Sustainability in higher education: A needs assessment on a course “Education and awareness for sustainability”

Definitions of the Basic Terms

The course emphasized three broad topics: education, awareness and sustainability. Students’ previous knowledge on these topics and their misconceptions were examined with a single question.

Most of the students defined the term education as the intended process of changing behavior of the learner or individuals and changing behaviors from negative to positive. Some reported that education was a permanent, deliberate and observable process which provided different viewpoints and thinking skills for individuals. According to the students, education was a life-long process that should be required for all because it prepared and shaped the individuals for real life, it provided moral development for individuals and it created social interaction among them.

The other term sustainability was defined as a means to ensure longer-term solutions to remedy the depletion of natural resources. They reported that sustainability was more associated with the continuity of natural recourses for future generations. They believed that it provided a balance among social, economic and ecologic life of a society, and that the concept was a means to develop and protect the existing values and beauty of nature. Moreover, stabilization, balance, continuity, protection, recycling, reasonable use, minimum use, preserving, renewing, development and education were the key words that the participants used in their definitions of sustainability.

Students’ definitions of the term awareness included three major aspects, each pertaining to cognitive (refers to intellectual skills), affective (refers to emotional skills) and psychomotor (refers to motor or physical skills) development. They defined awareness as realizing what happened in the natural environment through direct observation and experience. These students believed that their knowledge and perceptions of the environment were highly associated with the awareness of the environment. They further indicated that once you were knowledgeable about the environmental problems and developed a positive environmental attitude, it was exact time to take action on solving these problems. Thus, students’ responses can be summarized as when they became aware of the environmental problems, they would become knowledgeable about it, they would then develop positive attitude towards the environment, and as a result, they would act upon overcoming the environmental problems. When the students were asked to identify the relationship among these three concepts, on the other hand, they reported that there was a strong relationship among these concepts and that they were complementary of one another. Education was conceived as the key or fundamental stage to constitute awareness for sustainability.

Students’ General Expectations from the Course

Students reported various reasons for taking this class. Most believed that the course would help increase their level of environmental sensitivity (n=49), knowledge (n=48), awareness (n=47), understanding of sustainability (n=46) and sense of responsibility (n=37). As the students’ responses emerged, their expectations from the class differed. Some were interested in learning balance among production, natural sources, consumption and environment; some in gaining environmental awareness, consciousness and sensitivity; some in learning their responsibility as a civic duty; and some in understanding the importance of environment for individuals. Some of the specific expectations of the students from the course were to instill environmental consciousness and sensitivity; to be knowledgeable about environment, environmental problems and sustainable development, environmental organizations and their activities; to understand the influences of human being on environment and to minimize these effects; to learn how to be a part of the sustainable development movement; to learn about the how to deal with environmental problems; to be aware of environmental issues in Turkey and in the World; to gain a wider perspective on the environmental issues; and to come up with alternative solutions for solving environmental problems.

The course itself included only a theoretical part. However, the students indicated the necessity of the practice part for the course, because they claimed that learning by observing, doing, experiencing, living, touching, feeling and exploring would be more permanent and meaningful for developing awareness of sustainability. During the practice hour, they suggested that field trips, factory trips, proficient organization trips and nature trips should be organized.

Students’ Expectations on Teacher and Student Roles

The students in the current study stated that the instructor should act as guide, motivator, informer, sometimes active, sometimes passive, facilitator, encourager, interactive, not dominant, illuminating, charismatic and democratic in tailoring the class discussions and getting attention of students to the subject under investigation. In addition, they indicated that the instructor should be knowledgeable about the environmental issues, sometimes have a sense of humor, help develop curiosity, make the students think, and create and encourage class discussion on environmental issues.

In relation to their roles in classroom, students stated that they should act as interactive, concerned, sometimes passive, sometimes active, careful listeners, problem solvers, and critical thinkers. They believed that students should participate in class discussions voluntarily, produce solutions to problems, share their views with others and be ready to act and learn.

Students’ Specific Expectations from the Course

Students reported that following issues regarding instructional planning process should be designed in line with their needs and expectations: (1) the outcomes and objectives of the course given in a course syllabus (M = 3.87), (2) the content of the course (M = 3.68), (3) instructional methods and techniques (M = 3.98), (4) instructional materials (M = 4.03) and (5) measurement & evaluation methods (M = 3.92). They also stated that they would like to be informed about the rules and procedures to be used in the class (M = 3.96). Fifty-eight students indicated that the office hours should be set by the instructor, in order for students to talk about their needs and problems (M = 3.67) regarding the course. Most of the students disagreed on the adequacy of the class size for conducting classroom activities (M = 2.43). As it was also understood from the students’ responses that they were satisfied with the course content and they found it was designed in an interdisciplinary manner (M = 3.90).

Students’ Needs on Instructional Methods and Techniques

The students believed in the importance of using diversity in the chosen instructional methods and techniques for the EAfS course. They reported that methods of discussion (M = 4.30), brain storming (M = 3.86), individual project work (M =3.36), small group work (M = 3.36), in-class-group work (M = 3.31) and large group work (M = 3.27) were highly important for this course, whereas lecturing (M =2.93) and tutorials (M = 2.89) were relatively less important.

