ERIC EJ1135000: Beyond Interpersonal Competence: Teaching and Learning Professional Skills in Sustainability

2017·2.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

education
sciences
Article
Beyond Interpersonal Competence: Teaching and
Learning Professional Skills in Sustainability
KatjaBrundiers*andArnimWiek
SchoolofSustainability,ArizonaStateUniversity,P.O.Box875502,Tempe,AZ85287-5502,USA;
[email protected]
* Correspondence:[email protected]
AcademicEditor:MichaelBrody
Received:4January2017;Accepted:2March2017;Published:7March2017
Abstract: Successfulcareersinsustainabilityaredeterminedbypositivereal-worldchangetowards
sustainability. Thissuccessdependsheavilyonprofessionalskillsineffectiveandcompassionate
communication,collaborativeteamwork,orimpactfulstakeholderengagement,amongothers. These
professionalskillsextendbeyondcontentknowledgeandmethodicalexpertise.Currentsustainability
programs do not sufficiently facilitate students’ acquisition of such skills. This article presents a
briefsummaryofprofessionalskills,synthesizedfromtheliterature,andwhytheyarerelevantfor
sustainabilityprofessionals.Second,itpresentshowtheseskillshavebeentaughtinanundergraduate
courseinsustainabilityatArizonaStateUniversity,USA.Third,itcriticallydiscussestheeffectiveness
andchallengesofthatexemplarycourse. Finally,thearticleconcludeswithoutliningthelessons
learnedthatshouldbeincorporatedintofuturecourseofferings.
Keywords: sustainability;professionalskills;pedagogy
1. Introduction
Sustainability programs in higher education often do not sufficiently prepare students for
sustainabilityjobsingovernments,NGOs,orbusinesses[1]. Thesejobscallforgeneralprofessional
skillstoleveragespecificcontentknowledgeandmethodicalexpertise. Theliteratureonsustainability
educationhasrespondedtothesecallsbyincludinginterpersonalcompetence,i.e.,theabilitytowork
wellinteamsandwitharangeofstakeholders,intothesetofkeycompetenciesinsustainability[2].
Whileinterpersonalcompetenceisofrelevancetosustainabilityprofessionals,therangeofcompetitive
professional skills is even broader, also including effective and compassionate communication,
responsiveprojectmanagement,advancedcontinuouslearning,andpreventativeself-care.
Thedemandfortheseskillsbecomesincreasinglyexplicitinthejobmarket(e.g.,[3]). Moreover,
compassion,empathy,gratitude,mindfulness,andotherpositivebehaviorsresultinhigherlevelsof
productivity,loyalty,andhealth,aswellasimprovedcooperation,leadership,andgovernance[4].
Theneedfor“masteringsoftskillsforworkplacesuccess”hasbeenwellestablished[5,6]. However,
professional skills in sustainability are relevant beyond the job market. Lange [7] draws attention
to adults’ individual pursuits to advance sustainability in their own life and communities, and
Lyth et al. [8] highlight the important contribution of third-sector organizations to sustainability
transitions. These voluntary, unpaid engagements are people- and project-centered and, thus,
professional skills are also relevant here. Despite increasing demand and apparent rewards,
professionalskillsarerarelytaughtinsustainabilityprograms. Studiesshowthemismatchbetween
theneedforsustainabilitygraduatestomastertheseprofessionalskillsandsustainabilityprograms
thatdonotsufficientlyteachthem[1,3,9]. Therefore,studentsoftenpicksomeofthemup“onthejob”
throughinternships,part-timework,andvolunteering. Whilevaluable,theseopportunitiesareon
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39;doi:10.3390/educsci7010039 www.mdpi.com/journal/education
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 2of18
theirowninsufficienttoacquiretheseskills,ason-the-jobtrainingoftenleaveslittletimeforreflection,
peermentoring,andadoptionofevidence-supportedpractices.
Alternative responses start to be implemented. For instance, since January 2017, Australia
implementedasetofmandatoryhighereducationthresholdstandards,includingstandardsrelatedto
learningoutcomesandassessments. Inparticular,thegenericoutcomes,referencedas“knowledge
andskillsrequiredforemployment”andskills“suitableforlife-longlearning”[10](p. 4)correspond
withtheprofessionalskillsoutlinedinthisarticle.
Moving forward, a key question will be how to teach these professional skills in meaningful
ways. Teaching and learning professional skills in sustainability will benefit from adopting a
whole-person and holistic educational approach, which accounts for cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor dimensions of learning. As many of the professional skills in sustainability overlap
withpersonaldevelopmentandgrowth,weneedtoeducatehead,hands,andheart[11]. Nurturing
hope,purpose,love,andpeaceinatimeexperiencedbymanyasaneraofcatastropheandcrisisalso
bringstotheforetheconnectionbetweensustainabilityandspirituality,whichincreasinglyinforms
sustainabilitypracticeinprofessionalandpersonalcontexts[12]. MarquesandDhiman[13](p. 28)
explainhowpersonaldevelopmentandprofessionalpracticeinsustainabilityarerelatedtospiritual
development: “the spiritual mindset will enhance one’s efforts to act in a sustainably responsible
manner,[while]thefocusonsustainabilitywillenforcetherealizationofconnectednesswithallof
life,whichisoneofthefoundationsofspiritualthinking.”Spiritualdevelopmentisconsideredthe
“‘engine’thatpropelsthesearchforconnectedness,meaning,purposeandcontribution. Itisshaped
bothwithinandoutsideofreligioustraditions,beliefsandpractices”[14].
