Prof Stephen Sterling Centre for Sustainable Futures Teaching and Learning Directorate

1. SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION: TEACHING FRAMEWORKS ANDCROSS DISCIPLINARY LESSONS 11 June 2012Supporting sustainability education at Plymouth Prof Stephen Sterling Centre for Sustainable Futures Teaching and Learning Directorate Plymouth University

2. Sustainability at Plymouth • The sustainability curriculum at Plymouth • The HEA Future Fit Framework

3. Aims for today… some: • stocktaking - of where we are in relation to the sustainability agenda in the curriculum • celebrating - of our achievement to date • exchanging - of information on who’s doing what, and • discussing - current activities and needs to support the further strengthening of Plymouth’s sustainability curriculum

4. Sustainability at Plymouth University • Sustainability Strategy is implemented through a 3 part approach and structure: • Curriculum - CSF within the Teaching and Learning Directorate (T&L) • Operations - Office of Procurement and Sustainability (OPS) • Research- Institute for Sustainable Solutions Research (ISSR)

5. Sustainability at Plymouth • Sustainability in Corporate Plan • Sustainability Strategy – revised 2011 • Sustainability Executive; and Sustainability Advisory Groups • Sustainability Research Institute (ISSR) • Office of Procurement and Sustainability (OPS) • ESD research key part of Pedagogic Research Institute (PedRio) • Sustainability education in Research and Innovation strategy • Sustainability education(ESD) in Teaching and Learning Strategy • ISO 140001 and Fair Trade Status • Commitment to Carbon Neutrality 2030 • New Green Travel Plan and Sustainable Food Policy • Green Gowns Award winner in 2011 • Second in Green League 2011, and top 5 in Universities that Count re teaching and learning 2010 • 2010 curriculum survey indicated some 33% of students in receipt of ESD; 2000 modules across 81 programmes now with sustainability content • Pool of committed and enthusiastic staff across academics, professionals, administrators and service providers in relation to sustainability • Centre for Sustainable Futures (part of the Teaching and Learning Directorate) supporting the sustainability curriculum

6. CSF’s goal at Plymouth ’To develop the transformative potential of higher education at the University and beyond for building towards a sustainable future.’ 2005 Centre for Sustainable Futures, Plymouth University

7. Teaching and learning ‘We will encourage all disciplines to embed sustainability within their curricula and utilise the learning and research opportunities provided by campus and community sustainability initiatives.’ Teaching and learning strategy 2009-2012, UoP.

8. CSF curriculum support CSF provides curriculum and pedagogic support and coordinates cross-institutional research related to education for sustainable development (ESD). Resources: • Module guidance • Interactive teaching activities • Teaching guides • Briefing papers Training and Events, and Student Experience: • Workshops – on ESD and the sustainable university • Seminars – Occasional ESD seminars organised through the Teaching and Learning Directorate • Student projects – Work based learning projects for students • Lectures by invitation

9. Current work includes… • Courses pages on extranet • - https://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/search/pages/mresults.aspx?s=wwwCourses&k=sustain • Multi-media student handbook on sustainability • Curriculum review • Co-curriculum plans • New 7 steps and Xerte resources • ESD pedagogic research – transformative learning (x2); carbon visualisation; energy literacy • Working with Schools

10. Sowing SeedsHOW TO MAKE YOUR MODULES A BIT MORE SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTEDA help guide to writing and modifying modules to incorporate sustainability principlesCentre for Sustainable Futures University of Plymouth

11. CSF – curriculum review (2010) • 76 % (13 out of 17) of Schools asserted that developing the ‘sustainability’ literacy of the students was ‘very important’ or ‘important’. 4 out of 17 are in the Faculty of Science and Technology. • More than half of the Schools at UoP offer degree programmes that are validated by external bodies that see sustainability or sustainable development as part of their remit or concern. • Over a third of the total number of students at UoP are undertaking programmes within Schools that are perceived to be at the incipient, emergent or advanced stage of embedding sustainability. • 26.7 % (4 out of 15) of Schools ranked the overall stage of embedding sustainability in the curriculum as ‘Emergent’ or ‘Advanced’.

