Partners in Design: Insights from an Innovative Education for Sustainable Development Module Design Process

Timothy Savage1[0000-0002-2525-773X], P. J. Wall2[0000-0002-5859-4425], and Deepak Saxena3[0000-0002-9331-3799]

1 Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland

2 ADAPT Centre, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
3 Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
tsavage@tcd.ie

Abstract. This paper presents a case study of an innovative module design process for education for sustainable development in higher education, specifically in digital innovation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals that the authors were charged to create. An analysis of the goals of education for sustainable development led the authors to identify intercultural learning groups and authentic situated case studies as key components of an effective module design. This presented the research problem of how to identify both situated, innovative and socio-culturally appropriate development case studies and groups of learners from culturally diverse locations with whom to partner for the creation of intercultural learning groups. This qualitative reflective case study presents the approach undertaken whereby the authors engaged with higher educational institutions engaged on the ground with sustainability initiatives in key countries (India, Uganda, and Ethiopia) to both identify appropriate case studies for collection and potential student group partners for the proposed roll out of the finished module. The experience is described and challenges and opportunities to this approach presented and discussed.

Keywords: Education for Sustainable Development, Case Study, Intercultural Learning Groups, Case Based Learning

Introduction

The need for effective education for sustainable development (EfSD) across all sectors of the education system is an imperative [1], however, the teaching of sustainable development is challenging for faculty and students alike [2].

The integration of sustainability principles into higher education curricula and operations is essential for fostering a culture of sustainability and equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address complex environmental and societal challenges [2-5]. Additionally, the role of higher education in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been emphasized, highlighting the need for universities to align their efforts with these global targets [6, 7]. These activities have been promoted and encouraged by a range of declarations, commitments, and global initiatives [1, 8-10].

The nature of sustainability itself raises many issues in the integration of education for sustainability into the existing curriculum of higher education institutions. These include the multidisciplinary nature of sustainability, the drive to a more competence-focused educational approach, definitional issues around the concept of sustainability itself, and the natural tendency for HEI management to focus action on more easily achieved and measurable campus activities and operational changes [3-5, 11-15]. Broadly speaking, sustainability initiatives in HEIs have focused on campus operations, research, outreach, and collaboration, supported by institutional frameworks, assessment, and reporting activities [16-18].

Curricular integration has, however, lagged behind the other dimensions of institutional initiatives despite it arguably having potentially the largest ongoing impact alongside research integration [11]. Curricular integration ranges from single lectures or seminars to new modules or programs. A further distinction arises as to whether the curricular integration is specific to a disciplinary course of study or whether it is designed for a broad range of students from different disciplinary programs and therefore more of a general sustainability educational experience. This distinction is important as it addresses two differing motivations and objectives. The disciplinary focused integration seeks to leverage the particular relevance of a particular discipline to the challenges of sustainability and sustainable development while the general sustainability educational integration seeks to ensure as wide a coverage of the key issues as possible and to ensure that all student achieve some understanding of the nature of the challenges ahead [1].

The Challenge of Teaching Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a challenging subject to design learning for. The inter and multidisciplinary nature of sustainability challenges runs counter to the predominant structure of higher education with its disciplines, departments, and faculties alongside the underlying paradigms within them [19-21]. In addition, while the courses in universities are designed with instrumental problem solving in mind, sustainability remains a complex multilevel and multi-disciplinary issue [22]. The required competences for effective sustainable development education include systems thinking, futures thinking, values thinking, strategic thinking, and interpersonal competences [4, 5, 23]. These are located more in the affective domain than the cognitive domain of Bloom’s taxonomy, which itself presents challenges for many HEI teaching faculty who may be more attuned to teaching for knowledge than attitudes, values, and so on [14].

Case Study Approach to Learning

While no approach to learning addresses all the sustainability competences, a case-based pedagogy offers the potential to address most of them [24]. Case-based learning offers the rich complexity of sustainability challenges in situ and provides insights and multiple stakeholder perspectives on the challenges and solutions thereby supporting the development of many of the competences [25, 26].

The challenge facing faculty members who decide on a case-based learning approach to the teaching of sustainable development is how to create, or locate, appropriate case studies for use in their teaching, particularly those that provide a global perspective on the challenges of sustainable development. While some resources are available online, they may be limited in their richness or range of multimedia assets accompanying them [27].

Intercultural Group Learning.

Intercultural group learning refers to the acquisition of intercultural competences through collaborative learning among groups of students from differing cultural backgrounds. Intercultural learning and education requires the learners to balance both the global and the local perspectives [28].

