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- Anderberg, Elsie, 1948-, et al.
(författare)
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Global learning for sustainable development in higher education : Recent trends and a critique
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. - : Emerald. - 1467-6370 .- 1758-6739. ; 10:4, s. 368-378
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of some major trends that have marked discussions on global learning for sustainable development (GLSD) in higher education. The aim is formulated against the background of the complexity represented in GLSD, as well as the fact that sustainable development (SD) is an issue of global interest for universities.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an overview in recent trends in research on GLSD in higher education over the last 20 years, based on the combination of the keyword higher education for Sustainable Development with global learning (GL) and global education.FindingsThe overview suggests that only relatively limited steps have been implemented to achieve GLSD, and rhetoric still dominates the discussions. It appears that little empirical research has been undertaken on learning in global settings. Several authors have identified the need for a competence‐based curriculum for GLSD.Originality/valueUniversities, professionals and students need to take greater responsibility. How knowledge, values and abilities are formed and developed from the global learner's perspective therefore, remains an open and fundamental question. The paper underlines the crucial role that higher education plays in GL for sustainability.
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| 5. |
- Avery, Helen, et al.
(författare)
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We can only do it together: Addressing global sustainability challenges through a collaborative paradigm
- 2020
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urgent structural change is required in higher education, to allow collaboration both within and across universities, so that achieving rapid sustainability transition can become not only the overarching but the main purpose of education, research and work in society. A review of the literature reveals that fragmentation caused by traditional hierarchical faculty and disciplinary organisation is a major obstacle to such goals. Additionally, universities today operate under a competitive paradigm which prevents the transfer and application of available knowledge, as well as blocking the development of new knowledge and coherent futureoriented approaches. Fragmentation and competition prevent universities from pooling resources, understanding phenomena holistically and using systemic approaches in the way we address major challenges. Political agendas, funding priorities, as well as existing mechanisms of dissemination and evaluation of academic activity contribute to inertia. Rather than applying fragmented sustainability goals within rigid silo structures, it is therefore argued that action for sustainability needs to be coordinated among academic actors, horizontally and diagonally. This requires spaces for concertation and strategical thinking. Insights achieved in strong sustainability research environments need to direct efforts, and priority must be given to structures, networks and research that already enable concertation and collaboration.
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| 6. |
- Avery, Helen, et al.
(författare)
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We Can Only Do It Together: Addressing Global Sustainability Challenges Through a Collaborative Paradigm
- 2021
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Ingår i: Universities, Sustainability and Society: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783030633981 - 9783030633998 - 9783030634018
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urgent structural change is required in higher education to allow collaboration both within and acrossuniversities so that achieving a rapid sustainability transition can become the overarching and mainpurpose of education, research and work in society. A review of the literature reveals that fragmentation,caused by traditional hierarchical faculty and disciplinary organisation, is a major obstacle to such goals.Additionally, universities today operate under a competitive paradigm that prevents the transfer andapplication of available knowledge, thereby blocking the development of new knowledge and coherentfuture-oriented approaches. Fragmentation and competition prevent universities from pooling resources,understanding major challenges holistically and using systemic approaches to address them. Politicalagendas, funding priorities and existing mechanisms of dissemination and evaluation of academic activitycontribute to inertia. Rather than applying fragmented sustainability goals within rigid silo structures,action for sustainability needs to be coordinated among academic actors both horizontally and diagonally.This requires spaces for strategic thinking, concertation, open discussion and knowledge sharing. Theinsights achieved in strong sustainability research environments need to direct efforts towards achieving arapid sustainability transition, and priority must be given to structures, networks and research that alreadyenable concertation and collaboration
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| 7. |
- Avery, Helen, et al.
(författare)
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We can only do it together: Addressing global sustainability challenges through a collaborative paradigm. : Session 4: Comprehensive approaches to Sustainable Development: the integration of Curriculum, Research and Operations
- 2021
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Urgent structural change is required in higher education, to allow collaboration both within and across universities, so that achieving rapid sustainability transition can become not only the overarching but the main purpose of education, research and work in society. A review of the literature reveals that fragmentation caused by traditional hierarchical faculty and disciplinary organisation is a major obstacle to such goals. Additionally, universities today operate under a competitive paradigm which prevents the transfer and application of available knowledge, as well as blocking the development of new knowledge and coherent future-oriented approaches. Fragmentation and competition prevent universities from pooling resources, understanding phenomena holistically and using systemic approaches in the way we address major challenges. Political agendas, funding priorities, as well as existing mechanisms of dissemination and evaluation of academic activity contribute to inertia. Rather than applying fragmented sustainability goals within rigid silo structures, it is therefore argued that action for sustainability needs to be coordinated among academic actors, horizontally and diagonally. This requires spaces for concertation and strategical thinking. Insights achieved in strong sustainability research environments need to direct efforts, and priority must be given to structures, networks and research that already enable concertation and collaboration.
