Students

ENVS827 – Engaging Society with Sustainable Development

2019 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Wendy Goldstein
Contact via wendy.goldstein@mq.edu.au
12 Wallys Walk (E7A) Fifth Floor Room 505
Open: By appointment
Peter Davies
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MEnvEd or MSc or MEnvMgt or MEnvStud or MEnvPlan or MSusDev or MWldMgt or MEnv or MSocEntre or GradCertSocEntre or GradDipEnv or GradCertEnv or GradCertSusDev or GradDipSusDev or MConsBiol or GradDipConsBiol or MPH or MDevStud or MScInnovation
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit explores the role and scope of engagement and education processes in the attainment of sustainable development goals. Students will examine case studies to explore principles of good practice. A framework for planning and evaluating educational programs will be developed. Students will also examine how education processes can be integrated within environment and conservation programs and demonstrate some practical skills in planning and managing an educational experience.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Critically reflect on how education and capacity building contributes to engaging society with sustainable development
  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Demonstrate skills to design and evaluate a community engagement project
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Evaluate strategies to advance education for sustainable development
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

General Assessment Information

The assessment tasks are oriented to develop your capacity for critical reflection and to applying the principles of engagement and educating for sustainable development.

The assessment tasks are different to the usual academic essay format. They provide an opportunity for more creative presentations of your learning and the use of different media.

You are required to pass all assessment tasks and attend all classes. 

The assessments DO depend on you reading literature in the field of ESD. You should provide evidence of familiarity with work from the UN, a range of international authors, journal articles, country policies and strategies, as well as local examples of education for sustainability programs.

All assessment tasks have a list of criteria against which they are graded, so look these over before commencing your assessment task and make sure you have covered all aspects.  These criteria are listed in the Assessment Guide on ilearn.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assessment 1 10% No March 21st
Assessment 2 35% No April 29th
Assessment Task 3. 30% No May 17th
Assessment 4 25% No June 3rd

Assessment 1

Due: March 21st
Weighting: 10%

Your task is to contribute to March 21st activities on campus for the Big Draw _ Making Connections. 

You will

a) Write a short reflection about your beliefs and values and how you hope the event might engage students and staff

b) Participate in activities for the University event on March 21 (this might include conversations with students and staff about sustainability as they undertake drawings on Wallys Walk; suppport activities being undertaken on the day such as the vision, business forum, commitment tree, or lead walks on campus explaining sustainability or forest values;

c) contribute to the design of the above activities;

d) reflect on the activities and how your expectations were met.  

Your reflection on your experiences is included in the journal for assessment 2.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Demonstrate skills to design and evaluate a community engagement project
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it

Assessment 2

Due: April 29th
Weighting: 35%

Journal/Portfolio: Tracks your developing understanding of why engaging people in sustainable development is important, your reflection on experience, as well as the strategies, tools, methods and approaches that can be used to do so. 

Format: The journal and portfolio can be presented as a blog, or website OR as an electronic word document and kept as part of an e-portfolio that can be used in job applications.  It is possible to provide a paper based version, though you will have to deliver it to the convenor on the due date!

The ‘journal’ is used to document your reflective thinking about the concepts of engagement and education for sustainable development (EfSD) and how these ideas relate to your work, to events going on around you, or to your future plans. The journal highlights critical questions that you identify during this process of learning, and the research to answer your questions

The ‘portfolio’ is a collection of ideas or references for activities that you could use in future, sample programs, and resources of value for engaging or educating people.

Further information is provided in the Assessment Guide on ilearn​ as well as the criteria for assessment.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Critically reflect on how education and capacity building contributes to engaging society with sustainable development
  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Assessment Task 3.

Due: May 17th
Weighting: 30%

Facilitate an education for sustainability for sustainable development workshop/learning process

This assessment task provides an opportunity to demonstrate a work practice skill 

This is a Group exercise (group of 2), and includes an individual reflection component

This assessment task provides students with an opportunity to identify an area of interest to engage people in sustainable development through an educational process (EfSD).  You will design and implement an engaging educational program.

You might choose a field like biodiversity or marine conservation, wildlife management, public health, water resource management, environmental health, consumerism, sustainable consumption, waste management, sustainable food, transport, energy, oceans, climate change, community development or other field related to the SD Goals. 