In many instances, intercultural learning is designed for by ensuring the class at a particular institution consists of students from a range of cultural and national backgrounds [28]. Accordingly, the level of intercultural learning is a function of the level of diversity of the student population and the ability to manipulate that composition. A more effective approach involves the creation of intercultural student groups from a range of institutions that are globally diverse. This approach, made possible by modern communication technology, is challenging due to a range of issues including the difficulties in securing inter-institutional learning agreements, alignment of learning objectives, commonality of prior learning, and even time zones.

Similarly, to the ability to identify case studies, the ability of a faculty member to identify partner institutions with which to collaborate on intercultural group learning is limited yet the learning potential for sustainability education is substantial.

A Process for Identifying Case Studies and Intercultural Learning Groups.

The overall pedagogical design for the module required groups of culturally diverse students working together on case studies of development initiatives that highlighted issues of socio-cultural appropriateness.

Intercultural learning groups are often formed by manipulating the composition of classes drawn from the student population of a single institution (23). While this approach does allow for some element of cultural communication and interaction, our approach was to identify group of learners located within different cultures. This required us to identify appropriate institutions of higher education, establish contact, forge a network, and agree the commitment to participate in a shared educational experience.

Similarly challenging was how to go about identifying socio-culturally appropriate case studies for collection for use within the final module. Socio-culturally appropriate projects and initiatives are, by definition, located firmly within the social and cultural milieu within which they are designed to address challenges. This raises the problem of identifying such initiatives when one is an outsider and familiar with only the initiatives which one has contact with or, perhaps, global, and well promoted projects that have a more generic design.

Research Methodology

Research Design

This study uses a qualitative case study approach whereby the case in question is the process of engaging with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and NGOs to identify case studies and partners for intercultural learning groups. This approach allows for the focused and intensive study of an event, location, or, as in this case, a series of related events [29, 30].

Our approach was to travel to a range of differing countries, having consciously not identified cases prior to arrival, and to meet with relevant academics and research groups in higher education institutions within those countries.

We utilized those meetings for three key purposes:

Present our vision for the final module based upon authentic and situated case studies accompanied by intercultural learning groups.

Request advice on potential case studies known to the academics that met our criteria for collection and,

Discuss the potential for cooperation on students from the different institutions working together in an intercultural learning experience on the case studies.

The decision to not identify the cases prior to travel was aimed at reducing bias in case identification. Prior identification may have limited the poll of cases to those that were either well known in our respective countries or funded directly by organizations within those countries. Instead, the approach taken was to identify informed stakeholders in the target countries and seek their advice on projects that fitted our criteria. These stakeholders, or informed insiders, included academics in Uganda, India, and Ethiopia that had an active academic interest in sustainability and sustainable development projects. They included research groups, research laboratories, and individual academics and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). It was hoped that the use of insider knowledge would allow access to projects with a low profile nationally or internationally, access to projects that may not have been studied before, and projects that represented more emergent development.

There were several advantages and disadvantages to this approach. By utilizing insider stakeholders, we were able to overcome our own biases as contextual outsiders in the initial identification of cases. It must be noted, however, that both insiders and outsiders may have biases [31]. Furthermore, a significant risk was that we would not identify appropriate cases to capture thereby threatening the whole module creation process.

The discussions held with academics would also include discussions about the possibility of student and staff collaboration in the final module though the substantial challenges of enabling such partnerships between institutions was recognized.

Research Methods and Analysis

The primary data collected for this study is primarily reflections and reflective discussions among the authors that took place both during visits to partner HEIs but also after the event for the purpose of this analysis. The use of such data is traditionally more aligned with auto-ethnographic approaches to research (both collaborative and individual) [32-35].

The reflections were supported by two further sources of data; fieldwork journals and the multimedia assets collected as part of the case study collections. The fieldwork journals acted as a useful aide mémoire and trigger for reflections. Reviewing the audio-visual materials gathered for the case studies played a similar role [36].

The notes taken from the reflective discussions were analyzed for meaning and the

The focus of the study is to investigate how successful the approach was and to understand how it operated in practice. As this is a novel process, the study does not align with any of Yin’s five types of case studies, rather it can is more of an intrinsic case study with elements of instrumentality, focusing on the challenge of partnerships in EfSD [30, 37].

