Micronesian Educator Vol 14, 2010, Incorporating Sustainability into the

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Incorporating Sustainability into the Curriculum: The Case of Green Projects in Coursework Yukiko Inoue, University of Guam With contributions by graduate students

Abstract School teachers in a graduate education research course at the University of Guam developed and conducted a green lesson during the spring semester of 2010. Those of the students who were not school teachers, working instead for private companies or government agencies, focused their projects on green communities or workplaces. The instructor of the course monitored their projects with reviews of each student's progress report, frequent in-class question-and-answer sessions, and regular electronic or oral communication . Students conducted their own projects based on inquiry-based learning, and this paper itself uses an inquiry-based approach. Samples of student projects are included. The paper discusses reasons why sustainability education must be an ongoing business, for as long as we live on this planet. Keywords : green school behavior, sustainability, inquiry-based learning, project-based learning Introduction Almost daily reminders of vanishing polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and horrific weather patterns give us every reason to wonder if we are doing enough to assure a sustainable future on this planet (Johnston, 2009). Sustainability, in essence, "represents an interconnectedness of factors and force-environmental, economic, and social-that require new and more sophisticated analyses, teachings , and interventions" (Timpson et al. , 2006, p. 9.). And yet, "sustainability requires integrating the knowledge base of individual disciplines to create a holistic program that brings together the economic, social, and environmental understanding, practices, and policies of a globally and environmentally connected world" (Berry, 2006 , p. 103) . "Safeguarding the environment ranks high on political and social surveys" (Marschall, 2006, p. 12); nevertheless, "a yawning gap exists between good intentions and reality. Although Americans express strong support for reducing air and ground pollution, few give up their cars or recycle their AA batteries instead of throwing them in the trash" (p. 12). In terms of changing habits and thinking green, the following passage by Joachim Marschall (2006) , a psychology student and freelance science writer in Germany, is intriguing and worth reading :

The theory of planned behavior assumes that we carefully consider pros and cons, which may be true in novel situations such as moving to a new city. But the theory neglects an important point: in everyday life we tend to be creatures of habit. We may have to overcome many habitual, or automated, acts to exhibit greener behavior. The decision to leave the lights on as we walk out of a room or to check the recycling symbol on a plastic container instead of just throwing it away may rarely involve conscious consideration. (p. 13) Marschall further argues: "Other characteristics, such as age, also influence how ecologically minded a person may behave. Although young people express concerns for the environment, they are somewhat less likely to behave in an environmentally sustainable way than are older people" (p. 13). Teaching sustainability is thus essential. 21 MiCZ"onesian Educato.. •

Volu~ne

14, 2010


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