Acquiringtheseskillsduringtheirhighereducationwouldbenefitgraduatesintheirprofessional
pursuits. Forexample, whilestudentschoosesustainabilityprogramsbecausetheywanttomake
apositivedifference[15],theyoftenfindthemselvesoverwhelmedwhenworkingonsustainability
issues. They experience mental and emotional distress because of the urgency, complexity, and
intractability inherent in sustainability issues. Similar to other fields in the caring professions
sustainability students often feel they are not fast or good enough to make a positive difference,
andalsoexperiencecompassionfatigue[16,17]. Therefore,sustainabilityprogramsoughttodevelop
preventativeself-careskillsinstudents.
Professionalskillsarewellresearchedinacademicdisciplines,andprofessionalorganizations
offer professional development courses and certifications for instance in communication, project
management,andteamwork.However,academicmaterialsareoftennotwellsuitedforanintroduction
tosustainabilitystudentsorearlycareerprofessionals. Thesematerialspredominantlyfocusononly
oneskilldomainandprovideoverlyextensivecontent(cf.[18]). Forexample,astandardtextbook
onprojectmanagementby[19]ismorethanathousandpageslong. Furthermore,onlyfewofthe
availablematerialsdiscussprofessionalskillsinthecontextofsustainability.
Whatismissingisabriefandactionableoverviewoftheprofessionalskillsinsustainabilityand
somerobustguidelinesonhowtoconveytheminhighereducation. Theobjectivesofthisarticleare,
therefore, toproposesuchanoverviewandtoprovideadesignforacourseonprofessionalskills
insustainability.
Afterabriefsummaryoftheprofessionalskilldomains,synthesizedfromtheliterature,weoffer
acoursedesign,andthendiscussitseffectivenessagainststudentevaluationsandreflections,aswell
asfeedbackfromprofessionals. Thecoursewasdevelopedandpilotedintheundergraduateprogram
insustainabilityatArizonaStateUniversity,USA,overthepastfewyears(N=101,from2013to2016).
ThisstudyhasbeenapprovedbytheinstitutionalreviewboardofArizonaStateUniversity(approval
code: STUDY00005354).
2. OverviewofProfessionalSkillsRelevanttoProfessionalSustainabilityPractice
Thissectionbrieflydescribessixdomainsofprofessionalskills,namely,preventativeself-care,
effectiveandcompassionatecommunication,collaborativeteamwork,responsiveprojectmanagement,
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 3of18
iEmdupca. Scctfi.u 2l0s17ta, 7k,e 3h9o lderengagement,andadvancedcontinuouslearning(Figure1). Basedonthecu3r roefn 1t7
sEtdautce. Socfi.k 2n01o7w, 7l,e 3d9 g e,theseseemtobeskilldomainsrelevanttosustainabilityprofessions. Eachdom3 oaf i1n7
professions. Each domain entails a variety of skills, and domains also overlap (e.g., effective and
entailsavarietyofskills,anddomainsalsooverlap(e.g.,effectiveandcompassionatecommunication
pcoromfepsassisoinosn.a Etea ccho mdommuaniinc aetniotnai liss ar evleavriaentyt toof ostkhilelrs , daonmd adinosm sauinchs aalss oc oolvlaebrolarpa ti(vee.g .t,e eafmfewctoivrke aanndd
isrelevanttootherdomainssuchascollaborativeteamworkandimpactfulstakeholderengagement).
cimompapcatsfsuilo nstaatkee choomldmeru ennicgaatgioenm iesn tr)e.l eWvaen pt rteof aoctehde re vdeormy adinosm sauinc hw aitsh c oanll aabdojreacttiivvee tteoa mcownnorekct atnhde
Weprefacedeverydomainwithanadjectivetoconnectthepracticetoaspiredsustainabilityoutcomes
(ipemr.gap.c,atccicotelflu atlbo o sartasatpkivierehetodel adsmuesrw taeoinnrgkaa)b.gileimtye onut)t.c oWmee sp (ree.fga.c, ecdol leavboerrayt idveo mteaaminw woirtkh) .a n adjective to connect the
practice to aspired sustainability outcomes (e.g., collaborative teamwork).

Figure 1. Overview of six professional skills domains relevant to sustainability practice and
Figure 1. Overview of six professional skills domains relevant to sustainability practice and its outcomes.
itsoutcomes.