Case Description

The Process in Action

To identify and collect cases, as well as identify potential learning partners, two periods of travel were undertaken:

Rajasthan State, India: 18-26 February 2023

Uganda and Ethiopia: 2-15 April 2023

The interactions are outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Contacts During Travel Periods

Country	Contacts and Network
Jodhpur Region, Rajasthan	Indian Institute of Technology Faculty and Research Groups (home institute of an author) National NGO
Kampala, Uganda	Makerere University Faculty and Research Groups
Kasese, Uganda	National NGO (identified through existing network)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	Addis Ababa University Faculty and Research Group International NGOs
Arba Minch, Ethiopia	International NGO

Meetings were conducted with the appropriate faculty with the aim of identifying appropriate projects and initiatives that would form the basis of the module as well as establishing a network for future activities such as research projects, publications, and funding opportunities.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan State, India

The India trip was facilitated by one of the authors who is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur (IITJ). They acted as the initial conduit for identifying research groups and faculty members from whom we could identify cases for collection and discuss learning collaborations.

Six cases were identified in this manner though only two were considered appropriate for case collection at this stage. The case of Filtering Water Pots was an initiative developed out of the Centre for Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development (CETSD) research laboratory within IITJ, which engaged in the creation and implementation of water filtering pottery developed in conjunction with local potters and the village community. The second case was the Nandia Kalan Region Community Water Conservation project, which, unlike the first case, focused on community actions led through the local community structures to improve water provision, resilience, and conservation through collective action. These two cases were successfully collected, and video and audio recordings were gathered with stakeholders alongside accompanying documentation. Further cases were identified for future collection and engagement from within IITJ, while the interaction with a local NGO was not considered appropriate for inclusion.

Discussions were held with faculty regarding intercultural learning groups and a commitment was undertaken to continue the discussions as the module developed.

Uganda

Two key case studies were identified from Uganda. The first case study arose from meetings with local sustainable energy faculty at Makerere University as part of the Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) and an associated laboratory for the testing and accreditation of cookstoves. Assets and information gathered here forms part of a broader Cookstoves case study that includes materials from not only Uganda, but also Ethiopia (see below). Discussions were also held with other faculty members in Makerere to consider facilitating intercultural engagement on the module, however, this was only at a preliminary stage.

Contact was made with an NGO, Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy (RCRA), that had been recommended to two of the authors. This resulted in the opportunistic collection of a community-based social development project focused on Grandmothers and located in western Uganda. An initial meeting in Kampala resulted in the decision to travel the following day to western Uganda and spend two days gathering case materials, videos, interviews, and documents related to the project.

These two case studies were identified in completely different manners. The first was the established route of contacting faculty in local HEIs. The second was an opportunistic contact that was followed up. Both resulted in high quality case content though the Grandmother’s project was a case study in and of itself while the cookstove content (see below) was a contribution to the Cookstove case study.

Ethiopia

The state of unrest in Ethiopia restricted our ability to identify and capture suitable cases. One member of the party was unable to travel outside the capital, Addis Ababa, due to insurance restrictions.

Contact was made with the Centre for Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa University and discussions were held about potential student and research collaborations. Memoranda of Understanding were proposed and potential challenges for student collaboration aired.

Engagement with NGOs (including Vita) based in Addis Ababa did result in the identification of a case study related to cookstoves which was pursued, and multimedia case study content obtained.

Case Summaries

Informed consent to record and use the recordings in our module was obtained via hard copy forms that were signed (or marked in some circumstances).

Table 2. Cases Selected for Initial Use

Case	Multimedia Collected
Water Filtering Pots (India)	Video interviews with faculty involved in the laboratory and project. (CETSD) Video interviews with the potter involved in the project Video of the construction of water filtering pots B reel images of pottery, pots in action, local water sources, laboratory
Nandia Kalan Region Community Water Conservation project (India)	Video interviews with Sarpanch (village head) Video of local works including pond restoration, water capture earthworks Video interview with School principal of Nandia Kalan State School B reel images of countryside and schemes
RCRA Grandmothers Project (Uganda)	Large group video interviews with project participants One-to-one video interviews with project participants B reel images and video Supporting documents and publication
Cookstoves (Ethiopia and Uganda)	Video interviews of Ugandan cookstove research and testing laboratory (CREEC) Video interviews of cookstoves in use, Arba Minch, Ethiopia Videos of cookstoves in use, Uganda

Findings

Case Identification and Collection

The process of identifying sustainable development cases from within the target country through interactions with local HEIs and NGOs, and without preconceptions prior to travel was overwhelmingly successful. The cases that emerged were both powerful and yet obscured in that they were not known to the authors prior to the process and nonetheless were exemplars in socio-culturally appropriateness.

