Sustainable futures online
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report on a project to adapt existing material from some modules on sustainability delivered face-to-face by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science to create a non-credit bearing course in sustainability delivered on-line and available to all students at the University. A total of 250 staff and students signed up for the course, 104 completed at least one multiple choice test and 49 completed the essay assignment for the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) recognition. Feedback from students completing the evaluation questionnaire was overwhelmingly positive. The authors reflect on lessons learnt in preparing and delivering the course and the impact on university strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
The course was piloted in the 2014-2015 academic year.
Findings
A total of 250 staff and students signed up for the course; 104 completed at least one multiple choice test and 49 completed the essay assignment for HEAR recognition. Feedback from students completing the evaluation questionnaire was overwhelmingly positive.
Originality/value
The paper presents a case study of a bottom-up approach to the introduction of sustainability literacy modules on an institution-wide scale that has influenced changes at senior management level.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the contributions from Yordan Nikolov (SU education) for help with publicity, Charlotte Bishop (Hungry for Change project) for draft content and to Sarah Roberts (graduate intern) for trialling the material. The project was supported in part by grants from the University of Leicester Teaching Enhancement Fund and from the HEA Biological Sciences Subject Centre.
Citation
Raine, D.J., Gretton, S. and Greenhill, D. (2017), "Sustainable futures online", On the Horizon, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 24-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/OTH-04-2016-0015
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited