S U R V E Y F O R H O W T O S T A R T T E A C H I N G S U S T A I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T ( S D )

W H E R E A R E W E N O W ?

W O R K O F T H E T A S K F O R C E ,P R E S E N T E D B Y

K R I S T I N E K I L S ÅS W E D I S H U N I V E R S I T Y

O F A G R I C U L T U R A L S C I E N C E S

Workpackage 5

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 inspirationalbooklet of guidelines for how one may start doing this

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/collegeo 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)

Which questions were asked?

Experience as teacher

Experience teaching SD

Educational level (of the students)

Subject area (same as used in previous survey)

Class size

Course activities

Proportion of SD in the course

Introduction of SD to students

Main topics

Change of teaching methods

Single best advice

Teaching material

Usage of the term SD

Email address

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

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

#

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

Who teaches SD?

• Not really a whole lot of correlation between anything

o i.e. it is more an individual choice to invoke SD, rather than based on experience, class size, level or subject.

• Many different topics are taught in relation to or with a perspective of SD

Main topics covered are:

General perspective, definition

Agriculture

Water management

Energy

Biodiversity

Economic development

Landscape and urbanism

Do you use the term SD? YES!

• Of those who specifically mention SD, there is slightly more SD at the master level and in courses with < 60 students

• Of those who uses the term occasionally, more are teachers with < 5 years experience.

o But they have more SD at the bachelor level and in larger classes 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Uses Occ. Not

Bachelor

Master

PhD

%

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 in small or medium+ sized classes

Level – least SD at the bachelor level

Experience – more SD with lesser experienceas teachers

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

< 10 11-30 31-60 > 61

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Bachelor Master PhD

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

< 1 1-5 5-10 10-20 > 20

Students Years

#

Which advice did we get to introduce SD?

Use the Brundtland definition, but discussthe meaning behind

In the best cases, deal with values, theories, definitions, principles, assessment methods, and historic perspectives.

Relate to global and/or specific problem

Student activity important

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

Which material do you use?

Text books

Documentaries

Visual tools

Internet resources

Study and field trips

Seminars

Scientific papers

Case studies

External lecturers

International reports

Several replies stated the importance of updating material and reading lists available for students every year.

Writing of guidelines in the workshop!

Kjartan Bollason will head the WP5-II workshop on Thursday morning!

"Provide the definition of SD, its

transdisciplinaryapproach and

application in the specific course"

"Sustainability is about to handle

multiperspectives in decision making and farm management"

"To look outside the university and study the

world around you!"

"Think of processes and

subjects in a holistic manner, crossing and

intertwining disciplines rather than segregating

information."

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)

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