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Teaching Sustainability in European Higher Education Institutions: Assessing the Connections between Competences and Pedagogical Approaches

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  • Rodrigo Lozano

    (Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, Kungsbäcksvägen 47, 80176 Gävle, Sweden
    Organisational Sustainability, Ltd. 40 Machen Place, Cardiff CF11 6EQ, UK)

  • Maria Barreiro-Gen

    (Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, Kungsbäcksvägen 47, 80176 Gävle, Sweden)

  • Francisco J. Lozano

    (Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Toluca, Av. Eduardo Monroy Cárdenas, 2000, San Antonio Buenavista, 50110 Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico)

  • Kaisu Sammalisto

    (Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, Kungsbäcksvägen 47, 80176 Gävle, Sweden)

Abstract

There has been considerable progress in the incorporation of sustainable development (SD) into higher education institutions’ curricula. This has included research on competences for SD and pedagogical approaches used; however, there has been limited research on the connection between how pedagogical approaches are used and how they may develop sustainability competences. A survey was developed, based on the ‘connecting sustainable development pedagogical approaches to competences’ framework, to investigate sustainability being taught, sustainability competences developed, and pedagogical approaches used in European higher education institutions. The survey was sent to a database of more than 4000 contacts from which 390 complete responses (9.80%) were obtained. The results show that the social dimension was the least addressed at 18% of responses, while the economic, environmental, and cross-cutting dimensions were addressed almost equally. The correlation analyses showed a relation between the contribution to sustainability and the strength of competences, and between the strength of competences and the strength of pedagogical approaches. The results from the survey helped to update the theoretical framework, which provides a more precise perspective on how sustainability competences can be better developed in class, and how to better develop all the sustainability competences.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo Lozano & Maria Barreiro-Gen & Francisco J. Lozano & Kaisu Sammalisto, 2019. "Teaching Sustainability in European Higher Education Institutions: Assessing the Connections between Competences and Pedagogical Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:6:p:1602-:d:214438
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rodrigo Lozano & Michelle Y. Merrill & Kaisu Sammalisto & Kim Ceulemans & Francisco J. Lozano, 2017. "Connecting Competences and Pedagogical Approaches for Sustainable Development in Higher Education: A Literature Review and Framework Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Rodrigo Lozano & Ken Peattie, 2011. "Assessing Cardiff University’s Curricula Contribution to Sustainable Development Using the STAUNCH(RTM) System," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, , vol. 5(1), pages 115-128, March.
    3. Kaisu Sammalisto & Agneta Sundström & Robin Von Haartman & Tove Holm & Zhilei Yao, 2016. "Learning about Sustainability—What Influences Students’ Self-Perceived Sustainability Actions after Undergraduate Education?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Rodrigo Lozano, 2014. "Creativity and Organizational Learning as Means to Foster Sustainability," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(3), pages 205-216, May.
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