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An Exploration of the Relationship between Sustainability-Related Involvement and Learning in Higher Education

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Listed:
  • Trevion S. Henderson

    (Mechanical Engineering and STEM Education, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA)

  • Jessica O. Michel

    (School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Alex Bryan

    (Student Life Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Emily Canosa

    (Sustainable Living Experience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Clara Gamalski

    (Student Life Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Kelly Jones

    (Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Jeremy Moghtader

    (U-M Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

Abstract

Higher education institutions are charged with developing civically engaged leaders to address the pressing issues facing the country and the world. While existing literature suggests institutional practices, such as promoting co-curricular involvement, hold promise for fostering key learning outcomes, educational literature suggests the benefits of participation may not be shared by all students. Using structural equation modeling, we examine the role of background characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity and gender) and co-curricular participation in sustainability-related activities in fostering climate change leadership development and sustainability activism. We find that women reported significantly higher systems thinking, futures thinking, leadership development, and activism. Additionally, our results suggest systems thinking and futures thinking are key learning outcomes related to students’ climate change leadership development and activism. Moreover, we find a small negative relationship between sustainability literacy and leadership development and activism, suggesting there might exist an inflection point at which more knowledge about climate change and sustainability issues makes students less likely to engage in leadership and activism behaviors. We discuss the implications of this work for sustainability education pedagogy in higher education.

Suggested Citation

  • Trevion S. Henderson & Jessica O. Michel & Alex Bryan & Emily Canosa & Clara Gamalski & Kelly Jones & Jeremy Moghtader, 2022. "An Exploration of the Relationship between Sustainability-Related Involvement and Learning in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5506-:d:808324
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dyehouse, Melissa & Bennett, Deborah & Harbor, Jon & Childress, Amy & Dark, Melissa, 2009. "A comparison of linear and systems thinking approaches for program evaluation illustrated using the Indiana Interdisciplinary GK-12," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 187-196, August.
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    4. Tricia A. Seifert & Benjamin Gillig & Jana M. Hanson & Ernest T. Pascarella & Charles F. Blaich, 2014. "The Conditional Nature of High Impact/Good Practices on Student Learning Outcomes," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 85(4), pages 531-564, July.
    5. Lori M. Hunter & Alison Hatch & Aaron Johnson, 2004. "Cross‐National Gender Variation in Environmental Behaviors," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 85(3), pages 677-694, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Emily Canosa & Joseph Trumpey & Luis M. Espinoza Bardales & Jacqueline Cardoza, 2022. "Living Learning Communities as Climate Change Pedagogy: Understanding the Impact of the Sustainable Living Experience on Climate Change Leadership among First Year Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, November.
    2. Shuyu Qi & Danning Huang & Qiutong Ma & Mi Zhou, 2023. "Factors Influencing Sustainable Development Literacy among Engineering Undergraduates in China: Based on the College Impact Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Shuyu Qi & Mi Zhou & Qiutong Ma & Jing Pan, 2023. "Co-Creation in Contextual Competences for Sustainability: Teaching for Sustainability, Student Interaction and Extracurricular Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-16, October.

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