The process of identifying and capturing required a combination of structure and flexibility. It was important for us to contact and spend time with local HEI research groups and faculty. At the same time, it was important to seize opportunistic cases when they arose as with the Grandmother’s (RCRA) project in Uganda. Had we stuck too rigidly to preconceived ideas we would have missed one on the most powerful cases we collected.

The module required a minimum of three cases for the initial design and rollout and prior to the trips there was concern that our approach may not achieve this. More than three suitable cases were identified and collected, and the final module design faced decisions over which cases to develop first.

It must be recognized that not all initiatives that were investigated were deemed appropriate for use in this initiative. Reasons for exclusion of certain cases included factors such as reliance on boutique funding, lack of local involvement and engagement [more here please].

Identification of Partners for Intercultural Learning

While the identification of cases for collection was of immediate concern during the engagements, the identification of partners for intercultural learning was both more challenging though of less immediate urgency.

While the institutions consulted were overwhelmingly open to the possibility of students from the different institutions collaborating with one another in intercultural learning groups, a range of issues and approaches emerged.

A common module run across a range of institutions would raise a range of potential challenges including the need for inter-institutional agreements, alignment of accreditation and standards, and assessment challenges. An alternative approach was to share the resources and create a range of similar modules, running concurrently among the institutions whereby intercultural group learning could occur but assessment, accreditation, and so on would be independent responsibility of each institution.

Alongside the administrative issues, there was a desire to see the shape of the final module to assist in identifying the most appropriate student groups and programs to engage with. This in turn led to the idea of a phased integration where initial collaboration among students could be on an informal basis to evaluate the experience and allow time for the more administrative challenges to be addressed.

Notwithstanding these challenges, there was considerable interest in sharing the resources, specifically the cases collected from a range of countries and contexts. There was a consensus that case study-based learning was a valid approach to EfSD.

The Multiplication Effect

The engagement with HEIs on both case study identification and intercultural learning groups at the same time had a multiplying effect. While case study identification was an immediate request, the request for intercultural learning engagement represented a desire for ongoing engagement. Additionally, the appeal to the faculty acknowledged both the importance of local situation in sustainability challenges and the expertise of the faculty within that context. Engagement with the local faculty has also opened opportunities for research in sustainability as well as research in EfSD.

Module Description

The module design has been completed and the module is currently slated for delivery in January 2023, initially with a single cohort within Trinity College, the University of Dublin (see Module Information in Table 3 below).

Table 3. Module Information

Heading	Detailed Information
Module Title	Digital Innovation to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
Delivery Modality	Hybrid
Duration	11 weeks
Student Numbers	20
Learning Objectives	On successful completion of this module, students should be able to: Identify ways in which innovation (digital and non-digital) can potentially achieve the SDGs. Understand and describe the challenges involved with leveraging technology and innovation to achieve the SDGs and make informed decisions about how to overcome these challenges. Understand the benefits and problems associated with innovation to achieve the SDGs and learn how these are debated and resolved (or not) in specialist, multidisciplinary, and various socio-cultural environments. Critically examine the ethical considerations sur-rounding innovation in various social, cultural, and political contexts. Demonstrate effective presentation skills and the ability to work both individually and as part of a multi-cultural and multidisciplinary project team in a variety of learning environments.

Conclusion

This project started with an aim to develop deeply contextual case studies for global teaching of sustainable development. The process undertaken to identify authentic, powerful, and situated case studies through engagement with academics and NGOs in a range of countries was very successful. Engaging with stakeholders on the ground coupled with a willingness to go the extra mile for opportunities resulted in accessing previously obscured case studies that were successfully captured. The sheer wealth of case studies resulted is enough to populate three modules.

Identifying partners for intercultural learning was always going to be a more complicated process and this was the case. While good intentions abound, there are a range of administrative and managerial issues to address including, but not limited to, assessment, timetable alignment, time zone alignment, level, prior knowledge, and language. An additional factor was the need for the partners to see the finished module before an agreement could be reached.

For this reason, and pragmatic concerns, the first iteration of the completed module will be delivered within one of our host institutions in January 2024. This will serve as a trial run of the module design prior to more formal agreements on intercultural learning through the sharing of the module of the module and student collaboration on the case studies.

Acknowledgments. This study was funded by a grant from the Higher Education Authority of Ireland to promote Student and Staff Mobility.

Disclosure of Interests. The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

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