IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i17p13152-d1230685.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reflective and Cooperative Learning for Understanding Sustainability through an Eco-Innovation Strategy in Rural Travel and Hospitality: A STEAM Case Study

Author

Listed:
  • Chin-Lien Hung

    (Department of Hospitality Management, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

  • Tien-Fu Yu

    (Department of Hospitality Management, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

  • Yun-Hui Lin

    (Department of Tourism, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

  • Yi-Chien Lin

    (Department of Tourism, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

  • Yi-Hsuan Chen

    (Department of Tourism, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

  • Wei-Shuo Lo

    (Department of Hospitality Management, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
    Department of Tourism, Meiho University, Pingtung 912, Taiwan)

Abstract

Eco-innovation denotes developing green practices using environmentally friendly innovative approaches or technologies. Although eco-innovation has been broadly applied in different industries, such as low-carbon production and manufacturing, how to implement such innovation in education for sustainable development (ESD) has rarely been studied. Therefore, this research considered a reflective and cooperative learning approach to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education. A case study examined Wanluan Township of Pingtung County in southern Taiwan. Four departments’ students and lecturers at Meiho University were involved in situated learning. Hospitality management students played farm owners who engaged in organic agriculture to produce food and beverages. These agricultural products were farm-to-table, cooked, and served to customers in a natural dining setting through the students’ teamwork. Tourism, sports and leisure management, and food science and nutrition students played tourists in a self-guided travel context, who engaged in acts such as visiting buildings to understand heritage while observing that the houses were still in use as dwellings. This encouraged reflection on the importance of cultural preservation. The results showed that eco-innovation can represent a sustainable marketing strategy for improving the local community economy and can be implemented in a practical situation in STEAM. The ESD goal for 2030—societal transformation—is to foster students’ responsible behavior and attitudes in a personally authentic manner, thereby fostering sustainable learning and understanding.

Suggested Citation

  • Chin-Lien Hung & Tien-Fu Yu & Yun-Hui Lin & Yi-Chien Lin & Yi-Hsuan Chen & Wei-Shuo Lo, 2023. "Reflective and Cooperative Learning for Understanding Sustainability through an Eco-Innovation Strategy in Rural Travel and Hospitality: A STEAM Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13152-:d:1230685
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13152/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13152/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eva M. García-Granero & Laura Piedra-Muñoz & Emilio Galdeano-Gómez, 2020. "Multidimensional Assessment of Eco-Innovation Implementation: Evidence from Spanish Agri-Food Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Rennings, Klaus, 2000. "Redefining innovation -- eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 319-332, February.
    3. Wustenhagen, Rolf & Bilharz, Michael, 2006. "Green energy market development in Germany: effective public policy and emerging customer demand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(13), pages 1681-1696, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alexandra Rese & Anke Kutschke & Daniel Baier, 2016. "Analyzing The Relative Influence Of Supply Side, Demand Side And Regulatory Factors On The Success Of Collaborative Energy Innovation Projects," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(02), pages 1-43, February.
    2. Marlen Gabriele Arnold & Kai Hockerts, 2011. "The greening dutchman: Philips' process of green flagging to drive sustainable innovations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(6), pages 394-407, September.
    3. Rogge, Karoline S. & Reichardt, Kristin, 2016. "Policy mixes for sustainability transitions: An extended concept and framework for analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1620-1635.
    4. Karneyeva, Yuliya & Wüstenhagen, Rolf, 2017. "Solar feed-in tariffs in a post-grid parity world: The role of risk, investor diversity and business models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 445-456.
    5. Rogge, Karoline S. & Reichardt, Kristin, 2013. "Towards a more comprehensive policy mix conceptualization for environmental technological change: A literature synthesis," Working Papers "Sustainability and Innovation" S3/2013, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
    6. Lai, Kee-hung & Feng, Yunting & Zhu, Qinghua, 2023. "Digital transformation for green supply chain innovation in manufacturing operations," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    7. Mechthild Donner & Anne Verniquet & Jan Broeze & Katrin Kayser & Hugo de Vries, 2021. "Critical success and risk factors for circular business models valorising agricultural waste and by-products," Post-Print hal-03004851, HAL.
    8. Bobulescu, Roxana & Fritscheova, Aneta, 2021. "Convivial innovation in sustainable communities: Four cases in France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    9. Lirios Alos-Simo & Antonio J. Verdu-Jover & Jose M. Gomez-Gras, 2020. "Knowledge Transfer in Sustainable Contexts: A Comparative Analysis of Periods of Financial Recession and Expansion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-24, June.
    10. Hille, Erik & Althammer, Wilhelm & Diederich, Henning, 2020. "Environmental regulation and innovation in renewable energy technologies: Does the policy instrument matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    11. Jolanta Pakulska, 2021. "The Eco-Innovation versus Economic Development on the EU Example," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 999-1008.
    12. Vitaliy Roud & Thomas Wolfgang Thurner, 2018. "The Influence of State‐Ownership on Eco‐Innovations in Russian Manufacturing Firms," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(5), pages 1213-1227, October.
    13. Süsser, Diana & Döring, Martin & Ratter, Beate M.W., 2017. "Harvesting energy: Place and local entrepreneurship in community-based renewable energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 332-341.
    14. Christoph P. Kiefer & Pablo Del Río González & Javier Carrillo‐Hermosilla, 2019. "Drivers and barriers of eco‐innovation types for sustainable transitions: A quantitative perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 155-172, January.
    15. Huang, Youlin & Qian, Lixian, 2021. "Consumer adoption of electric vehicles in alternative business models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. Shuaibing Zhang & Kaixu Zhao & Shuoyang Ji & Yafang Guo & Fengqi Wu & Jingxian Liu & Fei Xie, 2022. "Evolution Characteristics, Eco-Environmental Response and Influencing Factors of Production-Living-Ecological Space in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-26, July.
    17. Mr. Jon Strand, 2007. "Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Supply for the G-7 Countries, with Emphasis on Germany," IMF Working Papers 2007/299, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Atkinson, Scott E. & Tsionas, Mike G., 2021. "Generalized estimation of productivity with multiple bad outputs: The importance of materials balance constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 292(3), pages 1165-1186.
    19. Yousaf, Umair Bin & Ullah, Irfan & Jiang, Junchen & Wang, Man, 2022. "The role of board capital in driving green innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    20. Qian, Lixian & Grisolía, Jose M. & Soopramanien, Didier, 2019. "The impact of service and government-policy attributes on consumer preferences for electric vehicles in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 70-84.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13152-:d:1230685. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.