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| 8. |
- Avery, Helen, et al.
(författare)
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Within, above, between or outside? : ESD in teacher training: implications of various institutional constructions
- 2015
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Ingår i: Abstract list of WEEC 2015. - : WEEC.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: Theoretically, ESD is variously construed as inter- or transdiscipline. Despite divergences (Barth & Michelsen 2013; Lundholm 2011; Shallcross & Robinson 2007), a consensus exists in acknowledging fundamental complexities (Gough 2012), engagement and action-oriented learning (Sterling 2011; Wiek, Withycombe & Redman 2011). Objectives: The study looks at teacher education, considering the ways ESD-oriented knowledge, competencies and approaches are situated within pathways and curricula. The organization of teacher education (Rauch & Steiner 2013; UNESCO 2005; Wals 2014) is crucial, since it ultimately affects the potential for transdisciplinary development in schools. It is argued that the meaning of ESD in higher education is shaped by specific institutional structures, and the vocational contexts and practices the courses are oriented towards. With respect to teacher training, the meaning of ESD is additionally shaped by policy and steering documents regulating the profession. Methods: Policy documents and course descriptions relating to teacher education from two Swedish universities and four Danish institutions are investigated. Aspects focused here are: sustainability awareness, democratic deliberation, transdisciplinarity, working with complexity, problem-solving, boundary-crossing cooperation, action preparedness. Attention is also given to how the teacher training environments relate institutionally to wider academic contexts, and to how ESD oriented teacher competencies are formally described in terms of learning outcomes, requirements and qualifications Results: At a macro-level, a fairly positive picture of the position of HESD in northern Europe emerges (see ue4sd outcomes). Looking more specifically at teacher training, however, our study suggests that sustainability concerns are still marginal. Focus lies on subject-specific knowledge, and sustainability mainly appears as an isolated aspect of natural science education. Knowledge is constructed through assessment practices that tend to standardise, simplify and fragment understanding of complex interrelationships. Academic writing skills are emphasised to the detriment of transdisciplinarity and action-oriented capabilities. Conclusion: At an institutional level, economic steering and criteria for operationalising academic excellence tend to drive towards increased compartimentalisation. Importantly, the way learning is operationalised through modularisation of teaching provisions, constructive alignment of curricula and highly formalised assessment practices appears to limit transformative potentials for greening HESD curricula. Although the wider academic environments contain sophisticated research groups in the area of sustainability studies, there are very few institutional points of contact with teacher training programmes. Finally, the separation between academic and vocational tracks in Denmark further increases the institutional distance between teacher training and sustainability-oriented academic research.
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| 10. |
- Avery, Helen, et al.
(författare)
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Working with the divides : Two critical axes in development for transformative professional practices
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1467-6370 .- 1758-6739. ; 18:5 : Special issue on Professional Development in Higher Education for Sustainable Development, s. 666-680
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The paper aims to provide a conceptual map of how to mediate between sustainability theory and practice in higher education and how disciplinary divides can be bridged. It further looks at issues linked to knowledge views and drivers for institutional change that affect opportunities for whole institution development promoting action preparedness. Method: Taking its point of departure in the University Educators for Sustainable Development report UE4SD (2014, 2015), the paper discusses ways that ideas and interaction can be mediated in higher education settings, to connect sustainability research with vocational programmes. Different options are considered and compared. Findings: Although the literature stresses both action orientation and the need for holistic transdisciplinary approaches, many institutional drivers limit opportunities for more integrating approaches. Limitations: However, while conclusions may hold for universities at an overarching level, it is likely that certain research and teaching environments have been able to transcend such barriers. Practical implications: Conceptually mapping the different forms that dialogue, interaction and flows of ideas take within higher education institutions has relevance for whole institution development for sustainability. Societal implications: Importantly, producing sustainability science with relevance to practice in various professions is a fundamental condition to support accelerated transitions to sustainability at societal levels. Value: The paper makes a significant contribution by focusing on concrete institutional pathways for knowledge exchange and negotiation that can support education for sustainability in higher education.
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