UniGo: Lessons on teaching relational and integrative skills for sustainability challenges

Authors and presenters

• Can Seng Ooi, School of Social Science, CALE

• Catherine Doran, CALE

• Kim Beasy, School of Education, CALE

• Nam Ha Duong, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics

• Russell Warman, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, COSE

• Taufiq Tanasaldy, School of Humanities, CALE

• Vinh To, School of Education, CALE

Abstract

Sustainability challenges require new integrative approaches to teaching and learning. This session uses autoethnographic reflections to offer insights into sustainability pedagogy from the University Global Opportunity program (UniGO) team, who explored and piloted new education offerings aimed at bringing insight and understanding to participating students about how sustainability challenges are being addressed. UniGO offers immersion in a different place with a structure that supports reflection on the uniqueness of the place and culture being experienced. As well as being grounded in the University of Tasmania’s sustainability mission, this approach is aligned with the UTAS distinctive advantage of a place-based education.

UniGO’s cross-disciplinary approach to learning about local solutions to global sustainability issues develops reflective and integrative approaches to sustainability challenges. The foundational UniGO pedagogy anchors its subject matter in the local context with the intent to cultivate cross-cultural competence built on critical reflexivity. Knowing place can be deepened by contrasting experience in places of difference. Students are challenged to consider the opportunities for achieving sustainability, examine their assumptions and world views, extend their disciplinary understandings and undertake multi-disciplinary learning, communication and collaboration.

UniGO centred the UTAS commitment to student access and transformative education throughout program design. This involved being supportive of first-time travellers and those with additional barriers such as lack of resources, disabilities, social background. By doing this, UniGO provides broad access to deep place-based and culturally informed learning for Tasmanians. Finally, we found that UniGO provided a relational opportunity for students, meeting an important need for a growing cohort who otherwise engage in learning online.