Learning to Teach Green:Developing and Teaching an Undergraduate EfS Subject for Sport & Recreation Management
Greg Dingle Recreation & Sport
& Colin HockingOffice of PVC Academic & Students
Victoria UniversityMelbourne, Australia
AASHE 2011
October 11th
Australia & Sport
Sorry I couldn’t make it to AASHE 2
Greg Dingle
1. Students are engaged by EfS (=ESD)
2. EfS can be taught well
3. SALM learning model works
4. Empower students to act (offer strategy)
5. Use multiple Learning Resources:― Journal articles― Case studies― Guest speakers― Websites ― Web-videos― Field trips
5 Key Points - Sustn In Sports & Rec. Mgmnt
3(C) Copyright – Greg Dingle, Colin Hocking and Victoria University, 2011
Six high-level goals:― Learning & Teaching:
“VU ...committed to EfS to ensure our graduates contribute to ... long-term sustainability of ... natural environment”
― VU will be ... a dynamic & prosperous organisation and employer & partner of choice:
“...committed to achieving environmental sustainability & fostering EfS”
EfS at VU – since Sept
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Bachelor Sport & Recreation Management -20083 year single degree (4 year double degree)7 streams (majors) including
o Recreation & Outdoor Recreationo Sport Managemento Event Management & Marketingo Human Movement & Exercise Science
New degree course
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2007 - merged courses => new subject needed AHS3505 Sport, Recreation and Sustainability (yr 2/3)
2008-2009 - Design subject & first intake
2009 - Teach AHS3505 first time (12 mths early)
2010 & 2011 – subject taught again with upgrades
Timeline
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Rushed deadline – ready for 2009Never taught EfS beforeNo resources - start from scratchNo direct examples –sport mgmtNo EfS policy at VU (then)No guidance from faculty or school. One book – not a textbook
Challenges
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Greg! “Oh no! What have I got myself into?”
No colleagues with EfS expertiseNo lesson plans or assessmentsVague ideas about objectivesOne colleague openly opposed to subjectSupport from two colleagues
Unfinished Ph.D. => On hold for 6 months
More Challenges
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Help!
What I didn’t know...― Best subject design? – how to explain emerging
environmental, policy, economic & legislative context?― Key problems?― Concepts? Theories?
1. Objectives?
2. Resources?
3. Activities?
4. Assessments?
― Prerequisite knowledge?
= Literacy needed for sustainable management?
Subject Challenges
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How does sport & rec. affect environment? How does environment affect sport & rec.? Attributes of sustainable organisations?
― Management strategies? Appropriate literature?
― Where to start?― What to include? Leave out?
How to make learning enjoyable? How to make learning relevant? What teaching methods?
Subject Design Issues
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Constructivist theory of knowledge:1. “Students CONSTRUCT meaning from what they DO to learn”.
2. “The teacher ALIGNS the planned learning activities with the learning outcomes”
Matt Nicholson’s – Strategic Aligned Learning Model (SALM) Based on John Biggs’ Constructive Alignment Model (2003)
Case studies: Widely used in management discipline Harvard Business School model
No lectures: Teacher-centred, didactic, passive, selective Students don’t attend to hear theory
Teaching Philosophy?
