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Assessing sustainability teaching and learning in geography education

Jeffrey M. Widener (University Libraries and Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA)
Travis Gliedt (Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA)
Ashlee Tziganuk (School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA)

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

ISSN: 1467-6370

Article publication date: 5 September 2016

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand if geographers, who teach in a new sustainability program, are conveying new knowledge, understanding, skills and competence about the integrated and holistic concept of “sustainability”, rather than individual human-environmental issues to the students. In other words, are geography professors creating effective sustainability courses in a department with a rich history in geography education?

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes the McKeown–Ice and Dendinger comprehensive assessment tool for sustainability teaching to examine how geographers teach sustainability from an integrated and holistic perspective. Surveys with students are used to evaluate and compare how effective three geography courses were at teaching sustainability.

Findings

The results suggest that each course was effective in teaching students the main concepts of sustainability. There were, however, differences in teaching practical solutions to achieve sustainability and in the coverage of the causes of sustainability problems. Geographers might consider altering their curriculum or pedagogy to build stronger interdisciplinary linkages to teach the integrated concepts of sustainability rather than its individual parts.

Research limitations/implications

This initial study focuses on one research university in the USA. Its proof of concept will be expanded to evaluate international sustainability education programs nested in existing departments and degree programs.

Originality/value

Sustainability education programs are being created across the globe and are often attached to existing degree programs exhibiting components of sustainability. How effective are they in teaching this interdisciplinary concept? This study validates a framework for assessing sustainability teaching and learning. It recommends changes to enhance the ability for integrated sustainability education programs to comprehensively teach sustainability.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Lisa Fiedler for her tireless work as a research assistant on this project. The authors would also like to thank the instructors of the courses for allowing the surveys to be conducted in class time, as well as for sharing their course syllabi, and the reviewers, whose comments greatly improved this study.

Citation

Widener, J.M., Gliedt, T. and Tziganuk, A. (2016), "Assessing sustainability teaching and learning in geography education", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 17 No. 5, pp. 698-718. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2015-0050

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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