Title: Successes and snags of a sustainability course in higher education

Authors: Alberto Arenas; Deborah J. Barca; Dennis Sanchez Rosemartin

Addresses: College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA ' College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA ' College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Abstract: By means of an action-research methodological approach, this paper analyses the accomplishments and challenges of a university-wide course that offers sustainability theory and practice to help students adopt pro-sustainability behaviours and analyse public policies that seek to transform urban areas into truly sustainable places. Through the lens of the four pillars of sustainability - environmental, social, economic, and cultural - the course explores various topics related to sustainability (e.g., energy and water conservation; housing design and construction; transportation; social and biological diversity; and war and peace) but pays particular attention to the themes of education; food production; and intentional communities. Despite the popularity of the course, it has encountered various ideological and logistical challenges that at times have imposed significant constraints on the course's trajectory. The paper examines ways of overcoming these obstacles.

Keywords: sustainability education; higher education; universities; colleges; curriculum development; undergraduate courses; service learning; community service; challenges; home environmental improvement; sense of place; manual work; action research; public policy; urban areas; environmental sustainability; social sustainability; economic sustainability; cultural sustainability; energy conservation; water conservation; housing design; construction; transport; social diversity; biodiversity; war and peace; food production; intentional communities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2015.071863

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2015 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.365 - 383

Received: 23 Jun 2014
Accepted: 30 Dec 2014
Published online: 21 Sep 2015 *

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