Transformative, interdisciplinary and intercultural learning for developing HEI students’ sustainability-oriented competences: a case study

Abstract

The literature has produced relevant theoretical insights into pedagogical frameworks, tools and competences that would be best suited to teach sustainability at higher education (HE). This article contributes to such a discussion using a course on sustainability developed by us as a case study. Two research questions are tackled in this article: (1) How to empower students to address urban sustainability challenges through the inclusion of transformative, interdisciplinary and intercultural learning into the current HE system? (2) Which pedagogical tools can be used to develop students’ sustainability-oriented competences? To address the research questions, the case study consists of two parts. First, by reflecting on the course design, this article aims to shed light on the benefits and challenges of transformative pedagogy and of an interdisciplinary and intercultural framework. Second, by analyzing students’ learning diaries (N = 36) using thematic analysis, this article offers insights into some of the students’ learning process, allowing us to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the course design as well as draw implications to improve and renew courses on sustainability in HE. The findings from the learning diaries indicate the students’ thirst for formal knowledge on sustainability, which they connected to their professional development and yearning for action. The learning diaries also suggest students’ increasing awareness of sustainability as a systemic and structural issue during the course, which aligns with the transformative learning framework used. Finally, this study emphasizes the need for structural support to meaningfully integrate sustainability in HE curricula and teaching practices.

The Role of Cultural Heritage in Promoting Urban Sustainability: A Brief Review

“…To answer the above query, it is imperative for academics to create interest and follow it up in higher education, another focus area in the literature [56,57]. Cities have an impact on scientific urban research (Figure 7), contribute to urban sustainability, and shape cities [58]. Urban sustainability has evolved into a complex socio-cultural dialogue that advocates for higher education (HE).…”

“…Urban sustainability has evolved into a complex socio-cultural dialogue that advocates for higher education (HE). In this context, transdisciplinary techniques [58] are ideal for facilitating transformative learning in higher education [59], and integrating expertise and knowledge from diverse disciplines [56]. Two sets of inquiry can be developed, i. on the holistic approach and ii.…”

Interdisciplinary Linkages among Sustainability Dimensions in the Context of European Cities and Regions Research

“…Recently, a new framework of 'New Urban Science' has been proposed by Karvonen, et al (2021) [11] to illustrate interdisciplinary collaborations required to drive sustainable urban transformation. Interdisciplinarity has been highlighted as a top priority in conceptualization [12] and education [13] in the field of urban sustainability. Interdisciplinary methods and tools have been used in the research on urban metabolism [14], the new challenges of governing cities in the anthropocene [15] and examining the connections between vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacity [16].…”

Guest editorial: Latin American perspectives on sustainability in higher education

“…The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as centers of teaching, research and extension, have a very important role in this scenario, as they can evidence the most critical issues of Latin American society to be debated, propose solutions for them and, in special, prepare future professionals with a broader conception about their participation and responsibility in society (Sigahi et al , 2022; Sommier et al , 2022; UNESCO, 2017).…”

“…And, as it is known, the above-mentioned problems are associated with an increase of violence against women (SDG 5), increasing inequalities (SDG 10) and deterioration of teaching conditions (SDG 4).The achievement of the SDGs, which already presented several challenges to be achieved, became even more difficult to be realized in the mentioned scenario as well as the ideals of sustainability based on a fairer society, with more egalitarian social services (UN, 2022). As highlighted by Zhao et al (2022), besides making the existent barriers more complicated to be solved, the COVID-19 pandemic also created new challenges, reducing globalization and the connection between people.The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as centers of teaching, research and extension, have a very important role in this scenario, as they can evidence the most critical issues of Latin American society to be debated, propose solutions for them and, in special, prepare future professionals with a broader conception about their participation and responsibility in society (Sigahi et al, 2022;Sommier et al, 2022; UNESCO, 2017).Interesting initiatives are being developed by HEIs, and it is important to disseminate them to stimulate the development of other ones. Despite these initiatives, it is important to emphasize that Latin American HEIs have faced several problems, such as antiscience movements, brain drain, student learning gaps and mental health problems.…”