At the crossroads: new direction in teacher education

1. At the crossroads: new direction in teacher education Embedding sustainability literacy and employability in a Business Studies core module: A tutor’s reflection TAN Yoke Eng The Business School, Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences

2. Context • Student expectations of higher education • Society expectations of higher education • Sustainable Development: a university strategic objective • Personal interest and the desire to create significant learning experiences • Positive student responses to earlier work: enquiry-based learning, ESD project: ‘Designing a sustainable university’

3. The module, students and the academics • Foundations of Management • 20 credit module, level 4, • 50 contact hours: one hour lecture and one hour seminar per week • Intended learning outcomes • understand the behaviour of individuals and groups, and the interactions between them in an organisational context • develop the capacity and essential skills to address challenges of the future • 300 students from diverse backgrounds • One full time and two part-time academics

4. Embedding sustainability literacy and employability in a core module SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES Human Well-being Social Economics Knowledge Perspectives Values Skills (Stibbe and Luna 2011) A set of achievements, skills, understandings and personal attributes (HEA ESECT 2005, p8) Environment EDUCATION, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Sustainability Literacy APPLICATION Employability Individual factors, personal circumstances and external factors

5. Module structure(Adapted from Fink’s model, 2003) Apply analytical tools Evaluate business management theory Capacity building Intended Learning outcomes Out of class activities Module evaluation Feedback and Assessment Teaching and learning activities Lecture Formative Situational factors Self-Assessment Seminar Individual reflection of learning (25%) Summative Assessment Group Company assignments (25%) Supporting social responsibility through volunteering programme Individual assignment in response to a job interview scenario (50%)

6. Mapping module topics to sustainability literacy and employability

7. Embedding sustainability literacy and employability in a core module Seminar Group company assignments Out of class activities (Reading, writing, research, group work) Lecture (Develop foundation knowledge) • Note-taking • Listening • Discussion • Questions • Independent • Responsibility • Time-management • Comprehension • Group work • Teamwork (incl leadership) • Negotiation, decision making • Research • Application (practical skills, creativity) • Problem-solving (transfer knowledge to novel situations) • Communication (oral, written, presentation) • Integration (Academic theory and work situations) • Connection between topics • Awareness of contemporary issues • learning about oneself and others • Ethical and moral standard in tasks and social interactions Individual reflection of learning • Reflection • Self-awareness • Understanding others • Change in values, interests • Integration (Academic theory and personal, social and work lives) Individual Assignment (in response to a job interview scenario) Consolidation of all skills and foundation knowledge Outcomes: Educated individuals who are capable of understanding and developing new responses to dynamic situations; better employment prospect * boxes denote capacity building

8. Reflective writing(Fink’s taxonomy of significant learning) Becoming a better student; inquiring about a subject; self-directing learners Understanding and remembering information and ideas Application skills, thinking (critical, creative and practical thinking) and managing projects Developing new feelings, interests, values Learning about oneself and others Connecting ideas, people and realms of life

9. Impact on students • Personal subjective beliefs and ideas won’t get you anywhere! • So many different ways to explain one issues! • More confident about the principles of this modules • Not used to have to find things out for ourselves • Clear instructions, helpful tutors • Didn’t know how bad we were until we got the feedback! • Interesting and challenging scenarios which challenge us to think, to question – not an easy task! • Using theories to solve problems • No one correct or easy way to solve a problem • Enjoy being creative • Preparation for real life • When I graduate I want to serve others • Mixture of feeling proud and disappointed with own achievement • I learned to consider other people • Group work challenging and tormenting for some • Make friends, support and feel part of a group • Improved self-image, self-perception and confidence; impact of my actions /behaviour on others; listen more • more integration, less compartmentalisation

10. Reflection • How best to embed the concepts without undermining the module content • Downplay the link between module content and sustainability; to encourage more questioning and reasoning, collaborating and developing curiosity • Balance between development of knowledge and skills • Accurate assessment of skills • Developing knowledge, competencies, understanding, perspectives – a lifelong journey • Changing tutor role from teaching to guiding and coaching • What should an UG business education provide for students? • Involvement in community project: an alternative method for learning social responsibility, citizenship, and value as well as personal development