Student-led sustainability transformations: employing realist evaluation to open the black box of learning in a Challenge Lab curriculum
Journal article, 2021
Design/methodology/approach – Realist evaluation was employed as an analytical frame that takes social context into account to unpack learning mechanisms and associated learning outcomes. A socio-cultural perspective on learning was adopted, and ethnographic methods, including interviews and observations, were used.
Findings – Three context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations were identified, capturing what students placed value and emphasis on when developing capabilities for leading sustainability transformations: (1) engaging with complex ‘in-between’ sustainability challenges in society with stakeholders across sectors and perspectives; (2) navigating purposeful and transformative change via backcasting; and (3) ‘whole-person’ learning from the inside-out as an identity-shaping process, guided by personal values.
Originality – This paper delineates and discusses important learning mechanisms and outcomes when students act as co-creators of knowledge in a sustainability-oriented educational initiative, working with authentic challenges together with societal actors.
Practical implications – The findings of this paper can inform the design, development, evaluation, and comparison of similar educational initiatives across institutions, while leaving room for contextual negotiation and adjustment.
realist evaluation
student leadership
learning
Education for sustainable development (ESD)
transdisciplinarity
sustainability transformation
Author
Johan Holmén
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory
Tom Adawi
Chalmers, Communication and Learning in Science, Engineering Education Research - EER (Chalmers)
John Holmberg
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
1467-6370 (ISSN)
Vol. 22 8 1-24Challenge Lab
The Chalmers University Foundation, 2016-01-01 -- 2019-12-31.
Subject Categories
Educational Sciences
Other Engineering and Technologies
Other Natural Sciences
Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Areas of Advance
Transport
Building Futures (2010-2018)
Energy
Learning and teaching
Pedagogical work
DOI
10.1108/IJSHE-06-2020-0230