The students stated that the methods of discussion (M = 3.09) and brain storming (M = 2.98) should be used frequently during the lectures, whereas the methods of lecturing (M = 2.47), small group work (M = 2.28), individual project work (M = 2.27), in-class-group work (M = 2.25), large group work (M = 2.20) and tutorials (M = 2.10) could be used from time to time during lectures.

Students’ Needs on Instructional media

The students reported the importance of various types of instructional media for the EAfS course, including computer and projection machines (M = 4.5), visual materials (M = 4.25), videos (M = 3.89), a television (M = 3.62), research materials (M = 3.55), an OHP (M = 3.53) and a tape-recorder (M = 3.17).

Students indicated that computer - projection machines (M = 3.59), visual materials (M = 3.16), videos (M = 2.84) and an OHP (M = 2.79) should be frequently used during the course implementation, whereas a tape-recorder (M = 2.55), research article (M = 2.54) and television (M = 2.53) could be used rarely.

Students’ Needs on Evaluation Procedures

Students reported that self evaluation (M = 3.95), teacher evaluation (M = 3.87), product-oriented evaluation (M = 3.59), project-based evaluation as a group (M = 3.58), project-based evaluation as an individual (M = 3.57) and process-oriented evaluation (M = 3.47) were respectively important for the EAfS course. On the other hand, the portfolio assessment (M = 2.98) and peer evaluation (M = 2.95) were less important.

Self-evaluation (M = 3.03), teacher evaluation (M = 2.78) and product-oriented evaluation (M = 2.76) were mostly rated as evaluation procedures students wanted to be frequently used in the class. They believed that individual project-based evaluation (M = 2.66), process-oriented evaluation (M = 2.63), group project-based evaluation (M = 2.63), portfolio assessment (M = 2.14) and peer evaluation (M = 2.11) should be rarely used.

Students’ Attitudes toward the Course

Most of the students believed that the course should be taken at all levels, but especially during the last semester of their undergraduate program. One of the students, in this regard, claimed that, “it would be more effective to take this course when I am approaching to be a teacher (student 31).” Another student supported this idea by stating that, “to me, offering this course in fourth class will be practical to apply our skills gained through the course to our teaching profession (student 35).” On the other hand, some students indicated that it would be more meaningful when the course is offered to each grade level because “the tree has bended down when it is young (student 83).” This idea was supported by the students coming from lower levels (2nd and 3rd level of students). Some students reported that the course should be offered as a must rather than elective.

Nearly all students thought that taking this course would contribute various benefits to their own profession (whether as a teacher, engineer – mine, food, geology, and civil or economist…etc) and their daily life. They tended to use and apply their theoretical knowledge and experiences regarding the environment to their profession. They expected to see the reflections of this course in the professional life. For example, students indicated that they could be a model to other individuals in terms of positive attitude and responsible behavior toward the environment. Students who will become teachers believed that they would instill environmental sensitivity, awareness and consciousness to their students, and would share their own knowledge about the environment with their students. As it was clear from their responses, all the students would share their experiences related to environment with their employees, students, peers and colleagues when they start their profession. In this sense, one student from engineering department mentioned that, “as an engineer, I would give more importance to the treatment facilities of a factory, and I would also help the workers become knowledgeable about the environment” (Student 15). As asserted by some, they would like to attend decision making process and make some changes in environmental related laws. Some claimed that since the course was interdisciplinary in nature, the information discussed during the course might be adaptable to all professions. For example, a student from the Department of Business Administration said that “[This course will contribute to me by helping] use our resources more effectively” (Student 54). The other student from department of math education reported, “I used to think that mathematics was not related [with the environment]. However, I am now thinking to mention something related to this subject [environment] to my students” (Student 85).

In addition to contributions to their own professional life, students also believed that there were some contributions and benefit of this course to their own daily lives. For example, this course provided a new point of view by helping develop new habits, environmental awareness, sensitivity and consciousness, respect to the environment, and also to remind them of their responsibility, their influences on environment and the importance of sustainability. One student promised that, “I would be more careful in diminishing the footprint that I have left in the nature” (Student 4). Furthermore, students indicated that the course would help develop environmentally friendly behaviors, create sensitive consumers, help diminish an environmental footprint in nature and motivate to take action for preventing and protecting environmental problems. In this sense, student 46 indicated that “[this course contributed to me] thinking always about environment and natural sources, and remembering that this world is left me to look after.” The students started to use natural sources more careful and develop the notion of sustainable use of natural sources. In this respect, one of the students indicated that “I do not leave the fountain open any more when I am brushing my teeth” (Student 68). This course also enabled them to control their own consumption habits. Student 66 mentioned his new consumption habit and indicated, “I am not drinking canned beverages any more. I am using less detergent, toothbrush and water. I am using unleaded oil.” What student 15 said seemed to summarize most of the students’ views; “[this course contributes to] being more sensitive individual to (the environment) and looking the problems and issues from more broad framework.”