Figure 1. Overview of six professional skills domains relevant to sustainability practice and its outcomes.
Sustainability practices, and by implication the use of professional skills, are embedded in the
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ppsrkraailcclt tidiccoiinmngga pipnrro otfofee shsssiigioohnnlaiagllh ssktk itilhlllses,,i ruu scsioinnnggte ttxhhteeu eaexlx aeammmpbpleleed oodffe tdteenaaemmswsw. oo rrkk;; ssiimmiillaarr fifigguurreess ccaann bbee ccrreeaatteedd ffoorr eeaacchh
sskkiillll ddoommaaiinn ttoo hhiigghhlliigghhtt tthheeiirr ccoonntteexxttuuaall eemmbbeeddddeeddnneessss..

Figure 2. Overview of contextual and personal factors that influence the practice of professional skills,
Finig tuhrise e2x. aOmvperlev,i ethwe opfr caocntitceex otuf atle aamndw poerrks.o nal factors that influence the practice of professional skills,
Figure2.Overviewofcontextualandpersonalfactorsthatinfluencethepracticeofprofessionalskills,
iinn tthhiiss eexxaammppllee,, tthhee pprraaccttiiccee ooff tteeaammwwoorrkk..
At the core of Figure 2 are teamwork interactions. They include, for instance, conducting team
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AtthecoreofFigure2areteamworkinteractions. Theyinclude,forinstance,conductingteam
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meetings,workingtogetherondeliverables,aswellasevaluatingteamperformanceandresolving
cthornofuligcths .a Dndif fneorewn tt hinec tiedaemnt sc acna nw torirgkg oenr tthhees pe rtoejaemctw, sotarkrt iinngte wraictthio cnos-,c ere.ga.t,i nfugn ad cinogd efo orf a c oplrloajbeoctr actaimone.
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mCoelmlebcteirvse i nruclluesd aen ads pneocrtms ssu schha pasin pge tresaomnawliotyrk t rianictlsu, dinet ean vtaiorine,t py roefv fioorums aelx apnedri einnfcoersm aanld r uplreesf erraenngciensg.
Collective rules and norms shaping teamwork include a variety of formal and informal rules ranging
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 4of18
conflicts. Differentincidentscantriggertheseteamworkinteractions,e.g.,fundingforaprojectcame
throughandnowtheteamcanworkontheproject,startingwithco-creatingacodeofcollaboration.
Various factors influence team interactions and their outcomes. Individual dispositions of team
membersincludeaspectssuchaspersonalitytraits,intention,previousexperiencesandpreferences.
Collectiverulesandnormsshapingteamworkincludeavarietyofformalandinformalrulesranging
fromsocialmanners, tothecultureofanorganization, toformallaws. Anotherinfluencingfactor
arethecircumstanceswithinwhichteamworktakesplace: e.g.,doestheteaminteractface-to-faceor
virtualandacrossdifferenttimezones,or,doesthemeetingspacesupportofhindercollaboration.
Outcomesofteamworkinteractionspertaintotwobroadcategories: thefirstreferstothesustainability
taskoftheteam(e.g.,teamproducedhigh-qualityproductsandservices)andthesecondtosocial
outcomes(e.g.,teammembersfosterednetworks,friendlyworkenvironment,personalgrowth).
Professional sustainability practice employs several skills simultaneously, e.g., teaming,
communicating and project-managing effectively. Furthermore, professional skills are thought to
work synergistically with content knowledge (e.g., technical expertise related to say sustainable
mobilityorfoodsystems)andmethodicalskills(e.g.,multi-criteriaanalysis,scenariodevelopment).
Tokeepthisarticlereasonablyshort,wewillnotdetailtherelationsbetweenprofessionalskilldomains.
2.1. PreventativeSelf-Care
PreventativeSelf-Careistheprocessofsuccessfullyaligningone’sownprofessionalperformance
withpersonalwellbeing. Itenablesprofessionalstocompletetheirtaskswhilepreventingorcoping
withnegativeexperienceslikedistress,frustration,fatigue,orburnout[20].
Preventativeself-careisrelevantforsustainabilityprofessionals,becausetheyaspiretomakea
positivedifferenceandhelpavertingcatastrophe[21]. Sustaininghopeandbeliefinone’sagencyin
thefaceofslowprogressandstructuralsetbacksrequirespreventativeself-care[17,22]. Sustainability
professionalsarepartofthecaringorhelpingprofessions,includingamongothersteachers,nurses
anddoctors,caretakersandsocialworkers,aswellaspsychiatristsandcounselors. Jobsinthesefields
havespecialdemandsandrequirementsandcaringprofessionalsareknowntobepronetosuffer
stress,compassionfatigue,andburnout[20]. Tocounterthepredominantreactiveapproachtocoping
withstress,wechosethepreface“preventative”self-care,emphasizingapro-activeapproach.
