Program

Sharing Resources

Thursday

Powerpoint Slide Deck for Thursday, July 21 (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 9MB Jul21 16)

8:30 Introductions & get acquainted

8:45 - 9:00 Why are sustainability problems "wicked problems"? What do we mean by transdisciplinary inquiry and teaching?

9:00 - 10:15 Exploration of a sample module for teaching a wicked problem (Corn Ethanol).

10:15 - 10:30 Break

10:30 - 11:00

  • Group discussion of potential transdisciplinary sustainability modules for teaching sustainability

11:00 - 11:15

  • Identify needs: what support would you need to teach any of the proposed modules (material resources, disciplinary expertise, etc.)?

11:15 - 11:25

  • Homework assignment: List five potential partners of diverse backgrounds and expertise at your home institution. What disciplinary expertise could they contribute to the development of a transdisciplinary sustainability teaching module?

11:25 Road check

11:30 Adjourn for the day

Friday

8:30 Discussion of homework assignment

8:45 - 9:30 Transdisciplinary Teaching: How can we work within existing institutional structures to facilitate transdisciplinary teaching?
(presentation, small groups, report-out, discussion)

  • Team teaching - too many institutional barriers
  • Alternatives to team teaching
  • Building a culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration in curriculum development
  • Recruiting partners
  • Overcoming the perception, "I'll have to cut content"

9:30 - 10:00 Module design (work in interdisciplinary groups)

Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5

  • Define a module theme
  • Identify sustainability significance
  • Why does it represent a "wicked problem"?
  • What additional expertise would be helpful in defining and exploring the problem?

10:00 - 10:15 Break

10:15 - 11:00 Module design, continued

  • Link theme to one or more course learning outcomes
  • Identify module-based opportunities for student inquiry in your course
  • Identify connections to other courses
  • Outline learning outcomes, activities and assessments

11:00 - 11:15 Develop action plan

11:15 - 11:25 Brief report-out from groups

11:25 Workshop evaluation

11:30 Adjourn