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Nicholson’s 4 part learning framework:1. Learning Objectives
2. Learning Resources
3. Learning Activities
4. Learning Assessments Nicholson’s weekly student SALM tasks:
SALM => Rapid Design
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TASK1 TASK 2 TASK 3 TASK 4
IDENTIFY OBJECTIVES
USE RESOURCES
COMPLETE ACTIVITIES
COMPLETE ASSESSMENTS
STRATEGICALIGNMENT
Nicholson’s 4 part learning framework:1. Learning Objectives
2. Learning Resources
3. Learning Activities
4. Learning Assessments Nicholson’s weekly student SALM tasks:
SALM – Student View
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TASK1 TASK 2 TASK 3 TASK 4
IDENTIFY OBJECTIVES
USE RESOURCES
COMPLETE ACTIVITIES
COMPLETE ASSESSMENTS
Benefits1. Rapid & Clear Design
2. Transparent Outline & Elements
3. Deeper Learning (if truly aligned)
Example― Objective? – “Identify & understand basics of Climate Change”― Resources? – peer-reviewed article, CSIRO website, film doco.― Activities? – read article, watch doco, class discussion, website― Assessment? - write 300-word summary for short essay
SALM & Unit Objectives
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Learning Module – Substitute for lecture:― “...what the student does is actually more important in
determining what is learned than what the teacher does’’ (Shuell, 1986: 427)
― Intro. to Topic & *Reading Pack - lots of images― Linked to websites – embedded url’s― Basic structure:
1. Key Points
2. Key Concepts
3. Key Questions
4. Key Words (glossary)
*Reading Pack – journal, newspaper & magazine articles 1-2 Videos – An Inconvenient Truth WebCT/Blackboard + 3 x Guest Speakers
Learning Resources
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Learning Activities:1 x 1-1.5 hour class plus 1 x hour for Learning Module
1. Discuss key questions (from Learning Module)
2. Weekly case study – read then discuss
3. Discuss Guest Speaker presentations
Learning Assessments:1. Short Essay – 1800 words (30%)
2. Case Study Analyses – 1500 words (35%)
3. Evaluation Report of Org. Sustainability (LiWC):
a) Group presentation – 300 words (10%)
b) Group Report (Eco. Footprint) - 1500 words (25%)
Activities & Assessments
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4 Themes – 2 knowledge & skills
– 2 practical application
1. Sustainability Foundations
2. Sport & Rec. Sustainability Issues
3. Strategy - People Management
4. Strategy - Water, Waste, ESD & Green Procurement
Themes & Topics
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THEORY = ‘sustainability literacy’
1. Sustainability (3 P’s) – Social, Environmental, Economic (People, Planet, Profit)
2. Five Capitals (esp. Natural Capital)
3. Ecological Footprint
4. Climate Change
5. Carbon Footprint
6. Carbon Management
7. Precautionary Principle
8. Enviro. Sustainable Design
9. Waste Management
Key Concepts
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Management strategy1. Carbon Management
2. People Management
3. Waste Management
4. Water Management
5. E.S.D.
6. Green Procurement
Apply to a workplace:
=> Group Enviro Assessment report
Teaching Methods
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STEM = Strategy Toolkit for Enviro. Management
2009 – 21 students 2010 – 100 students (4 tute grps) 2011 – 113 students (4 tute grps)
Profile of students = not your average greenie!― 18-25 yr. old― Gender imbalance – 60+% male students― Most never studied environmental sustainability
Various streams (majors):― Single & double-degree― Various student interests & career preferences
The students
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Subject Design Feedback
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SEU AHS3505 RESULTS 2009-2011
ITEM QUESTION 2009 2010 2011 FAEHD University
Q. 1 It was clear what this unit was about. 4.6 - 4.4 4.2 4.2
Q. 2 I had a clear idea of what was to be completed in this unit. 4.4 - 4.3 4.2 4.2
Q. 3 I understood what was expected from me. 4.4 - 4.2 4.2 4.1
Q. 4 The learning activities were useful in this unit. 4.6 - 4.3 4.1 4.1
Q. 5 The learning activities were well planned in this unit. 4.6 - 4.4 4.1 4.1
Q. 6 The learning activities were well managed in this unit. 4.7 - 4.4 4.1 4.1
Q. 7 The content in this unit was up to date. 4.6 - 4.5 4.3 4.2
Q. 8 The assessment tasks in this unit were well planned. 4.4 - 4.4 4.1 4.1
Q. 9 The assessment tasks were strongly linked to the unit outcomes. 4.6 - 4.4 4.2 4.2
Q. 10 The assessment assisted my learning in this unit. 4.6 - 4.4 4.1 4.1
Q. 11 I am satisfied with the teaching in this unit. 4.7 - 4.5 4.3 4.2
Average Score 4.9 - 4.4 4.2 4.2
Student Feedback from VU surveys:― 2009 – SEU (91% return) ― 2010 – No data― 2011 – SEU (88% return)
2011 Teaching Feedback – additional survey― 64 Survey Respondents / 141 students (45% return)― How does the Learning Module compare to a lecture?