Key activities of preventative self-care relate to four areas. First, they involve successfully
managing professional activities, for instance, by setting clear goals, ensuring to comprehend tasks
beforeworkingonthem, andmanagingone’stime. Second, theyinvolvemanagingone’sphysical
wellbeingatwork,forinstance,byrecognizinghowone’sdailyenergycurveprogressesthroughhighs
andlowsandaccountingforthosewhensettingprioritiesandtasks. Physicalwellbeingisenhanced
by taking breaks, eating well, and doing yoga or exercises to refresh and rewind [23]. Third, they
involvemanagingprofessionalinteractionswithco-workers,supervisors,clients,andotherstakeholders.
Forinstance,developingawarenessaboutone’semotionsintheseinteractionsandthehabitoftaking
afewdeepbreathsinmomentsofexcitement,breakstheimpulsive“fight-or-flightresponse”andthus
supportsgoodcollaboration[24]. Activelisteningandtakinganinterestintheconcernsofco-workers
alsosupportsproductiveprofessionalinteractions[25]. Fourth,organizingone’sworkenvironmentalso
supportswellbeing;alongaphysicaldimension,thingslikeproperlightingandergonomicsofsitting
aswellhashavingsomeplantsarerecommended.Alongasocialdimension,thisalsoincludescreating
aworkenvironmentthatpeopleperceiveassafe[26].
Preventative self-care activities often start with fostering self-awareness and self-compassion.
Acting on insights requires abilities for self-motivation, self-regulation, and self-organization.
Self-motivationmeansseekingwaystoadvanceone’sownandother’swellbeing(e.g.,teammembers,
projectparticipants).Self-regulationmeanstobeawareofone’semotions,thoughts,andbehaviorsand
toprocesstheminsupportofone’swellbeing. Self-organizationreferstodevelopingandmaintaining
aself-careactionplan.
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 5of18
2.2. EffectiveandCompassionateCommunication
EffectiveandCompassionateCommunicationisaprocessinvolvingverbal,non-verbalorwritten
interactions between two or more people that yields agreement, shared information, or asserted
support. This kind of communication does not just reach its primary goal, such as delivering a
message,i.e.,itisnotjusteffective,butalsostrengthenstherelationshipbetweensenderandreceiver
throughattentiveness,interest,empathy,andcaring,i.e.,itisalsocompassionate[27].
Effectiveandcompassionatecommunicationisrelevantforsustainabilityprofessionalsasakey
meanstotriggerpositivechange. Moreover,sustainabilityreferstocomplexissuesthatarenoteasyto
communicate,e.g.,climatechangeimpactsandresponses.
Effectiveandcompassionatecommunicationentailsadistinctsetofspeakingandwritingactivities.
Theseinclude,amongothers: inquiringwithotherprofessionals;listeningandmappingdivergent
opinions; explaining complex situations; persuading policy makers; negotiating with contractors;
providingfeedbacktoteams;resolvingconflictsamongstakeholdergroups. Thekeytosuccessful
communication is to do it emphatically [28]. The person receiving communication does not just
listenorread;theyalsoobserve,reflect,andrelatetothemessage. Payingattentiontonon-verbal,
silentcueslikefacialexpression,bodyposture,andgesturesareimportantcomponentsofreceiving
aspokenmessage,too[29]. Selectingappropriatecommunicationmediaandtechnologiesiskeyto
effectiveandcompassionatecommunication. Asmentionedabove,communicationisanintegralpart
ofseveralprofessionalskills. Anexampleofanoverlappingskillconnectingpreventativeself-care,
effectiveandcompassionatecommunication,andcollaborativeteamworkisself-compassion. According
to[30](p. 146),self-compassionistheskilltoemotionallysupportbothoneself(beingnurturingand
understandingtowardoneself,notjudgmental)andothers(recognizingthatallpeoplemakemistakes
andfeelinadequateinsomeway)whenconfrontedwithhumanimperfectionorconflict. Mindfulness
is another element of self-compassion: enabling awareness of the present moment, not ignoring,
dislikingorruminatingaboutaspectsofoneself. Becauseself-compassionweaveskindnesstowards
selfandothersaswellasmindfulnesstogether,itservesasan“effectiveemotionalregulationstrategy”,
neutralizing“negativeemotionalpatterns”andengendering“morepositivefeelingsofkindnessand
connectedness”[31](p. 266). Studiessuggestthatstudentswithhigherlevelsofself-compassionare
morelikelytoresolveconflictsthroughcompromise,balancingtheirownandothers’needsinfair
ways,feelingasenseofautonomyandconnectedness[30](p. 146).
2.3. CollaborativeTeamwork
Collaborative Teamwork is the process when people engage in utilizing different and
complementarytypesofexpertise,skills,andattitudestocompleteatask[32]. Collaborativeteamwork
resultsinhigh-qualitytaskdelivery(taskeffectiveness)byco-creatingastimulatingandhealthywork
environment(socialprocesseffectiveness)[33].
