level or subject.
Economic development
• Many different topics are Landscape and urbanism
taught in relation to or
with a perspective of SD
9. Do you use the term SD? YES!
• Of those who specifically 80
mention SD, there is slightly Bachelor
70
more SD at the master level
Master
and in courses with < 60 60
students PhD
50
• Of those who uses the term 40
%
occasionally, more are
30
teachers with < 5 years
experience. 20
o But they have more SD at the
10
bachelor level and in larger
classes 0
Uses Occ. Not
10. How large part of the course is devoted to SD?
Very little Some parts Ca half Quite a lot Almost entire
Class size – more SD Level – least SD at the Experience – more SD
in small or medium+ bachelor level with lesser experience
sized classes as teachers
30 30 30
25 25 25
20 20 20
#
15 15 15
10 10 10
5 5 5
0 0 0
< 10 11-30 31-60 > 61 Bachelor Master PhD <1 1-5 5-10 10-20 > 20
Students Years
11. Which advice did we get to introduce SD?
Use the Brundtland
definition, but discuss
the meaning behind
In the best cases, deal with
values, theories, definition
s, principles, assessment
methods, and historic
perspectives.
Relate to global and/or
specific problem
Student activity important
12. Which advice did we get to get started?
General practical approach
Holistic approach
Specific approach to a given
field
Specific teaching
tool/method
Analyze materials & research
Provide historical/conceptual
context
Know the level of prior
student knowledge
Theoretical approach
Social awareness
13. Which material do you use?
Text books Several replies stated the
Documentaries importance of
Visual tools
updating material
and reading lists
Internet resources
available for students
Study and field trips every year.
Seminars
Scientific papers
Case studies
External lecturers
International reports
14. Writing of guidelines in the workshop!
Kjartan Bollason will head the WP5-II workshop on
Thursday morning!
"Sustainability is about
"Provide the to handle
definition of SD, its multiperspectives in
transdisciplinary decision making and
approach and farm management"
application in the
specific course" "Think of
processes and
subjects in a holistic
manner, crossing and
"To look outside the intertwining
university and study the disciplines rather
world around you!" than segregating
information."
15. Writing of guidelines in the workshop
For whom?
Existing and new teachers at Bachelor and Master level
Teachers who have never taught SD before
In what form:
Pdf-handbook, using text and pictures + videos?
Pdf rather than a printed handbook is easier for reaching to as
many as possible + easier to update?
Supported by the ISLE website?
With the aims – this is our focus for the workshop:
Written in a straight forward and easy to understand and use
Write in the form of powerpoints – easy to convey to teachers
Examples from the field of Life Sciences (broadly defined)
16. Writing of guidelines in the workshop
Sources and inspiration:
ISLE Short survey about how to start teaching sustainable
development with the Life Sciences (SD) – part of WP5
Focus on teaching tool, and tangible examples.
ISLE – Best practice compendium – part of WP3
ISLE – Report: “Sustainable development: an employers’
perspective” 2013.
ISLE experiences from field visits after each meeting – text,
pictures, videos
Existing guidelines
How will ours be different?
Good examples of both layout and practical approaches
Editor's Notes
Relation to WP3 Best practices???KB- question of using examples from ISLE Best Practice to create content for the ISLE Guidelines? Prepare this for workshop?
KB-This is a very important point – should help us decide to focus on active learning methods in our guidelines AND thus give us the format for writing the guidelines?!
KB – Should we use these topics to decide our focus for the guidelines? Do we need to add to them?!
KB – Should we write our guidelines specifically for BA and Master level? Or only Master level? – this and my other questions I would state in the beginning of the workshop in Maribor.
Overall 41% says ca half or moreWording all relatively (%) speaking
“Sustainable” and “development” removed from word cloudKB – we should then write in our guidelines how to teach concepts, through active learning and through personal connection – each student connect to their daily life and study
“Sustainable” and “development” removed from word cloudKB – are these also topics to use in our guidelines? Choose in connections with other results though and other open questions/free text
KB – again helps us focus in our guidelines on how to write, for what kind of method or tool.
KB – good quotes, need to find out where the come from, i.e. which question. Here I will add slides about the workshop and also the slides we should use in the workshop