SustainabilityAcrosstheCurriculumWorkshop

May18-192017

Outcomes• Provideabaseofknowledge,experiences,andinspirationuponwhichtobuildacourseorunitthatincludessustainabilityoutcome(s)– Developaconceptmapthatwillassistin:

• Proposinganewcourse• Re-designinganexistingcourse

– Developacourseoutline– Developacoursemodule

– Threadtogetherseeminglydisparateagendaitemsw/acoherentunderpinning(onemethodofcoursedesign)

TheColoradoCollegemissioncommitsustoprovidingthefinestLiberalArtseducationinthecountrybyembodyingourcorevalues. Sustainabilityisn'toptionalatColoradoCollege;it'scentral toourcommunityandtotheexampleswesetthroughallofourwork. WeaspiretomakeColoradoCollegeamodelforsustainabilityatalllevels– anacademiccommunitythatlivesitscommitmenttoathrivingfuture,honoringtheeconomic,socialandenvironmentalnarrativesofourcomplexecosystem.

Sustainability

• “developmentthatmeetstheneedsofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds.”

– UnitedNations.1987.“ReportoftheWorldCommissiononEnvironmentandDevelopment.”GeneralAssemblyResolution42/187,11December1987.

ColoradoCollegeCoreValuesAsmembersoftheColoradoCollegecommunity,weshareacommitmentto:• Honorthelifeofthemindasthecentralfocusofourcommon

endeavor;• Valueallpersonsandseektolearnfromtheirdiverseexperiences

andperspectives;• Practiceintellectualhonestyandlivewithintegrity;• ServeasstewardsofthetraditionsandresourcesofColorado

College;• Nurtureasenseofplaceandanethicofenvironmental

sustainability;• Encourageengagementandsocialresponsibilityatlocal,national

andgloballevels;• Seekexcellence,constantlyassessingourpoliciesandprograms.

• ThegoalofsustainabilityeducationistoleveragetheassetsoftheBlockPlantoallowstudentstoinvestigatetherelationshipsbetweensocial,economic,andenvironmentalchallenges,particularlyastheyapplytoourcommunities.Throughaliberalartseducation,sustainabilityshouldstrengthenourrelationshiptotheRockyMountainWest,aswellasthebroaderhumaneconomyandthelargerecosysteminwhichitisembedded.

ADefinitionfor“SustainabilityintheCurriculum”

SustainabilityLearningObjectives• Understandingandevaluatingthecomplex globalsystems inwhichsustainabilityissuesexist

(e.g.- laws,economics,andpolicies)

• Philosophical ortheoreticalframeworksinwhichtoviewenvironmentalandsustainabilityissues (e.g.- morality,Maslow’sHeirarchy,etc.)

• Historical phenomenaandpatternsthathaveproducedmodernsustainabilityissues

• SocialJustice,EnvironmentalJustice,andotherequityconcernsthatinvestigatethecomplexsocialnetworksanddynamicsofpowerthatcanperpetuateandcomplicatesustainabilityissues(e.g.- environmentalandinstitutionalracism,foodaccess,etc.)

• Buildinginnovativeconnectionsbetweendifferentacademicdisciplines(e.g.- Mediastudies,Music,English)andsustainability.

• Understandingof,andcriticalthinkingaboutthescientificmethodandhowsciencecanbeappliedtounderstandingnaturalsystemsandenvironmentalissues

• Practiceintechnicalandscientificskillsandhowtheycouldbeusedtogeneratesolutionstosmallandlargescalesustainabilitychallenges

SustainabilityLearningObjectivesCont’d

• Practiceinsocialandcommunicationskillsandhowtheycouldbeusedtogenerationsolutionstosmallandlargescalesustainabilitysolutions

• Analysisandcompositionin literature,creativewriting,design,visualarts,music,andotherartformsthatcouldbeusedtogeneratesolutionstosmallandlarge-scalesustainabilitychallenges

• Analysisandpracticeofotherculturalperspectivesandhowtheyapplytosustainability

• Developmentofa“SenseofPlace”andabetterunderstandingoftheconnectionstoone’ssurroundingsandcommunity

• Researchorcourseactivitiesthatengagewithourcommunitiestopromoteflourishing

• Examinationofcourseprocessesorpracticesthataresustainableinandofthemselves(e.g.- resourceusage,wastegeneration,travelfootprint,etc.)(i.e.-Self-Reflection)

InaPerfectWorld…