Assessing the role of college as a sustainability communication channel
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 6 November 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of higher education institution as a sustainability communication channel. The theory of planned behavior was used to examine the degree to which a student’s tenure at a large university with active and visible sustainability initiatives is associated with changes in views about sustainability and changes in reported sustainability behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
This study involved a campus-wide online survey on undergraduate students at a large mid-western university. A direct measurement approach to the theory of planned behavior was used to measure changes in attitudes, normative beliefs, perceived behavioral controls and self-reported behaviors on five different environmental sustainability behaviors.
Findings
Overall findings support the notion that higher education institutions can be effective communication channels for sustainability issues, as students who have been in college for a longer period of time reported somewhat more positive attitudes, normative and efficacy beliefs and more sustainable behaviors.
Practical implications
By measuring specific components of the theory of planned behavior, this study provides insights on specific areas in which campaigns targeting college students in different college years could become more effective.
Originality/value
Few studies have assessed college as an effective sustainability communication channel despite the fact that it is potentially a powerful channel to reach a large population at their critical age. This study also measures specific components to sustainability behaviors by using the theory of planned behavior as a guiding framework.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Office of Sustainability at Michigan State University for providing funding for this research. The authors would also like to thank Ann Erhardt for her assistance and helpful comments on this research project.
Citation
Lertpratchya, A.P., Besley, J.C., Zwickle, A., Takahashi, B. and Whitley, C.T. (2017), "Assessing the role of college as a sustainability communication channel", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 18 No. 7, pp. 1060-1075. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2016-0172
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited