ASSESSMENT of EDUCATION for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in COSTA RICAN UNIVERSITIES

1. ASSESSMENT of EDUCATION for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in COSTA RICAN UNIVERSITIES by Dr. Jairo H. Garcia University of Phoenix

2. Nasa: Visible Earth - The Blue Marble: (http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2429) – Feb 9, 2009 Home

4. “Sustainability is here to stay or we may not be“ Niall Fitzgerald Deputy Chairman, Thomson Reuters and member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum

5. UNESCO – DESD2005-2014 Goal: Integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=23295&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

6. Costa Rica implemented a national policy to include ESD at all levels of education. Problem There is not a comprehensive study of progress of the inclusion of ESD in their universities.

7. Objective To assess the extent to which universities in Costa Rica are including ESD in: 1. Curriculums 2. Research and Scholarship 3. Faculty and staff development and rewards 5. Outreach to community 6. Student opportunities, and 7. Institutional mission and planning

8. Significance • Provide information status HESD in Costa Rica. • Create awareness where this topic is not being addressed. • Promote actions or plans for SD • Baseline for future studies, and • Might motivate scholars to generate new theories and hypotheses from the data that emerged

9. Research Questions (4/8) • To what extent have universities in Costa Rica included ESD in their curriculums? • In what curriculums has ESD been included? • Are universities in Costa Rica requiring undergraduates to take courses in sustainability? 4. To what extent are universities in Costa Rica addressing research and scholarships in sustainability?

10. Research Questions • To what extent is ESD recognized as a factor for faculty and staff hiring and promotion? • To what extent are these universities participating in SD initiatives for the community at the local, regional, national or international level? • To what extent are these institutions providing opportunities for students to participate in SD initiatives? 8. To what extent are universities in Costa Rica committed to ESD?

11. Methodology • Qualitative-exploratory cross-sectional web-based survey • Participants: List of universities from Costa Rica’s minister of education

12. Importance of Qualitative Studies for Educational Research in Developing Countries Preston (1997): large-scale, cross-national quantitative research in developing countries “are seen to assume roles which are passive, non-reflective and determined by the researcher. They may learn nothing in the process of the study nor of its findings or the use to which they are put” (p. 46). Preston, R. (1997). Integrating paradigms in educational research: Issues of quantity and quality in poor countries. In M. Crossley & G. Vulliamy (Eds.), Qualitative educational research in developing countries (pp. 31-64). New York: Garland.

13. Importance of Qualitative Studies for Educational Research in Developing Countries Kai-ming (1997) Although mathematical models can be powerful tools for forecast and policy simulations, they have two primary limitations: (a) the assumptions of the models are not always verifiable, and (b) mathematical models rarely take into account emerging trends that are not statistically significant but are common sense in the field. Kai-ming, C. (1997). Qualitative research and educational policy-making. Approaching the reality in developing countries. In M. Crossley & G. Vulliamy (Eds.), Qualitative educational research in developing countries (pp. 65-85). New York: Garland Publishing.

14. Importance of Qualitative Studies for Educational Research in Developing Countries Qualitative research, in other hand, is aimed to generate theories and hypotheses from the data that emerge rather than testing preconceived and in some cases inappropriate frames of reference; (Crossley & Vulliamy, 1997). Crossley, M., & Vulliamy, G. (1997). Qualitative research in developing countries. In M. Crossley & G. Vulliamy (Eds.), Qualitative educational research in developing countries. Current perspectives. New York, London: Garland Publishing.

15. Other Instruments • The National Wildlife Federation’s State of the Campus Environment Survey • The Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) • The Audit Instrument for Sustainability in Higher Education • The Higher Education 21’s Sustainability Indicators • The Environmental Workbook Report • The Greening Campuses Instrument • The Campus Ecology Instrument • The Environmental Performance Survey • The Indicators Snapshot-Guide • The Grey Pinstripes with Green Ties • The EMS Self-Assessment Shriberg, M. (2002). Institutional assessment tools for sustainability in higher education: strengths, weaknesses, and implications for practice and theory. Higher Education Policy, 15(2), 153-167.

16. Instrument Selected The Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) focus on education. • Developed by the University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF) between 1999 and 2001 + periodic reviews. • SAQ : - Give a snapshot of the state of sustainability - Raise consciousness and encourage debate about ESD- Promote discussion on next steps to achieve SD • Used in hundreds of HE institutes all over the world because: • Easy to implement • Free to use

17. Why not STARS? • Designed for colleges and universities in USA and Canada • Rating system (Quantitative analysis) • End result is a comparable performance indicator

20. The Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JJLfK1wCycWBuhFL4LboBQ_3d_3d

21. Participants • 54 universities listed by the Minister’s of Education • 9 did not have active web-sites nor valid telephone • 7 not valid phone-contacted via email– none replied • 38 universities contacted via telephone and email • 24 responded to the survey (return rate 53% of 45 contacted) • 100% of publics responded • 49% of privates responded

22. 4 of 54 universities in Costa Rica are public • Public universities have 48% of the student population (National Council of Rectors, 2007)

23. Analysis For Quantitative data: • Descriptive analysis - frequencies and percentages For Qualitative data: • Moustaka’s (1994) analysis of significant statements For Reliability: • Cross-reference of responses - (Greene, Caracelli, & Graham, 1989)

24. Introductory Questions Framework UNESCO-DESD

26. SD definition

27. (QS6) International Agreementsin ESD • Only 10% checked international agreement listed; however, open-ended question did not corroborate the responses.

28. RQ1: To what extent have universities in Costa Rica included ESD in their curriculums?

30. RQ2: In what curriculums has ESD been included? • Biology • Environmental sciences • Economics • Tourism • Public health • Architecture • Ethics

35. Community Programs • “Horizontes Ambientales”: Environmental project • “Hormiga”: Pay student loans by participating in environmental activities for the community • “Zona Económica San Carlos”: Students help the community of San Carlos implement economic development programs • Community work required for graduation for pre-graduate and masters programs • Virtual activities about food print and development • sustainable programs for eco-tourism

42. Discussions • Instrument: • Advantages: • Provided a quick snapshot of the status of ESD • Economically viable • Provided rapid turnaround in data collection • Mixed approach allowed cross-reference and corroboration • Disadvantages: • the metrics used for the Likert-type questions, does not allow deeper mathematical analysis. Difficult for larger population.

43. Discussions • Representation of the population can be considered significant (53%). • Strategy adopted for the analysis of data: • Descriptive analysis • Analysis of significant statements • Concurrent triangulation

44. Limitations • It is not a full assessment • It does not provide a path towards sustainability • It does not provide systematic comparisons • There was not field verification

45. (SQ.24) Comments • “This survey has enabled me to think about the formulation and development of a sustainable development program to implement in our University” (Universidad de San José) • “We are interested in knowing the results and proposals to work on this topic in the institution. Thanks” (Universidad de Ciencias Empresariasles)

46. (SQ.24) Comments • “Thanks for raising this important issue” (Universidad Evangélica de las Américas) • “It is very important for us to know the results of this relevant study, because although our university is very new, this area is of special relevance for us” (Universidad Latina de Costa Rica) • “I found interesting the focus of the survey. Do you have an on-line program for training faculty and the university community in this topic?” ( Universidad de Ciencias Medicas )

47. Recommendations • Similar studies in other countries can be very beneficial to promote sustainability in higher education to achieve the goals of UNESCO-DESD and for the creation of a better and sustainable future for all.

48. Questions ?