Conjuring a ‘Spirit’ for Sustainability: A Review of the Socio-Materialist Effects of Provocative Pedagogies

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Sustainability 2030: a policy perspective from the University Vocational Awards CouncilAbstract Purpose: The policy and practice sphere of higher education, skills and work-based learning has become increasingly problematic in the last few years, and the extent to which sustainability and sustainable development are embedded in policy and practice spaces is a cause for concern. This paper posits a policy perspective from the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), the national representative organisation for universities committed to the vocational agenda and an independent voice in the sphere of higher education, skills and work-based learning.Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a reflective policy and practice piece which draws on the latest policy moves by the UK government and associated organisations and engages the latest literature to examine the issues in policy and practice that need to be tackled.Findings: This paper argues for a greater integration of sustainable development into higher education, skills and work-based learning policy and practice, and specifically in relation to (1) creating inclusive workplaces, (2) promoting social mobility, (3) a balanced approach to productivity, health and wellbeing, and (4) embedding educational approaches and methods which promote inequality in workplaces.Originality/value: The paper is the only UK policy perspective explicitly dedicated to sustainability and sustainable development in the context of the sphere of higher education, skills and work-based learning. Although it is focused on UK policy context, it will be of interest to international readers wishing to learn about UK developments and the sustainable development challenges in relation to its apprenticeship, technical and vocational education system.

Section: Promising Directionsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Productivity and Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability 2030: a policy perspective from the University Vocational Awards Council

Crawford–Lee

Wall

2018

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“…An overriding issue to consider is the extent to which business schools themselves are being run in line with the values and beliefs of sustainability (Wall and Jarvis, 2015; Wall et al , 2018). Faculty cannot teach what is not being practised in their institutions, and the nature of the relationship between executive and boards in business schools needs to be addressed (Akrivou and Bradbury-Huang, 2015).…”

Section: Sustainability In the Business School Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of education should be to equip learners to make the decisions in an intelligent way and recognise for themselves that simply justifying decisions on the basis of shareholders’ wealth maximisation is inadequate. This is achieved when students engage with each other and with faculty and are exposed to different arguments without restriction so that they make intelligent personal choice and improve their ethical sensitivity (Kelly and Alam, 2009; Dmochowski et al , 2016; Savelyeva and McKenna, 2011; Wiek et al , 2014; Wall et al , 2018).…”

Section: Sustainability In the Business School Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability in the professional accounting and finance curriculum: an exploration

Mburayi

Wall

2018

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Sustainability in the professional accounting and finance curriculum: an explorationAbstract Purpose: Whereas the integration of sustainability into business schools has received increasing attention in recent years, the debate continues to be generic rather than recognising the peculiarities of the more quantitative sub disciplines such as accounting and finance which may of course be intimately linked to professional standards. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to examine the extent to which sustainability is integrated into accounting and finance curricula in business schools, how, and to understand some of the challenges of doing so.Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents the findings from a systematic form of literature review which draws on the previous literature about how sustainability is embedded into business school curricula and the challenges in doing so. A particular focus is placed on how the ways in which sustainability is integrated into accounting and finance curricula in business schools. Findings:The paper demonstrates that accounting and finance lags behind other management disciplines in embedding sustainability and that institutional commitment is oftentimes a strong imperative for effective integration of sustainability. Practical implications:This paper is a call to practitioners and researchers alike to explore new ways of integrating sustainability in the accounting and finance curricula, including working across boundaries to provide learning opportunities for future accountants, financial managers, and generalist managers.

“…Læssøe (2010, p. 54) put forward the need to work with “dilemmas, dissensus and deliberative communication” in ESD. He also pointed out the risk that ESD will be carried out as unproblematic and consensus oriented, which is described as “societal self-deception” (Læssøe, 2010, p. 51; see also Wall, Clough, Österlind and Hindley, 2018). According to van Boeckel (2009), we have to “facilitate coping with the ecological calamities around us—both those that are manifest and those that are feared for” (p. 145).…”

Section: Education For Sustainable Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drama in higher education for sustainability: work-based learning through fiction?

Österlind

2018

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the use of drama in the context of professional learning for sustainability, and specifically, a drama workshop on sustainability for in-service teachers. The workshop was designed to explore environmental problems from several perspectives, by using drama techniques like bodily expressions, visualisations and role-play. Design/methodology/approach Data are drawn from questionnaires evaluating the effects of a drama workshop delivered in Helsinki in 2017. In total, 15 in-service teachers answered open-ended questions. Responses from experienced teachers were chosen as particularly interesting in relation to work-based learning. Findings The findings demonstrate that drama work contributes to education for sustainability in terms of increased self-awareness, critical reflections and signs of transformation; experienced professional learners bring their workplace context into the university, which enriches teaching and learning; and sustainability is a non-traditional subject in need of non-traditional teaching approaches. Research limitations/implications The results of this small-scale study are only valid for this particular group. Practical implications The study gives an example of how applied drama can contribute to learning for sustainability in higher education. Originality/value This paper contributes to a growing literature concerning how drama allows participants to work on real problems, from a safe position in a fictive situation, providing both closeness and distance. When students become involved in an as-if situation, it leads to increased motivation and practice-oriented learning. As the content of sustainability can be challenging, drama work offers a meaningful context in which concepts and issues can be explored. Fictive situations may contribute to more realistic learning experiences.