1. Justifying change [to administrators etc
Justifying change [to administrators etc!] Methods for incorporating sustainability into courses
Nanette Chadwick

2. Justifying change: Why teach sustainability?
Importance = ever-increasing
(world economics, climate
change, social issues, health)
Understanding
= increasing but low
Leadership capacity to address
= even lower
Interconnectedness among systems
Human History

3. 9 reasons to teach sustainability:
Explaining changes to upper admin, peers, students
-- Peer inst. are doing (GA Tech, U Georgia, Emory, U Florida, etc.)
-- enhances PR and recruitment to AU
-- student and employer demand (training for green jobs)
-- increases program prestige to upper admin, positive feedback
-- increases chances for external funding and awards
(Gogue and Univ. presidents climate change award – interested!)
-- saves $$ over the long run (millions to utilities & disposal by AU)
-- engages the local community and alumni
-- enhances interdisciplinary connections and opportunities
-- increases depth of understanding by students & quality of education

4. How to incorporate hands-on experiences (minimal to maximal):
-- extra credit assignment/opportunity – do on their own, turn in proof
-- required course homework assignment – do on own, graded
-- class field trip or group exercise – guided, on class time
-- focus for class project or term paper – intensive involvement of instructor
Example: Zanzot course and “Landscape interventions” PM Creek, Bike path

5. 9 ways to engage sustainability in courses:
“Not more to do, but ways to do what you already do.”
Hidden curriculum: use as examples/subject matter for class exercises
New readings: update/alter to reflect new, integrated sustainability issues
Change or add assignments – get students outdoors, on-campus field trips, show a film, youtube videos, TED lectures
New unit or module within an existing course – new aspect of subject that relates to sustainability
New student project – relevance to student’s lives, current issues (ie: ecological footprint, behavior change challenge)

6. (6) Invite a guest speaker/add a co-instructor – don’t try to be the expert on all things sustainable! Invite faculty/staff from outside your department – use resources of the office
(7) Develop a whole new course – put together ideas from several faculty for an interdisciplinary course. Ie: water, food, or energy course that examines ecology, sociology, and politics.
(8) Change the world view of your course: same course, different strategy and goals -- paradigm shift
(9) Engaged learning / community experience: link to a local or campus issue – service learning

7. Individual reflection exercise (~1/2 hour)
(see the handout, back of Assessment SLO exercise)
-- Inner and outer dimensions of the process
-- Overcoming the tyranny of the to-do list
-- Learning to look: Observation & reflection