Your approach might be in support of local government policy, a National Parks organisation, a state or national government organization, an NGO campaign, a Farmers group, women’s group, School, University or a business.

Task A: Facilitate an experiential educational session of 20 mins which is part of a longer educational ‘workshop’/ session. This is a group activity: May 17th (Marks 10%)

Task B:  Submit a Group Report on the overall educational plan including a rationale. The report shows the planning, evaluation and reflection on the actual educational session (Marks for this part of the group task = 10%) May 21st

Task C: Submit an individual reflection on your learning in undertaking the facilitation of an EfSD learning process and designing an educational program; plus comment on your contribution relative to other members of your team. May 23rd

More details are in the Assessment Guide on the ilearn site


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Assessment 4

Due: June 3rd
Weighting: 25%

Critical evaluation of an education for sustainable development program.

Using the EfSD framework that you developed in Assignment 1, undertake one of the following two options:

EITHER

Option A: Use the ESD Framework you have developed as a model to describe how you would go about developing an EfSD policy.

Having used the EfSD framework, reflect on how to improve your framework for future use.

More details are provided in the assessment guide on the unit ilearn site.

OR

Option B: Critically evaluate an education program making use of the criteria in your framework. The program may be chosen from anywhere in the world. You might like to actually take part in an education program, and evaluate it according to whether it is good EfSD (as defined by your criteria)  

Your report will draw conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of the program in relation to education for sustainable development criteria (in your framework). You will make recommendations as to how your framework could be improved as an evaluative tool.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Demonstrate skills to design and evaluate a community engagement project
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Evaluate strategies to advance education for sustainable development
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Delivery and Resources

  Class sessions 

Class times are shown in the schedule of block mode sessions. Attendance at all sessions is compulsory. 

Students can request extra meetings to discuss the unit content or assessment tasks individually or in groups as required. 

Teaching and Learning Strategy

This is a block mode unit. There are seven full days in semester 1 made up of 

  • Five all day class sessions which are run as a series of interactive workshops (9.00-5.00);
  • One day is a field trip to hear from educators and to see the facilities available for education in Sydney;
  • The final session (one day) is for students to apply what they have learned and demonstrate that learning by designing and facilitating an education workshop. The participants in the education workshop are the other students.

The class sessions provide both some theoretical and instructional input, plus experiential learning by way of a facilitated learning process. This is intended to model practice in engagement / education and to contribute to the student’s understanding of the education for sustainable development process. The sessions include: 

  1. Short presentations to orient the student to concepts and activities;
  2. Practical activities in small groups in which students are asked to complete a task by sharing knowledge and reflecting on their thinking;
  3. Presentations of student activities and engagement  in peer feedback;
  4. Contribute to discussion and feedback on the group activities;

Students attend approximately 42 hours of class work (which is compulsory) and are expected to undertake 110 hours of personal study, reading and reflection to present the assessment tasks.  Students are responsible for managing their time for learning and the tasks for group work. 

Students are invited to make an appointment/s for a tutorial, to gain feedback or to clarify issues from the convenor: wendy.goldstein@mq.edu.au

Technology used and required 

Students are expected to use a computer for academic research and for producing assessment tasks; to have access to the internet, make use of the Macquarie University library, student email and access the ilearn site for the unit.

Information about iLearn or other resources for this unit.

There is a ENVS827 ilearn site for enrolled students Additional reading lists, resources and associated presentations are provided in a more detailed guide for enrolled students

Reading to start you off

MUST READ Tilbury, D. and Wortman, D. (2004) Engaging People in Sustainability, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication, Gland and Cambridge Available at: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2004-055.pdf

UNESCO  Shaping the Future We Want UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Final Report  https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1682Shaping%20the%20future%20we%20want.pdf

What is education for sustainability? http://aries.mq.edu.au/publications/aries/efs_brochure/

Background on international drivers for EfSD chronologically are

Writing on strategies and governance for EfSD

Fien J 2012 Governance and Education for Sustainable Development - An analysis and synthesis of governance and related frameworks, policies and strategies in Education for Sustainable Development across five jurisdictions: England, the Netherlands, Germany, Ontario and Victoria Final Report  http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/communities/FienGovEfSDRpt.pdf

Tilbury, D. & Cooke, K (2005) A National Review of Environmental Education and its contribution to sustainability, Frameworks for Sustainability p. 1-37

