WELCOME! Please do the brief assignment that you were given at the door. Designing Introductory Courses in Sustainability for Undergraduate Learners 18 Faculty Members Collaborate on a New Foundation for Sustainability Teaching and Learning

Who Are We? Jean MacGregor –Evergreen State College Rob Cole –Evergreen State College Sonya Remington –Arizona State University Ben Fackler-Adams –Skagit Valley College Rob Turner –University of Washington Bothell

Outline of the Workshop Ice Breaker – brainstorming learning outcomes. Background – The story of our faculty community. Identifying the key learning outcomes for sustainability courses. Examples of activities that teach to these outcomes – 3 concurrent sessions. Addressing the challenges of introductory sustainability courses – 3 concurrent sessions. Wrap-up discussion and your feedback!

A public service initiative of The Evergreen State College, established in 1985 A network of 51 partner institutions across Washington: the entire public 2- and 4-year system, most private universities, and our one tribal college. Modest operating funding comes from the state legislature through Evergreen ’ s budget; special initiatives are grant-funded. One of these initiatives is …

The Washington Center ’ s “ Curriculum for the Bioregion ” initiative Purpose: To better prepare undergraduates for citizenship in a world where the complex issues of sustainability - environmental quality, community health and well being, and equity and justice - are paramount.

Curriculum for the Bioregion Strategies 2005-present “Faculty Learning Communities” within the disciplines “Faculty Learning Communities” within the disciplines “Faculty Learning Communities” organized around issues facing the bioregion “Faculty Learning Communities” organized around issues facing the bioregion “Faculty Learning Communities” organized around emerging areas of interest “Faculty Learning Communities” organized around emerging areas of interest

18 faculty members at 11 colleges and universities in the Puget Sound bioregion. We have met five times over 8 months to share our outcomes for student learning, our syllabi, and specific teaching approaches. Detailed course descriptions and teaching activities are on Carleton College’s SERC site. We’ve also puzzled over questions about how best to teach this rapidly emerging subject. The “Sustainability Courses Faculty Learning Community”

Goals for Today’s Workshop Goals for Today’s Workshop What should students learn? In courses on sustainability, what are our common essential learning outcomes? What should students learn? In courses on sustainability, what are our common essential learning outcomes? How might we teach this? Example approaches we are taking with our sustainability courses. How might we teach this? Example approaches we are taking with our sustainability courses. Resources for you to take away Resources for you to take away

Comparing your lists with ours. What are the most essential learning outcomes in our Sustainability Courses?

Concurrent Conversations I about activities to foster some of these outcomes 3 rounds – 20 minutes each A.Systems Thinking and Sustainable Design B.S 4 : Sustainability Science Solutions Strategies C.Thinking Locally: Engaging Students in Community Inventories D.Using Debates to Engage Students in Sustainability Controversies E.Analyses of Waste as a Resource

Concurrent Conversations II about how to address the challenges unique to sustainability courses 3 rounds – 20 minutes each A.How do we deal with highly charged, controversial material? B.How do we address student despair, resistance, apathy, and engagement? C.How do we teach interdisciplinary topics confidently without being experts? D.How do we deal with institutional barriers to introducing courses like these? E.How do we make community-based learning and partnerships an integral part of our courses?

Your Feedback What are some take-aways of this workshop for you? What’s missing from this conversation? What are important next steps in this work for you and for all of us?

Annotated bibliography of sustainability-focused texts. Course descriptions on Carleton College’s SERC site. [ Sustainability Learning Outcomes Website: see the link to this site on your handouts. Resources from the Curriculum for the Bioregion “Sustainability Courses Faculty Learning Community”