a) Much better 40% (n = 26/64) b) Somewhat better 34% (n = 22) vc) About the same 20% (n = 13) d) Prefer lecture 6% (n = 5)
Student Surveys
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74%
Did you use the hyperlinks in the Learning Modules?a) Regularly 12% (n = 8/64) b) Sometimes 82% (n = 53) c) Never 6% (n = 4)
Did the case studies assist learning about strategy?a) Very helpful 43% (n = 28/64) b) Somewhat helpful 56% (n = 36) c) Not helpful 1% (n = 2)
Most valuable topics?1st) Climate change – features (n = 29) 1st) Sustainability & Eco. Footprint (n = 29) 2nd) Sustainability & Sport/Rec. (n = 22)3rd) Water & Waste Management ( n = 18)
2011 Student Feedback
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“I think this has been by far the most organised, well executed
subject I have ever done”
“Learned new things about a subject I didn’t realise I was
interested in”
“A really insightful subject, I really enjoyed it”
“Sustainability is part of everyday practice in sport and
recreation”
“Can use this in any job we venture into in the future”
“For a subject so bland, Greg did his best to make it enjoyable”
“This is a sustainability subject, not a sport subject”
2011 Student Comments
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Best ever teaching experience SALM works Time (months) are needed to write EfS subject (time release?) Resources needed - research and textbooks Climate change – essential topic (carbon literacy) Students...
Are engaged by environmental issues Assessments drive learning – if not assessed, they won’t read it Must enjoy learning Make it personal – connect to student lifestyles (e.g. Impact of mobile
phones, iPods, Lifestyle, etc.) Learning Modules – good lecture substitute (max. 10 pages)
― Lots of preparation needed
Field trip worked - MCG (2009 & 2010) – a highlight – tangible― Some things can only be learned in the field
Conclusions
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Be bold Argue ‘the case’ for sustainability overall (globally & Aust.), then in
your discipline Write case studies Empower students to change the world
― They can and will if they believe they can Use...
― Your passion – it rubs off on students – inspire them― Peer-reviewed journal articles― Guest speakers – students appreciate different perspectives― Films & web-videos (strong response to visual stimuli)
YouTube, www.ted.com Explore the 3P’s = People, Profits, Planet Share ideas, ask other teachers
Recommendations
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Start with SALM Ask yourself...
1. What learning objectives are needed?
2. What learning resources are needed to achieve objectives?
3. How can learning activities link to resources?
4. What learning assessments are needed to achieve objectives? (link to activities)
Use Biggs SOLO Taxonomy & verbs (Biggs, 2003) – OR AN EQUIVALENT LEARNING MODEL
Overall, aim to change the way students think & act Emphasise opportunities – not just risks:
― Show positives, not just negatives Maximise student choice over assessments
Designing Subjects
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1. Students are engaged by EfS
2. EfS can be taught well
3. SALM model works
4. Empower students to act (offer strategy)
5. Use multiple Learning Resources:― Journal articles― Case studies― Guest speakers― Websites ― Web-videos― Field trips
5 x Key Points
28(C) Copyright – Greg Dingle, Colin Hocking and
Victoria University, 2011
Tel. +61 3 9919 5373
Tel. +61 3 9919 2322
Queries?
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Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does. (3rd Ed.). Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Biggs, J. (2003). Aligning teaching and assessing to course objectives, Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: New Trends and Innovations. Uni. Of Aveiro.
Nicholson, M. & Stewart, B. (2004). The Strategic Alignment Learning Model – A Framework for Teaching and Learning. [conference presentation] presented at Learning Matters Teaching and Learning Symposium, Victoria University, Melbourne.
Shuell, T. J. (1986). Cognitive conceptions of Learning, Review of Educational Research. 56(4): 411-436.
Hoffman, A. J. (2008). Memo to the CEO: Climate Change, What’s Your Business Strategy? Harvard Business School Press, http://andrewhoffman.net/
Carbon Business www.carbonbusiness.com
Carbon Planet www.carbonplanet.com
Further Reading?
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Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability, http://www.acts.asn.au/ CSIRO website B.O.M. website Climate Group, www.theclimategroup.org/ ECOS Corporation, www.ecoscorp.com/index.htm Dept. of Climate Change EPA IPCC Local government websites Sustainability Victoria The Sustainability Institute,
www.sustainabilityinstitute.org/limits/index.html United Nations Environment Programme University databases & research institutes (e.g. Global Change , UQ) World Forum for the Future
Other sources?
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EfS - embedded in VU Strategic Plan University-wide commitment to EfS:
― EfS in every faculty & course― Curriculum Development Unit (CIU)
EfS Sub-committee - driving curriculum change EfS Officer plus...
― Website― Case studies― Professional development, mentoring
Green Gown Awards – subject shortlisted Colleagues more supportive but...some staff anxiety
― “How do we do EfS?” “Who will teach EfS?”
Recent developments
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