Collaborativeteamworkisrelevantforsustainabilityprofessionalsbecauseofthecomplexityand
scaleofsustainabilityissuesathand[34]. Forinstance,aprojectteamtaskedtodevelopaviableand
evidence-supportedconceptfordevelopingasustainablelocalfoodsystemneedstobringinvarious
typesofknowledgeandskillstocompletethistasksuccessfully. Knowinghowtotapintothediversity
ofskillsthateachteammembersbringstotheprojectcantranslateintoinnovativesolutionideas,
acceleratedprojectsuccess,andcost-effectiveness.
Collaborative teamwork involves a distinct set of interactions: team members collaborate to
manage the project; they collaborate with each other and other stakeholders to co-create project
deliverables,andtheyengagesocially,tobondandbuildabasisoftrust. Teamingentailsnumerous
activitiesstartingwithaligningtheteamtobuildcommitmentandasharedpurpose. Preparingfor
teammeetings,e.g.,bycreatinganagenda,preparingdiscussionpoints,andreviewingdocuments
ahead of the meeting, will make these interactions productive [35]. Individual and collective
accountability, e.g., expressed by arriving to meetings on time or by following through with
assignments, builds trust in the team process. Thoughtful communication within the team, e.g.,
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 6of18
by sharing appreciation and critique, and constructively addressing disagreement and tensions,
supportstheteam’screativityandproductivityaswellasindividualteammembers’wellbeing[36].
2.4. ResponsiveProjectManagement
ResponsiveProjectManagementisthestructuredprocessofachievingaspiredprojectoutcomes
within a given timeframe, budget, and other constrains [19]. A key success factor is that the
constituency—the clients, stakeholders, customers, and/or users—accepts and uses the project
outcomes[37].
Responsive project management is relevant for sustainability professionals because it offers
a method to plan for positive change while accounting for uncertainties that require adaptation.
Triggeringchangetowardssustainabilityinvolvesshiftsinmindsets, values, andbehaviors. Such
undertakingsfaceobstaclesandresistance. Responsiveprojectmanagementallowsformaneuvering
andnavigatingaprojectthroughthesechallenges[38].
In order to achieve project success, responsive project management emphasizes the skill to
anticipate necessary changes to the project scope, process, and even the culture or policies of an
organization. Exemplaryactivitiespertainingtoresponsiveprojectmanagementinclude: organizing
theprojectprocessaspartofadynamicsystembyaccountingforsurpriseandcontingencyplans;
providing good time management to facilitate engagement of project participants; and carefully
monitoringandstrategicallyreflectingabouttheprocessandwarrantedadjustments. Responsive
management is not a straight jacket. It is meant to be a reflective and adaptive process, based on
thoughtfulactionsthatconsiderhowtheprojectisembeddedinawidercontext,accountingfordiverse
stakeholdergroupsandunpredictabledevelopments. Responsiveprojectmanagementservesasa
backboneandanchorpointthatallowstheprojecttobeopentochangeandtorespondflexiblywhile
pursuingprojectobjectives.
2.5. ImpactfulStakeholderEngagement
ImpactfulStakeholderEngagementisthecollaborationbetweensustainabilityprofessionalsand
peoplewhohaveastakeintheprocessandoutcomesofagivenproject[39,40]. Impactfulstakeholder
engagementengagesdiversestakeholdersfromgovernment,businesses,andcivilsociety. Itaimsto
yieldtaskoutcomeslikequalityprojectdeliverablesthathavebeeninformedbyapluralityofviews
andarebroadlyaccepted,aswellassocialoutcomesincludingnewperspectives,relationshipsand
builtcapacity[41].
Impactfulstakeholderengagementisrelevantforsustainabilityprofessionalsbecauseitallows
applyingtheconceptofsustainabilityinpracticeandcriticallydiscussingwhowouldbeimpactedand
inwhatways. Aschangetowardssustainabilityaffectseveryone,impactfulstakeholderengagement
facilitatesunderstandingandacceptanceofinnovationstowardssustainability.
Key activities of impactful stakeholder engagement occur along a progressive sequence of
interactions starting with organizing listening sessions that allow stakeholders to air concerns,
impressions, ideas (opening up to a range of inputs). The next step includes facilitating open
andproductivediscussionsamongdiverseorhomogeneousstakeholdergroupsinordertodeepen
theirinputsandincorporatethemintotheproject. Laterstageactivitiesthenincludecollaborating
withstakeholdersonprojectdeliverablesandelicitingfeedbackfromstakeholdersontheseproject
deliverables[42]. Therearevarioustechniques,toolsandsettingstosupporttheseactivitiesranging
fromface-to-faceconversationstoonlinesurveys;toolsofferinghigherandlowerlevelsofinteraction
canbecombinedtofurtherfacilitatetheco-creationofmeaninganddeliverables[43].