Brown Paul Sustainability education and engagement for NSW  Learning for Sustainability Research Synthesis  http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/communities/12LfSResearcSyn.pdf

Make the Change: A framework for education and engagement for environmental  sustainability 2014- 2021 (NSW)  http://www.aaeensw.org.au/sites/default/files/Make%20the%20Change%20Framework%20FINAL.pdf​

Some thought provoking looks at what research from social psychology and neuroscience reveals about ways to bring about human behaviour  

Grist, M 2010  Changing the Subject How new ways of thinking about human behaviour might change politics, policy and practice RSA http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/250625/Nov28th2009ChangingThe-SubjectPamphlet.pdf​

Harre N. 2011 Psychology for a Better World Strategies to inspire sustainability

a short video of the main ideas is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zExibEV_PY&t=2s

See also Harre's ideas on the infinite game and a manual http://www.infinite-game.net/manual

ENGAGEMENT

ACT Government (2011) Engaging Canberrans A Guide to community engagement Australian Capital Territory, Canberra

Arnstein, S.R. (1970) A Ladder of Citizen Participation in the USA, Journal of Town Planning Institute 57(4) 176-182

Engaging Queenslanders https://naaee.org/sites/default/files/intro_ce.pdf

Fritze, J. Williamson, L. & Wiseman, J. (2009) Community Engagement and Climate Change Benefits, Challenges and Strategies  Report for Department of Planning and Community Development, Victorian Government

Head, B.W. (2007) Community Engagement: participation on Whose Terms? Australian Journal of Political Science, 42:3, 441-454

Involve (2005) People and participation How to put citizen’s at the heart of decision-making London www.involve.org

Johnson, A.L. 2004 Engaging Queenslanders: Evaluating community engagement Queensland Department of Communities

Queensland Government Department of Communities (n.d) Engaging Queenslanders: A Guide to community engagement methods and techniques Queensland Government Department of Communities

Richardson, B. J. & Razzaque, J. (2006). Public Participation in Environmental Decision Making. Research Gate June 2006 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228305864

Taylor, M. Purdue, D. Wilson, M. & Wilde, P. (2005) Evaluating community projects A practical guide Joseph Rowntree Foundation

United Nations (2005) The Brisbane Declaration on Community Engagement https://www.lcsansw.org.au/resources/brisbane-declaration-on-community-engagement  or https://www.lcsansw.org.au/documents/item/330

Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment (2005) Effective Engagement Building Relationships with Community and other stakeholders

Book 1 An Introduction to Engagement http://www.nrm.wa.gov.au/media/10545/effective_engagement_book1_an_introduction_to_engagement.pdf

 Book 2 The Engagement Planning Workbook

http://www.nrm.wa.gov.au/media/10548/effective_engagement_book2_the_engagement_planning_workbook.pdf

Book 3 The Engagement Toolkit http://www.nrm.wa.gov.au/media/10542/effective_engagement_boo3_the_engagement_toolkit.pdf

 

Key websites 

NSW Government Office for the Environment

Communities http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/communities/get-involved.htm​

Climate change http://climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/

UNESCO Decade of Education for Sustainable Development DESD

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-sustainable-development/

ARIES 

http://aries.mq.edu.au/

JOURNALS

Australian Journal of Environmental Education (Australian based)

Journal of Environmental Education (US based)

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development  (International - India based)

International Journal of Environmental and Science Education (based in Turkey)

 

Unit Schedule

Date

Session

Friday 

March 1st

Workshop Session 1

Introduction to Course Themes and overview of assessments

  • Why engage people?
  • Importance of bringing about change in people, organisations and institutions for sustainability
  • The principles of engaging society in sustainable development
  • The principles of education for sustainable development (EfSD)
  • The role and scope of education processes in attaining sustainable development
  • Underlying assumptions about engagement and EfSD and behaviour change research
  • International Developments to engage society in sustainable development

Conceptualising Education For Sustainable Development (EfSD)

  • Key components of engaging people through EfSD 
  • Frameworks for Conceptualising & Interpreting EfSD
    • Envisioning a sustainable future

Review of Assignments

Friday

8th March 

 

Workshop Session 2 Conceptualising Education For Sustainable Development (EfSD)

