Fostering Global Sustainability through Teaching, Service and Research

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

9-18-2015

Abstract

Presentation given by Georgia Southern faculty members Lisa Leege, Rebecca Larson, Jacek Lubecki and Subhrajit Saha at the Global Education Summit.

Relevance

Georgia Southern University panelists will provide a framework for how to foster sustainability awareness and action through local and global means, through service: by creating local service learning opportunities, through teaching; including global sustainability across the curriculum, offering sustainability study abroad courses, and through research: establishing a global sustainability research network.

Brief Program Description

Global sustainability awareness and action are critical to ensure a healthy future for the planet. Georgia Southern University panelists will provide a framework for how to foster sustainability awareness and action through local and global means, by creating local service learning opportunities, teaching global sustainability across the curriculum, offering sustainability study abroad courses, and establishing a global sustainability research network.

Summary

Global sustainability awareness and action are critical to ensure a healthy future for the planet. Global environmental problems such as climate change, human population growth, habitat destruction, loss of genetic diversity, water scarcity, soil erosion, and pollution require global cooperation and action, beginning with education about the issues. Universities have an opportunity to foster sustainability awareness and action through teaching, service and research, and to pair local actions with education about global sustainability issues. Sustainability education can be effectively incorporated through courses across the curriculum, sustainability study abroad courses, and co-curricular activities. Study abroad courses represent a particular opportunity for fostering sustainability education in a cross-cultural and cross-structural setup. Service learning opportunities that engage students in local actions to solve global problems can increase student learning, skills and confidence as well as providing measurable action towards improving sustainability. Examples of sustainability-oriented service learning opportunities include No Impact Week (a campus-focused sustainability week), GreenFest (a community outreach festival), a K-5 Afterschool Garden Program, and collaboration with additional non-profit partners. Sustainability research that connects countries in a global network of problem-solving can broaden research approaches and perspective and improve outcomes. One panelist has ongoing research collaborations in environmental sustainability with RKMV University (India), Gottingen University (Germany) and University of Veracruzana (Mexico). This panel will 1) provide a framework for encouraging sustainability across the curriculum as well as examples of its implementation in diverse courses 2) present a strategy for the development and implementation of sustainability service learning opportunities 3) provide examples of study abroad courses with a focus on sustainability and 4) discuss the development of a global sustainability research network.

Sponsorship/Conference/Institution

Global Education Summit

Location

Statesboro, GA

Source

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ges/2015/2015/14/

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