2.6. AdvancedContinuousLearning
AdvancedContinuousLearningistheprocessofexpandingone’stechnicalexpertise(knowledge
andprocedures),professionalskills,andattitudesbyusingappropriateproceduresinapurposeful
andself-directedway. Thegoalofadvancedcontinuouslearningistoeffectivelyenhanceprofessional
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 7of18
performanceandsuccessfullydealwithshort-tolong-termemergingchallengesandnewrequirements
overthelifespanofone’sprofessionalsustainabilitycareer[44]. Themajorityoflearninghappens
as informal learning [45]. Believing in the ability to learn and grow is a foundational driver for
success[46].
Advancedcontinuouslearningisrelevantforsustainabilityprofessionalsassustainabilityisa
rapidlyevolvingfield. Professionalsrequirebeinguptodateonemergingsustainabilityproblems
andevidence-supportedsustainabilitysolutions. Moreimportantlytheyrequirelearningdifferently,
asconventionallearningandformaleducationfailtocontributetoasustainablefuture[47]. Advanced
continuouslearningentailstheabilityofsustainabilityprofessionalstoreflectonbeliefs,worldviews,
andvaluesandhowtheyshapeproblemframing,solutiondevelopment,andcurrentpractices[48].
Transformativelearningoccurswhenthesereflectionsleadtoalternativeinsights,motivatingpersonal
changeinpractices[47].
Advanced continuous learning emphasizes proactive over reactive, and transformative
over adaptive learning in order to help us generate deep insights about sustainable solution
approaches [42]. Clear learning goals as well as an appraisal of what one knows relative to these
goalshelporientlearningactivities,involvingindividuallearningactionsandcollaborativelearning
interactions. Drawingonexperientiallearningapproaches(cf.[49]),learningactionscyclethrough
adoptinginformation(e.g.,listening,reading/observing,writing,interactingwithothers);applying,
experiencing,andexperimenting;andreflecting,analyzingsuccessandfailure,aswellassynthesizing
andadjustingwhatwaslearned. Learninginteractionsrangefromteachingeachother,toimitating
mentors,tohands-onworkingandcraftingtogether.
Thissectionofferedasynopsisofthesixprofessionalskillsdomains. Thenextsectionpresents
oneapproachtoteachandlearntheseskills: throughacourseinasustainabilityprogramatahigher
educationinstitution.
3. AnExemplaryCourseonProfessionalSkillsinSustainability
Wepresentthedesignoftheprofessionalskillscoursemandatoryforallsophomore(2nd-year)
undergraduatestudentsenrolledinthesustainabilityprogramofArizonaStateUniversity. Thecourse
wasfirstofferedinFall2013asaone-creditcourseandwillbecontinuedasathree-creditcourseasof
Fall2017. BetweenFall2013andFall2016,101studentscompletedthein-personcourse.
In the following, we describe the learning objectives, learning settings, course structure, and
courseassignments.
Thecoursewasdesignedinawaythatafteritscompletion,studentswouldbeable:
(1) To explain and discuss why professional skills, in general and specifically, are important for
sustainabilityprofessionals,usingexamplesofapplication.
(2) Toapplyprofessionalskillsinsustainabilitypractice.
(3) To evaluate their own and team members’ professional skill levels based on a set of justified
qualitycriteria.
(4) Todefinestrategies,techniques,andtoolsforlearningandadvancingprofessionalskillsthatcan
furtherdirectstudents’/graduates’professionaldevelopment.
Indesigningthecourse,wedrewonconceptssuchas“constructivealignment”and“backward
design”[50,51]. Theseconceptsensurethatlearningobjectivesarematchedwitheffectivelearning
settingsandwithappropriateassessmentstomeasurestudents’progresstowardstheobjectives.
