Measuring longitudinal student performance on student learning outcomes in sustainability education

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the student learning outcomes (SLOs) for a sustainability major, evaluate faculty incorporation of the SLOs into the courses in the sustainability major curriculum and measure student performance on the SLOs from entry into the major to the senior capstone course. Design/methodology/approach Through an iterative approach with a faculty advisory committee, SLOs were developed for the sustainability major. Curriculum mapping followed by evaluation of course syllabi were used to determine the extent to which each course addressed the SLOs. Student performance on most SLOs was measured through student assessment in an introductory and capstone course to evaluate the change in performance over time. Findings The core courses of the sustainability major were more likely to address the SLOs of the major than that of the elective courses. Where measured, student performance on the SLOs increased from the introductory course to the capstone course. Sustainability majors participated in an average of almost ten experiential learning opportunities focused on sustainability. Originality/value This research provides a longitudinal assessment of student learning in an undergraduate sustainability major. Because undergraduate sustainability degrees are generally new, this research can serve as a base upon which to continue to improve sustainability curriculum design.

Analysis of sustainability presence in Spanish higher education

“…These different ways of incorporating ESD into the curriculum involve different degrees of sustainability development and learning. On the basis of analysis by learning outcomes, some authors have investigated the essential conditions required for ESD to be included in a curriculum (Hill and Wang, 2018), while others have evaluated the result of incorporating sustainability-related learning outcomes in different courses and the performance achieved by students (Jarchow et al , 2018). Based on a scientific literature review on sustainability, Berchin et al (2017) identified the recurrent actions for sustainability carried out in some higher education institutions and focused these actions in a case study in Brazil.…”

Quantitative analysis of the role of production in value creation

“…Povećavanje produktivnosti rada nema neposredno za cilj skraćivanje dužine radnog dana, nego samo skraćivanje onog dela radnog dana u kojem radnik reprodukuje vrednost svoje radne snage (Perrault & Clark, 2017;Jarchow et al, 2018). Proizvodnja relativnog viška vrednosti ima za pretpostavku jedan specifičan način proizvodnje zasnovane na najamnom radu kojoj mora da prethodi promena u metodu organizacije proizvodnje ili različita unapređenja u sredstvima za proizvodnju.…”

The transforming generation: increasing student awareness about the effects of economic decisions on sustainability

“…In a rapidly changing world that is becoming increasingly complex over time, curriculum reform and improvement must be addressed in an integrated and holistic way. Higher education institutions are increasing efforts to address sustainability issues within their curricula (Jarchow et al, 2018), but the extent to how the sustainability-related topics are implemented varies between knowledge areas and educational levels and there is still room for a larger presence of sustainability in many degrees and courses (Weiss and Barth, 2019;Aleixo et al, 2020;S anchez-Carracedo et al, 2020). From this perspective, as Ferrer-Balas et al (2010) observe, to make our societies truly sustainable it may not be sufficient to introduce improvements and innovations in the way we educate; rather, it is also essential to ensure that education becomes a real tool for change.…”