1. Education for Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems Supradisciplinary, Complexity AND Systems-Based Approach
Kimberly Reiter, Stetson University and Will Focht, Oklahoma State University
Sustainability Curriculum Consortium Faculty Conference Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 2018

2. Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems
SHES
Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems
Environment
Human Systems
SHES “SUPERSYSTEM”
Environmental Systems Atmosphere Hydrosphere Geosphere Biosphere
The field is a supradiscipline. Name is Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems (SHES).
Human Systems Social
Technological
Economic
Governance

3. SHES Vision: Sustainable Societies
Promote the emergence of societies that facilitate, enhance, and sustain indefinitely the well-being of human individuals, their communities and their environments

4. SHES Mission: Viable Systems
Sustain the viability of human and environmental systems through the maintenance of their structural integrity, functional utility, adaptive resilience, as well as the number and diversity of system interactions to support the vision

5. SHES Goal: Social Learning
Facilitate social learning to build knowledge of, capacity for, and commitment to the viability of human and environmental systems and their interactions

6. The Educational Challenge
How should education for sustainability be designed and offered to achieve the SHES vision of promoting the emergence of sustainable societies through social learning?
SHES adopts six principles in responding to this challenge

7. Principle 1: Systems Thinking
Education for sustainability is best viewed as a study of interconnected human and environmental systems
SHES recognizes that there is no clear distinction or boundary between human and environmental systems
There is only a composite of elements of both human-created and nature-created systems in an integrated, interrelated supersystem

8. Principle 2: Holism
Competent study of sustainability requires a holistic view that accommodates the vast and complex web of relationships among human and environmental systems within a supersystem

9. Principle 3: Supradisciplinarity
Disciplinary “layering” through combinations of disciplinary lenses is not holistic
It is better to transcend disciplines entirely to consider sustainability holistically
Cross-disciplinary lenses that retain disciplinary boundaries – whether by juxtaposition, intersection or union of disciplines – are not much better because they still use disciplinary concepts and methods

10. Disciplinary Approach Comparison
Unidisciplinary
“One” (single, parochial, specialized)
Multidisciplinary
“Several” (isolated, non-cooperating)
Transdisciplinary
“Across” (bridge, juxtaposition)
Interdisciplinary
“Between, Among” (intersection, union)
Supradisciplinary
“Beyond, Above” (integrated, holistic)
Biology ---- biology+geology+chemistry ---- geobiology, biochemistry, geochemistry ---- biogeochemistry ---- natural ecology ---- environmental studies
Tblisi Declaration of 1977 states that environmental education should holistic to understand the complexity of human-nature interactions in order to manage the quality of the environment.

11. Principle 4: Revealed Complexity
The SHES approach is based on revealing complexity from simple through complicated to complex situations
Simple = are recipe-driven, have easy replication, skill improves with experience, and expertise is not required for success
Complicated = though a high degree of certainty exists, application of formulae and expertise are required for success
Complex = every situation is different, experience provides little advantage, formulae are not available, high degree of uncertainty exists, and expertise is no guarantee of success

12. Principle 5: Social Learning
Social learning includes modes such as collaborative, social, situated, double loop, and experiential learning…
…aimed at
developing a shared understanding of, capacity for, and commitment to sustainable societies
…through
conflict management, trust building, futures thinking, and systemic approaches that appreciate complexity

13. Principle 6: Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholders affected by or interested in a sustainability challenge must be engaged in deliberations concerning:
Identification of the sustainability situation
Definitions of well-being
Values embedded in those definitions
Specification of the supersystem
Valued supersystem elements
Interventions designed to improve system viabilities

14. SHES Educational Approach Summary: Holistic, Supradisciplinary Understanding of Complex Systems and Social Learning Skills
Using methods that transcend disciplines to holistically reveal the complexity of human and environmental systems, and through social learning, the learner can participate effectively in the sociopolitical sphere to influence the emergence of sustainable societies

15. Stage I: Diagnosis of the Sustainability Challenge
Phase A – Confirm and characterize the sustainability situation
Identify stakeholders concerned about well-being
Identify threats to well-being
Phase B – Reveal the systemic complexity of the sustainability situation
Identify systems and system interactions valued for their contributions to well-being
Conceptualize these systems and interactions as a supersystem
Assess viability of systems and interactions within this supersystem
Iteratively increase resolution of the supersystem and repeat both phases
System structure = number of system levels and systems in a level
System interactions = number, magnitude, direction, and valence of interactions
System aspects = spatial, cyclical temporal, non-cyclical temporal, functional

16. Stage II: Sustainability Prescription
Phase A – Alternative visioning
Envision a strategic approach designed to improve well-being by promoting values tied to well-being
Assess implications of implementation of this strategy on these values
Phase B – Complexity revelation
Identify supersystem components affected by the alternative
Increase system resolution as necessary
Phase C – Alternative viability assessment
Generate interventions to take at tactical locations in the supersystem
Assess potential for the alternative to improve well-being through improved viability of valued systems and system interactions

17. Stage III: Alternative Implementation
Phase A – Transformation of the sustainability situation into an alternative that promotes societal well-being
Evaluate effectiveness of the alternative to sustain well-being
If the alternative is not effective, repeat Stages II and III
Phase B – Capacity-building to contribute to the emergence of sustainable societies through social learning
Social learning improves ability of stakeholders to appreciate value diversity in perspectives on well-being, conceptualize systems and system interactions impacting upon these values, assess the viability of systems and system interactions to promote these values, and generate strategies designed to facilitate the emergence of sustainable societies

18. The SHES Approach Stage III: Implementation Stage II: Prescription
SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES
Stage III: Implementation
Capacity-Building through Social Learning
Transformation of the Situation
The SHES Approach
Alternative Viability Assessment
Stage II: Prescription
Complexity Revelation
Valued Systems and Interactions
Alternative Visioning
Supersystem Viability Assessment
Revealed Values
Aspects
Resolution Dimensions
Stage I: Diagnosis
Perspectives on Well-Being
Spatial
Functional
System Levels
System Interactions
Sustainability Challenge
Cyclical Temporal
Non-Cyclical Temporal

19. Conclusions
In this approach to higher education curricula, sustainability is evaluated holistically through all stages of inquiry
It preserves holism through a supradisciplinary pedagogy that uses robust framing to understand the influences of dimensions of scale, resolution, and the values inherent in varying perspectives of what constitutes well-being
By progressively revealing complexity, students gain a more thorough and nuanced understanding of the systems and system interactions that are essential to achieving the SHES vision and mission
The diagnosis of non-viable (unsustainable) systems and interactions can inform the targeted actions that can be taken to sustain the well-being of individuals, their communities, and their environments
This knowledge, incorporated into social learning strategies, can then be used to encourage stakeholders to devise actions and build capacity to promote sustainable societies
Given the uncertainties in any viability assessment, intervention strategies should embrace adaptive management and the precautionary principle