Weintegratethefollowinglearningsettingsintothecoursetosupportstudentsinachievingthe
course’slearningoutcomes: familiarizingwithskillsthroughreadings,guestlectures,anddiscussions;
practicingskillsintheclassroom; applyingskillsinareal-worldprojectwherestudentsworkina
teamandengagestakeholders;andreflectingontheacquisitionofskills. Table1showsthecourse
moduleseachrelatedtoaprofessionalskillsdomain. Ithighlightstheteamassignmentsintended
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 8of18
tobuildprofessionalskillsandillustrateshowthereal-worldprojectservesasavehicleforstudents’
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The course is linked to a small real-world sustainability project sponsored by an external partner
Thecourseislinkedtoasmallreal-worldsustainabilityprojectsponsoredbyanexternalpartner
such as the university administration, a city department, or a local business (cf., [52,53]). Students
suchastheuniversityadministration,acitydepartment,oralocalbusiness(cf.,[52,53]). Students
work on an agreed upon sustainability issue in teams of four to five, supported by a coach (course
workonanagreeduponsustainabilityissueinteamsoffourtofive,supportedbyacoach(course
instructor), and in collaboration with their project partner. The project needs to be conducted in a
instructor),andincollaborationwiththeirprojectpartner.Theprojectneedstobeconductedinatimely
timely manner and with deliverables that meet academic and practical expectations. As the course
mannerandwithdeliverablesthatmeetacademicandpracticalexpectations. Asthecoursefocuses
focuses on building professional skills, the sustainability issue needs to be relevant to the project
on building professional skills, the sustainability issue needs to be relevant to the project partner,
partner, while not centering students’ attention exclusively on the issue. In past projects, students
whilenotcenteringstudents’attentionexclusivelyontheissue. Inpastprojects, studentsworked
worked on assessing the sustainability of different toilet types to support facilities managers’
on assessing the sustainability of different toilet types to support facilities managers’ investment
investment decisions; or students planned a sustainable flea market to raise the funds for a
decisions;orstudentsplannedasustainablefleamarkettoraisethefundsforacommunityschool
community school garden. As students start to investigate the sustainability issue, they are expected
garden. As students start to investigate the sustainability issue, they are expected to select and
to select and employ professional skills, e.g., communicating effectively and compassionately with
each other, the team coach, and the project partner; building a cooperative team and creating
productive teamwork settings; employing responsive project management techniques; enabling and
facilitating individual and collective learning; and practicing preventative self-care. Through the
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 9of18
employprofessionalskills,e.g.,communicatingeffectivelyandcompassionatelywitheachother,the
teamcoach,andtheprojectpartner;buildingacooperativeteamandcreatingproductiveteamwork
settings;employingresponsiveprojectmanagementtechniques;enablingandfacilitatingindividual
andcollectivelearning;andpracticingpreventativeself-care. Throughtheproject,thecoursesimulates
sustainabilitypracticeinaprofessionalsetting,facilitatingstudents’understandingandpracticingof
theskillsaswellasdemonstratingtheirrelevanceforfuturecareers.
Theclasssessionsalternatebetweendiscussionsessionsandpracticesessions. Thediscussion
sessionsarebasedonatextbookthatdetailsthesixskilldomains[54]. Usingaseminarformat,each
discussionsectionintroducesaskilldomainandfacilitatesaconversationwithaprofessional,who
joinstheclassasguestspeakertosharehowtoemploytherespectiveskillinprofessionalpractice.
Professionalsinvolvedinthecourseincluded,amongothers,certifiedteamcoaches,communication
trainers,andprojectmanagers. Thepracticesessionsaredesignedtoenactskillsthroughembodied
learninginteractionslikerole-play,takingthehot-seat,ormindfullistening[55,56]. Role-playputs
studentsingroupstoworkonareal-worldtask,say,toplanastakeholderengagementworkshop
toelicitinputonamunicipalproposaltoincreasewaterratesforindoorandoutdooruse. Students
receivecardswithdescriptionsabouttheirroles(e.g.,councilor,residentinsupportoragainstrate
increase,facilitator)andwaystheyenacttheirroles(beingagitated,calm,orabsent-mindedonthecell
phone). Afterawhileofplaying,thegroupsstepoutoftheirrolesandengageinareflectionofthe
experience. Forthemindfullisteningactivity,studentsarepaired. Everystudentthinksaboutsayan
experienceofbelongingandsharesthisexperiencewhiletheothersarejustlisteningwithopenears,
softeyes,andnointentiontorespond,comment,orjudgeonwhattheyhear(adaptedfrom[57]).
Alternatingdiscussionandpracticesessionssupportsstudentsinfamiliarizingwith,practicing,
applying,andreflectingonprofessionalskillsandtheiracquisition.
Theassignmentsarestructuredintoindividualassignmentsandcollaborativeteamassignments.
The individual assignments are designed for students to capture their thoughts in preparation of
teamworkingsessions. Forinstance,relatedtoexploringlearningpreferencesandstrategies,weask
studentstocharacterizetheirlearningpreferencesaheadofthemeeting(usingtheFelder-Silverman
LearningStyleIndex[58]).Studentsbringtheresultsfromthisactivityandtheirwrittenreflectiontothe
teammeeting,wheretheycompareandcontrasttheirlearningstrategiesandexplorehowtheycould
supporteachother’slearning. Anotherindividualassignmentinvolveswritingareadingresponseto
eachtextbookchapterandstudentsownpersonalskillpracticepertinenttothechapter’sskilldomain,
drawingonthemethodofarticulatedlearning[59]. Afterthereading,studentsidentifyoneparticular
skillthatseemsrelevanttotheirpersonalsituation,e.g.,anticipationandtimemanagementaspart
ofresponsiveprojectmanagement. Studentsdevelopaplanhowtolearnandrehearsethisspecific
skill,implementtheplan,andattheend,reflectontheirmasteryofprofessionalskillsagainstgood
practicesrecommendedinthetextbookandbytheguestspeakers.
Thecollaborativeteamassignmentsaddresstheprojectdeliverablestobeproducedfortheproject
partner,engageteamsinworkingtogetheronprofessionaltools,andcapturereflectionsontheteam
process. Each team assignment entails the adoption of the tool (e.g., create a Gantt-chart) and a
collectivereflectiononhowtheteamworkedwiththetooloverthecourseoftheproject.
