Journal article: Teaching the "how" of transformation

College and university students are eager to engage with transformative solutions to the climate crisis, but often struggle to see openings or possibilities where they can leverage their actions and really “make a difference. This article explores the "how" of transformation in teaching. 

Image may contain: Plant, Property, Leaf, Nature, Botany.

Foto: UiO/Anders Lien

My collogues Irmelin Gram-Hanssen, Karen O´Brien, and Robin Leichenko has written about the “Teaching the "How" of Transformation” in Sustainability Science: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-021-00964-5
 

This article explores an integrative approach to teaching transformations in the context of environment and society courses at Rutgers and University of Oslo, using the Three Spheres and the cCHALLENGE as an experiential learning component.

Through surveys and focus groups, they found that the approach (1) increased the students' understanding of transformation and their sense that transformative change is possible; (2) enhanced the students' sense of their own agency and ability to make a difference; and, (3) helped students to articulate a role for themselves in processes of transformative change.

The authors argue that teaching the "how" of transformation is possible and that both understanding and experiential realization of the connection between individual and collective change are vital elements for student learning and engagement.

By Robin Leichenko, Irmelin Gram-Hanssen and Karen O´Brien
Published May 20, 2021 3:18 PM - Last modified May 20, 2021 3:18 PM