Building%20for%20the%20Future:%20Incorporating%20Sustainability%20into%20University%20Curricula

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Building for the FutureIncorporating
Sustainability into University Curricula

• Jack Luskin, Ph.D.
• Toxics Use Reduction Institute
• Program for the Practice of Sustainability
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• www.turi.org

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Why Bother???

• The students of today will be the decision makers
  of tomorrow.

• Developing within students a conceptual basis of
  sustainability, and the ability to practice
  sustainability is critical for our future.

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Issues of integrating sustainability into
curricula

• Separate courses on sustainability, or infusing
  it into all courses

• Making it relevant to students

• Developing appropriate activities

• Passive vs. active learning

• Empowering students to promote sustainability

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Project Components
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Rationale

• Engagement Theory (Schneiderman Kearsley, 1998)
  Technology as a perfect catalyst that encourages
  deeper learning during concentrated student
  interaction with the content through an authentic
  collaborative, technology-based group project -
  with an external, real world focus, in this
  case, the community.

• Learning by doing

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Sample Classes

• News Writing

Traditional all writing class
Writing
Audio Collection
Video Production
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Sample Classes (continued)

• Management Development

Traditional development course
Identifying Opportunities
Developing Proposals
Selling with Video
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Other courses

• Public Health Policy (Dept. of Community Health
  and Sustainability)
• Environmental Economics (Economics Dept)

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Fall Semester 2006

• Interdisciplinary Course
• Course product 30 minute video on toxics in
  household products to be shown on cable
  television. Locally then nationally.
• Independent study from five disciplines

• Communications
• Art
• Health
• Music/Sound Recording
• Management

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Sample Video

• Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust

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Faculty and Student Interviews

• Faculty Interview
• Student Interview