Transformative education: towards a relational, justice-oriented approach to sustainability

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to increase related knowledge across personal, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability and how it can be applied to support transformative learning. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a reflexive case study of the design, content and impact of a course on eco-justice that integrates relational learning with an equity and justice lens. The reflexive case study provides a critical, exploratory self-assessment, including interviews, group discussions and surveys with key stakeholders and course participants. Findings The results show how relational approaches can support transformative learning for sustainability and provide concrete practices, pathways and recommendations for curricula development that other universities/training institutions could follow or learn from. Originality/value Sustainability research, practice and education generally focuses on structural or systemic factors of transformation (e.g. technology, governance and policy) without due consideration as to how institutions and systems are shaping and shaped by the transformation of personal agency and subjectivity. This presents a vast untapped and under-studied potential for addressing deep leverage points for change by using a relational approach to link personal, societal and ecological transformations for sustainability.

Transformative Learning for Sustainability Practices in Management and Education for Sustainable Development: a Meta-Synthesis

“…Within this perspective, a disorienting dilemma cited in the research reviewed that worked with sustainability education is some new or unexpected aspect of the course, in general, a broad conceptualization of the term sustainability, considering concerns other than environmental ones, leading to a reflection of their habits and lifestyles (Weinberg et al, 2020). Conferences also seemed to become a triggering event for sustainable TL (Walshe and Tait, 2019), as well as a course, with different modalities and experiential learning opportunities, through service-learning and civic engagement (Walsh et al, 2020;Dal Magro et al, 2020). Teen et al (2020) considered the ten stages of TL to understand the learning process of small business owners, noting which stages the research subjects went through.…”

“…However, it is necessary to consider what Fugate et al (2018) stated, that in order to promote sustained behavioral change, it is necessary to go beyond the limits of cognitive learning by using learning methods based on experiences and emotions that link theory and practice. And it is from this perspective, Walsh et al (2020) highlighted conditions that aided the learning process of their research by experimenting with the relational approach. Therefore, conditions noted by Walsh et al (2020) are embodied learning, the human-nature connection, place-based learning, and coping with uncertainty.…”

“…Although some recent studies address the topic through different approaches and contexts (e.g., Hunziker and Hofstetter, 2020;Wolff and Ehrström, 2020;Trott et al, 2020;Aboytes and Barth, 2020;Teen et al, 2020;Fokdal et al, 2020;Noy et al, 2021;Walsh et al, 2020;Weinberg et al, 2020), there is a lack of studies on the development of theoretical strategies towards sustainability practices in management and ESD from the TL approach, requiring more in-depth knowledge to ensure the comparability of different practices and pedagogies. Thus, this study addresses the following research questions: RQ1: How TL theory has contributed to sustainability practices in management and ESD?…”

If It Is Life We Want: A Prayer for the Future (of the) University

“…These efforts have led to attempts of defining competencies needed for sustainability (e.g., Fadel et al, 2015;UNESCO, 2017;Rieckmann, 2018;Guimarães et al, 2019 Dyball, 2009). Some also created fairer access and opportunities to minorities and people of lesser privilege (e.g., Klein, 2009;Walsh et al, 2020). Less successfully, albeit while advancing change slowly in the right direction, some universities and research institutions have supported their faculty, staff, and students in working toward greater transdisciplinary engagement with the world of practice and policy (Palma and Pedrozo, 2019;Fazey et al, 2020;Fazey et al, this issue).…”

What Skills Do Agricultural Professionals Need in the Transition towards a Sustainable Agriculture? A Qualitative Literature Review

“…There is a common agreement that moving towards a sustainable future requires a shift in perspective. It is, therefore, critical for sustainability scholars to understand this paradigm shift and orient their work in line with advanced theory and practice from fields relevant to sustainable agriculture and food systems [8]. However, education for sustainable agriculture is a vast research field that holds many discussions about theory, practice, and the educational outputs, as the conceptualisation of sustainability, problems, and the degree of change required in the transition differ significantly depending on different learning institutions and individual people [6].…”