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Competence Literate but Context Lacking? Investigating the Potential of Study Abroad Programs to Promote Sustainability Competence Acquisition in Students

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  • James Ayers

    (Department of Strategic Sustainable Development, Blekinge Institute of Technology, 37179 Karlskrona, Sweden)

Abstract

The examination of pedagogies that promote effective sustainability learning has led to vigorous academic discussion, as has research regarding the role of competence-based learning for sustainability. This paper investigates the role of a study abroad program, the Engineers without Borders Design Summit, in promoting the acquisition of sustainability competencies in its students. This study analysed both content of the program pedagogy and the written learning reflections of 137 student participants to examine if the program resulted in sustainability competence acquisition. The study’s findings suggested that students did acquire sustainability competencies during the program, but also that students may become competence-literate but context-lacking as they acquire competency skillsets without understanding their purpose for use as sustainability tools or to promote sustainability outcomes. Therefore, this study recommends that competence-based education for sustainability requires situation of competence acquisition within sustainability contextualisation to ensure full competence potential is fulfilled. This study suggests that contextualisation can occur in a number of ways, including the use of defined sustainability principles as boundary conditions to frame learning environments, the use of sustainability epistemic teachers as “guides” to connect learning to sustainability and the facilitation of student experiences with unsustainability to promote personally motivated action towards sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • James Ayers, 2020. "Competence Literate but Context Lacking? Investigating the Potential of Study Abroad Programs to Promote Sustainability Competence Acquisition in Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5389-:d:379991
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adesuwa Vanessa Agbedahin, 2019. "Sustainable development, Education for Sustainable Development, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Emergence, efficacy, eminence, and future," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 669-680, July.
    2. 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.
    3. E. R. Osagie & R. Wesselink & V. Blok & T. Lans & M. Mulder, 2016. "Individual Competencies for Corporate Social Responsibility: A Literature and Practice Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 233-252, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Said Machwate & Rachid Bendaoud & Juergen Henze & Khalid Berrada & Daniel Burgos, 2021. "Virtual Exchange to Develop Cultural, Language, and Digital Competencies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Amy Roberts & Gregory S. Ching, 2021. "The Ebb and Flow of Study Abroad: A Comparative Analysis of PRC and International Students in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Ana-Inés Renta-Davids & Marta Camarero-Figuerola & Juana-María Tierno-García, 2020. "Assessment of the Quality Education Awareness Competence of Pre-Service Educators Using Vignettes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Matilda Watz, 2020. "Using Group Model Building to Foster Learning for Strategic Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Małgorzata Gawlik-Kobylińska, 2021. "Can Security and Safety Education Support Sustainability? Lessons Learned from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-13, February.
    6. Theres Konrad & Arnim Wiek & Matthias Barth, 2021. "Learning to Collaborate from Diverse Interactions in Project-Based Sustainability Courses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-15, September.
    7. Isabel Ortiz-Marcos & Luis Ignacio Ballesteros-Sánchez & Araceli Hernández Bayo & Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero & Gwenaelle Guillerme, 2021. "Assessment of Global Competence of Engineers for a Sustainable World. Evidence from TA VIE Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Aby John & Emil George, 2024. "The Impact of Social Media and Electronic Literature on Literary Studies, Language Learning and Acculturation: A Study Conducted in South India," World Journal of English Language, Sciedu Press, vol. 14(4), pages 546-546, July.
    9. Isabel Ortiz-Marcos & Valeria Breuker & Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero & Björn Kjellgren & Frédéric Dorel & Marco Toffolon & Diego Uribe & Virna Eccli, 2020. "A Framework of Global Competence for Engineers: The Need for a Sustainable World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-25, November.

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