To build their “tool belt” of professional skills, students produce an individual portfolio of
practicesandtoolsappliedoverthecourseofthesemester(Figure3). Theportfolioissupposedto
demonstratetheprofessionalskillsacquired[60,61].
Weuseavarietyofassessmentapproachesandtechniques,includingreal-timeperformances,
written documents, and creation of flowcharts and other graphics. However, the majority are
performance-based assessments (e.g., project work, reflective reading responses, and portfolio)
assessing reflection capacity, sense of relevance, application capacity, anticipation capacity, and
creativity[50].
Educ.Sci.2017,7,39 10of18
Educ. Sci. 2017, 7, 39 10 of 17
Figure 3. Illustrations of students’ portfolios. The portfolio at the left describes the skill domain and
Figure3.Illustrationsofstudents’portfolios.Theportfolioattheleftdescribestheskilldomainand
offers examples of how the student applied the skill to her individual practice and to a professional
offersexamplesofhowthestudentappliedtheskilltoherindividualpracticeandtoaprofessional
team setting. The portfolio at the right uses an artistic approach to emphasize the student’s approach to
teamsetting.Theportfolioattherightusesanartisticapproachtoemphasizethestudent’sapproach
skill practice.
toskillpractice.
4. Students’ Evaluations and Experts’ Perspectives on the Course
4. Students’EvaluationsandExperts’PerspectivesontheCourse
This section presents the results for the second research question, asking: (i) to what extend did
Thissectionpresentstheresultsforthesecondresearchquestion,asking: (i)towhatextenddid
the course enabled students to meet learning objectives overall; and (ii) for each of the four learning
thecourseenabledstudentstomeetlearningobjectivesoverall;and(ii)foreachofthefourlearning
objectives specifically? The learning outcomes were chosen as focal points for the data, because, per
objectivesspecifically?Thelearningoutcomeswerechosenasfocalpointsforthedata,because,perthe
the degree program, this is what the course should enable students in achieving. The learning
degreeprogram,thisiswhatthecourseshouldenablestudentsinachieving. Thelearningoutcomes
outcomes relate to the professional skill domains as students are expected to be able to discuss and
relate to the professional skill domains as students are expected to be able to discuss and employ
employ professional skills in each domain as well as evaluate their practice and identify ways to
professional skills in each domain as well as evaluate their practice and identify ways to further
further enhance their practice.
enhancetheirpractice.
To address these questions, we draw on the sample of voluntary and anonymous student course
Toaddressthesequestions,wedrawonthesampleofvoluntaryandanonymousstudentcourse
evaluations in which students evaluate the course. Students rate standardized statements using a
evaluationsinwhichstudentsevaluatethecourse. Studentsratestandardizedstatementsusinga
five-point Likert-scale including strongly agree (SA), agree (A), neither agree nor disagree (N),
five-pointLikert-scaleincludingstronglyagree(SA),agree(A),neitheragreenordisagree(N),disagree
disagree (D) and strongly disagree (SD). Additionally, students’ qualitative feedback, provided in
(D)andstronglydisagree(SD).Additionally,students’qualitativefeedback,providedinadditional
additional comments, demonstrates how the course helped students to make progress towards the
comments, demonstrates how the course helped students to make progress towards the learning
learning objectives. Results reflect responses from 44 out of 101 students with response rates varying
objectives. Resultsreflectresponsesfrom44outof101studentswithresponseratesvaryingoverthe
over the years (Table 2).
years(Table2).
Table 2. Response rates 2013–2016 of the evaluation survey for the professional skills course.
Table2.Responserates2013–2016oftheevaluationsurveyfortheprofessionalskillscourse.
Fall 2013 Fall 2013
Semester, Year, Session Spring 2014 Fall 2015 Spring 2016 Fall 2016
Semester,Year, Fall20A13 SAessionFa ll2B0 1S3esBsion
Spring2014 Fall2015 Spring2016 Fall2016
Session Session Session
Responses/Overall
10/21 7/13 3/13 4/15 9/21 11/18
ResponseCso/hOovretr all
10/21 7/13 3/13 4/15 9/21 11/18
RCesophoonrtse Rate 48% 54% 24% 27% 43% 61%
ResponseRate 48% 54% 24% 27% 43% 61%
The research involved a qualitative approach for data collection and analysis, manually coding
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lseuasrtnaiinngab oiblijteycptirvoefse sasniodn tahlesi”r [r6e2f]le.cTthioenpsu ornp oastteaiisnitnogc athpetusere osbtjuedcteinvtess’. meaningmakingofthecourse’s
learningobjectivesandtheirreflectionsonattainingtheseobjectives.
4.1. Does the Course Enable Students to Meet the Learning Objectives?
The majority of students evaluated the course as valuable, allowing them to develop
professional skills and make progress toward the learning objectives (Table 3).