  • Frameworks for Conceptualising & Interpreting EfSD
    • Critical thinking
    • Value Clarification
    • Systemic thinking
    • Participation 
    • Partnerships

Friday

15th March

 

 

Workshop Session 3  Designing EfSD  programs

  • Strategic planning
  • International case studies of Capacity Building (CB) and EfSD - Identifying achievements
  • Mapping program achievements
  • Planning and evaluating EfSD

 

Satuday 

23rd March

Workshop Session 4  Policy and Frameworks for EfS

  • International frameworks: Decade ESD
  • Strategy as capacity building
  • National Strategies
  • State and local strategies for EFSD
  • Positioning EfS in the organisation

Designing, developing and evaluating an engagement strategy

 

 

Friday

3rd May 

FIELD TRIP 

Saturday

11th May 

 

Workshop session 5  Capacity Building for engaging society in Sustainable Development

  • CB as a tool for policy development and strategic planning
  • CB as tool for Community Development
  • CB as a tool for developing EfSD strategies

 

Friday

17th May 

Workshop Session 6  Student Group presentations

Conclusions

Learning and Teaching Activities

Future thinking for sustainable development

In this individual activity, students experience what it is like to take part in a visioning exercise. Students discuss and reflect on the values that might have influenced their vision with a partner. Students are asked to step out of that experience to think about how that activity could be adapted or improved to different situations and its value in education.

Critical thinking for sustainable development

In this small group activity students analyse text or images for sustainable development values. The co-option of the terms 'sustainable development' and 'sustainability', 'nature' and associated terms are discussed; as is the marketing of consumption.

Systemic thinking

In this group activity students consider the resources and systems that support a simple consumer product, to consider the effects of its production and post production life. The discussion after the activity explores system boundaries, life cycle analysis, and consumption and production

Capacity building planning

In this group activity students prepare the elements of a program to develop community capacity to make decisions and be engaged in sustainable development.

Presentations by practitioners in education for sustainable development

Practicing educators explain some of the work they do and the practicalities of implementing educational/ engagement programs in the community

Evaluating educational practice

Students review case studies of education programs and explain the important elements of their design and success factors to others.

Participating in an engagement event

Students assist and reflect on activities associated with the Macquarie University event 'Big Draw' - making connections.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment Task 3.
  • Assessment 4

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Critically reflect on how education and capacity building contributes to engaging society with sustainable development
  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Demonstrate skills to design and evaluate a community engagement project
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Evaluate strategies to advance education for sustainable development
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment Task 3.
  • Assessment 4

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Critically reflect on how education and capacity building contributes to engaging society with sustainable development
  • Design a framework to evaluate education for sustainable development programs based on the principles of effective practice (or plan strategies to bring about policy for EfSD)
  • Critically assess the design of education and engagement strategies to bring about change towards sustainable development
  • Evaluate strategies to advance education for sustainable development
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment 4

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate skills to design and evaluate a community engagement project
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment Task 3.
  • Assessment 4

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Articulate the role of and principles for engagement and education for sustainable development
  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Plan and present written arguments in coherent, well structured and documented form

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment Task 3.
  • Assessment 4

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Apply knowledge of EfSD principles to plan, facilitate and participate in an engagement/ educational event and evaluate it
  • Evaluate strategies to advance education for sustainable development

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment Task 3.

Changes from Previous Offering

An additional activity has been added in 2019: To assist with a University event on March 21st. The event is to engage people in conversations about sustainability and to advance knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals. 10% has been allocated to this task, reducing the weight of the final asessement from 35- 25% 

The unit name was changed from 'education for sustainable development' to 'engaging society with sustainable development' in 2018.

Engagement is a broad term that is used by government Departments which in Australia are required to 'engage' with the community on decisions about development.  The engagement includes providing information, sometimes opportunities for two way face to face communication, and enables people to have their say. The process more rarely includes education and capacity building,

The unit provides more content on a deeper meaning of  'engaging' people in making decisions. Participation in decision making is an important part of the process of education for sustainable development course, as is capacity building.   

The reading lists are updated in the Assessment Guide; the content of lectures is updated in keeping with international and national initiatives in the education and engagement field. A field trip was added in 2017 and a different range of field studies was offered in 2018, which will continue to provide the opportunity to hear from practitioners in educational practice.