ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND SUSTAINABILITY AS CORE REQUIREMENTS: SUCCESS STORIES AND MODELS

Abstract

At a number of colleges and universities, the core General Education requirements for all degrees include an in depth exposure to environmental literacy. Many colleges are also including a degree requirement in the area of social responsibility and/or civic engagement. Colleges include sustainability curricula using a variety of models. The first baseline national surveys have collected information about the percentage of institutions incorporating sustainability into curricula, course design and content, faculty development and outcomes. What does the data to date describe in terms of the models for inclusion of environmental literacy, social responsibility and sustainability in higher education? For many colleges, it is politically difficult to add additional courses for degree requirements. Some higher education institutions have solved this dilemna by integrating environmental literacy, social responsibility and sustainability course materials into existing liberal arts and specialty courses. Models have been developed that are flexible, inexpensive and fun to implement within a variety of disciplines or as part of an interdisciplinary learning community. According to research, for both teachers and students, these models reduce apathy, and instill attitudes and skills required to be positive change agents for the society. Research results support students using these models developed an: increased caring about the future of society, increased belief that they can make a difference, increased willingness to participate in solving societal and environmental problems. This chapter reviews some successful models for requirements and strategies to infuse the curricula with environmental literacy, social responsibility and sustainability. These models and strategies include degree requirements, infusion across the curricula, development of interdepartmental minors, sustainability in other sectors as the latent curricula, and integration into the mission statement. This chapter also includes a discussion of implications from the national surveys, a list of needs for future research, a highlighted course curricular project useful for a variety of disciplines, and additional resources for the educator or researcher.