creating sustainable communities2018 chesc – creating sustainable communities. 6 students in...
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Creating Sustainable CommunitiesAn Interdisciplinary First-Year Honors Experience
Gregg Fiegel, PhD, PE (Civil Engineering)Tom Trice, PhD (History)Ryan Alaniz, PhD (Sociology)
University Honors ProgramCalifornia Polytechnic State UniversitySan Luis Obispo, CA 93407
July 10, 2018
2018 California Higher Education Sustainability ConferenceUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Today's Presentation Honors Program and Curriculum
Objectives and Motivation Course Learning Objectives Course Development
Student Work and Activities Lessons Learned Acknowledgments
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Honors at Cal Poly Sept 1999: University Honors Program implemented
at Cal Poly
June 2013: Academic Senate Resolution to "show cause" (my words)
Sept 2013: Begin staff changes, strategic planning efforts, and program redesign
May 2017: Approval of a new program and curriculum for fall implementation
June 2018: Completion of the first year of new Honors Program
Current: Program supports about 600 students from nearly 60 different majors
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Honors Curriculum
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Today's Presentation…
Objectives and Motivation
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Address Honors PLO: "Make reasoned decisions based on an understanding of diversity, sustainability, global perspectives, technology, and ethics"
Replace a 2-unit single-quarter orientation course (HNRS 100) required for all Honors students – developed by Trice in 2010
Limited time for inspiring community
Few contact hours to address learning outcomes
Desire to implement group service projects
Appeal to improve Honors advising efforts
Charge to improve Honors student persistence and retention
Course Learning Objectives
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Students in Creating Sustainable Communities (HNRS 161/162/163) investigate environmental, social, economic, and political facets of sustainability using both a historical and contemporary lens. Course learning objectives (shown) are addressed during the 3-quarter, yearlong sequence.
Development and Features A lecture-activity delivery with 2-unit courses
scheduled in fall (HNRS 161), winter (HNRS 162), and spring (HNRS 163)
When combined, HNRS 161 and 162 fulfill GE Area D3 - Comparative Social Institutions
Regular group discussions and reflection on assigned readings and viewings
An interdisciplinary instructional team consisting of several faculty and student learning assistants
Use of block registration and scheduling to enroll first-year students
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Incorporation of service learning hours, projects, and reflection
A student-led peer mentoring program
Collaboration with numerous campus and community partners including Kennedy Library, Facilities, Student Affairs, Office of University Diversity and Inclusion, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, and others
Student learning and activities mapped to the university, program, diversity, and sustainability learning objectives
Introduction to and development of electronic portfolios
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Development and Features
Learning Opportunities
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What is Sustainability, Anyway?Equity, Environment, EconomySystems and Design ThinkingCradle to Cradle DesignConsumption and ConsumerismSustainable DevelopmentInterdisciplinary Collaboration
A Global Stakeholder SocietyEthics and Leadership
Global Perspectives"Developing Nations"
Corporate ResponsibilitySupply Chain Sustainability
We're In this TogetherDiversity, Inclusion, and EquitySocial IdentitiesEnvironmental Racism and JusticeSocial Institutions
"Just Sustainability"Local Issues and PerspectivesPersonal Habits and ChoicesSharing CitiesSustainability CriteriaSocial Change and Justice Organizing
Student Work and Activities
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Sustainability intersects with the paths of students in all majors at Cal Poly. Therefore, focusing on this topic provided a wonderful opportunity to bring together, engage, and inspire members of the learning community.
First-Year Class 2017 Example Activities:
Research and evaluation of peer-reviewed sources in support of written reflections and group discussions
Design of an infographic describing the local SLO community in relation to environment, economy, and equity
Analysis and evaluation of personal consumption habits and choices related to sustainability
Development of personal and program statements on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and equity
Community Projects
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Each student worked on an interdisciplinary team to complete a project for a local community partner organization. Some of the eleven projects included…
Sustainable Living Guide for Cal Poly Students
Design of Sensory Garden for Patients with Dementia
Advocacy for Survivors of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence
Solar Energy Jobs Guidebook
Planning a Campus Community Garden for Cal Poly
Sustainable Volunteerism for Helping the Homeless in SLO County
Community Projects
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Group Oral Presentation on Project Status
Regular Status Reports
Poster Presentation on Final Product
Annotated Bibliography
E-Portfolio Entry and Individual Reflection
Group Work Products
Lessons Learned First-year students tend to have a narrow definition
of sustainability
Students tend to be extrinsically rather than intrinsically motivated
Areas for improvement: information and research skills, visual communication skills, time and workload management, and learning assistant development
A yearlong experience provides flexibility in sustainability learning and teaching
Project-based and service learning approaches are effective in teaching sustainability
Students appreciate the opportunity to work and learn in an interdisciplinary environment
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Acknowledgements
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Special thanks to faculty and/or staff from the following: Academic Senate Curriculum Committee, General Education Governance Board, Academic Senate Sustainability Committee, Kennedy Library, Center for Teaching and Learning, Office of University Diversity and Inclusion, Center for Service in Action, Center for Leadership, University Advising, University Housing, Facilities Management and Development, and Career Services.
A course such as this requires an interdisciplinary instructional team. Therefore, we collaborated with faculty members and student learning assistants from all six of Cal Poly's colleges in developing and teaching the new curriculum. We appreciate the support of these individuals. We thank Honors staff member Shane McKeague and student assistants Sarah Larkin (CD) and Madison Meredith (AEPS) who helped develop and coordinate the first-year peer mentoring program.
Questions?
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