12. www.thelifeindex.org.uk

13. Stimulating new thinking and practice • Th FORTHCOMING: ‘The Sustainable University – exploring process, principles and practice’ - Earthscan

14. The student voice • Over two thirds of 2011 first and second-year respondents (66.6% and 70.3% respectively), as in 2010 (70%), believe that sustainability should be covered by their university; • There is a continued preference among students for a reframing of curriculum content rather than additional content or courses • Student attitudes towards and skills for sustainable developmentA report for the Higher Education Academy Rachel Drayson, Elizabeth Bone & Jamie Agombar (2012)

15. Education for sustainable developmentand holistic curriculum change

16. The Future Fit Framework - An introductory guide to teaching and learning for sustainability in HE

17. Aim of the framework To help academics begin to embed sustainability into their curricular planning and delivery - or help take existing work further Who’s is for? Everybody on the spectrum – from mildly curious to enthusiasts!

18. What’s this got to do with me? • ‘I’m busy, no time to take anything else on board’ • ‘I’ve got enough agendas to deal with already’ • ‘There’s enough change going on in HE already’ Yes – but.... • ‘I’m concerned for the future’ • ‘I recognise that we need to prepare students for a changing society and uncertain future’ • ‘I wonder if we do enough in this regard at our university’

19. Why this Framework? • Increasing interest and demand from academics and senior management for ideas and ready material on education • Lack of existing suitable guidelines • Accumulated experience of HE Academy ESD Project

20. How to use the Framework • Not intended as cover-to-cover read (particularly in electronic format) • Quick access to sections of relevance to user

21. Contents i 1 Introduction 2 Why bother? 3 Graduates fit for the future? 4 Where to start? 5 Barriers – and pathways 6 Objections - and answers 7 Key concepts and values 8 ESD pedagogies 9 ESD in the disciplines

22. Contents ii 10 Simple change tools 11 Teaching/CPD activities 12 Research and ESD 13 Resources References Appendices • 1 Future Fit Framework – Feedback sheet • 2 Embedding ESD in the HE curriculum – drivers and limiters • 3 Embedding ESD in the curriculum – tactics and ideas • 4 Indicative list of sustainability concepts • 5 A Basic ESD Audit Tool • 6 The Higher Education Academy’s work in ESD

23. 1 Introduction A starting point ‘Graduates are entering a volatile world and higher education needs to respond to challenging, rapidly changing socio-economic and environmental conditions.’ - HEFCE (2009, 7): http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_03/

24. But what is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? In essence, ESD is about the kinds of education, teaching and learning that appear to be required if we are concerned about ensuring social, economic and ecological wellbeing, now and into the future.

25. And what is sustainability? In essence sustainability is about trying to ensure a society, economy and ecology that are viable now and long-term.

26. ESD is not.... X a separate subject or discipline X separate from and unrelated to other HE agendas such as employability, enterprise, quality and internationalisation X just about ‘the environment’ X a passing fad

27. 2 Why bother? • Context and employability – the need for HE to both respond to and help shape real world conditions • Policy and Mandate – expectations from funding councils, and increasingly, from HEI senior managers and the student body • Education and Quality – quality and innovative teaching and learning

28. 3 Graduates fit for the future? ‘The problems we now face at both a local and globalscale puts higher education firmly in the driving seat to equip its learners with the knowledge, skills and understanding to pioneer innovative and creative responses to achieving wider economic, social and environmental well-being.’ - Steuer,N and Marks, N (2008) University challenge:Towards a well-being approach to quality in higher education, New Economics Foundation, London, 12

30. Some websites • Higher Education Academy ESD http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd • Plymouth University sustainability pages http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/sustainability/Pages/teachingandlearning.aspx • Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) http://www.eauc.org.uk • UNESCO Decade of ESD http://www.unesco.org:80/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-sustainable-development/monitoring-evaluation-process/phase-ii-2010-2011/

31. Centre for Sustainable Futures Kirkby Lodge Plymouth University Drake Circus Devon PL4 8A United Kingdom 01752 588890 Stephen.sterling@plymouth.ac.uk csf@plymouth.ac.uk