INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION : THREE APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABILITY AASHE Conference Campus Initiatives to Catalyze a Just and Sustainable World October 11, 2010 Shirley Vincent, PhD Director of Educational Research National Council for Science and the Environment

IE Education & Sustainability  NCSE national study of IE Programs  Relationship  Role of IE programs  Graduates  On campuses

2008 Census count of U.S. programs Study IE programs at 238 college & universities Representative, ±5% sampling error, p<0.05 for all findings NCSE National Study of IE Programs

 IE programs  Baccalaureate & graduate  Environmental Science(s) & Studies, other names  Exclude professional, allied disciplines  840 programs, 1183 degrees, 652 institutions

IE Degree Programs 44% Environmental science(s), 25% Environmental studies, 31% Other names

Flexible - Vary by Institution  California State University at Monterey Bay  Earth Systems Science and Policy Environmental Policy Marine and Coastal Ecology Watershed Systems Science and Social Justice Science Education  SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry  Environmental Science Environmental Communication and Participatory Processes Environmental and Community Land Planning Environmental Systems and Risk Management Environmental Policy and Democratic Processes Water and Wetland Resource Studies

Field identity – Problem solving for sustainability Central focus – Sustainable systems Three approaches IE Education & Sustainability

IE Program Identity  Focus of Study: The interfaces between human and natural systems (coupled human-nature systems).  Educational Approach: A holistic educational approach that focuses on interdisciplinary knowledge and insights gained from systems approaches and diverse epistemological viewpoints to understand environmental problems and devise solutions. Curricula should include key concepts from the natural sciences, the social sciences, the applied sciences and the humanities.  Key Learning Outcomes: Disciplinary synthesis and system-thinking cognitive skills. Knowledge of the sociopolitical and natural aspects of environmental problems, understanding of the limits of technology and science for solving environmental problems, and the importance of acknowledging and reporting uncertainty.  Goal: To prepare graduates to be sustainability-oriented problem solvers through scholarship, research, practice and informed citizenship.

Three Ideal Approaches/Models

Systems Science Model  Analytic orientation stressing expertise in the natural sciences and traditional science skills to understand the human-nature systems interface  Emphasis on natural sciences, technical research & analysis skills  More environmental science(s) or other science-focused names  Least popular ideal – 22% of all IE degree programs  Higher proportion of undergraduate programs  More within a non-IE department such as biology or geology  UG prepare students for graduate and professional schools; GR prepare students to be environmental academics  Least likely to include sustainability

Policy & Governance Model  Social and institutional change orientation, focus on public awareness, policy and governance processes to create a resilient, sustainable human-nature systems interface  Emphasis on social sciences, humanities, & public engagement skills  More environmental studies or policy-focused name  Ideal for 33% of all IE degree programs  More professional master’s degree programs  UG prepare students to be environmental leaders and change agents and to improve environmental policy decisions  Most likely to include sustainability

Adaptive Management Model  Applied, professional orientation, focus on collaborative, integrated decision making processes to sustainably manage the human-nature systems interface  Emphasis on coupled human-nature systems knowledge, problem analysis & solutions and management skills  More names other than environmental science or environmental studies or management-focused name  Most popular ideal - 45% of all IE degree programs  More master of science and doctoral programs  More likely to require undergraduate participation in a research project  More likely to include sustainability in curricula

Role of IE Program Graduates Role of IE Programs on Campus Summary

Role of IE Program Graduates  Increasing emphasis world-wide on integrated (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary) sustainability-oriented knowledge production and decision making processes  Environmental professionals point to the importance of participating in these processes as integral to their work  IE graduates uniquely qualified to participate in, structure, facilitate, and manage these processes and serve as policy-science and policy-management “translators”  Systems Science – interdisciplinary research to inform decision making  Policy and Governance – serve as policy-science and policy management “translators” in decision processes  Adaptive Management – professional “meta-experts” structure and facilitate sustainability management processes and programs

Role of IE Programs on Campus  Serve as core interdisciplinary centers for environmental and sustainability study  Core interdisciplinary faculty, joint appointments, affiliated faculty draw upon expertise across the campus  IE & sustainability majors  Dual majors and minors, general education  Certificates and professional continuing education  Facilitate and support interdisciplinary research and campus sustainability initiatives  Visible focal point for service, outreach

Shirley VincentNational Council for Science and the Environment More Information

Interdisciplinary Knowledge Factors Interdisciplinary areaIE knowledge Disciplinary knowledge areas (proportion of knowledge component) Natural Sciences life sciences (60) physical sciences (27) ecology (13) Coupled Human-nature Systems Natural Resources natural resources management & agriculture (31) geography (20) sustainability (15) education (14) research methods (11) ecology (8) Social Sciences policy & public administration (42) economics (42) business (9) other social sciences (8) Humanities history (48) language arts (31) philosophy & ethics (21) Economic Development engineering & built environment (73) business (27)

Integrated Skills Factors Integrated areaIE skills Skills sets (proportion of skills factor component) Problem Analysis Cognition synthesis (25) problem-solving (23) analysis (19) creativity (17) critical thinking (16) Technical Research & Analysis field research (26) laboratory research (23) mathematics (15) statistics (13) spatial analysis (11) technical & academic writing (8) oral communication (5) Problem Solutions and Management Cognition(same as above) Management personnel management (36) project management (27) leadership (17) decision science (10) information management (10) Community Engagement community relations (54) advocacy & outreach (35) leadership (11) Public Communication creative & journalistic writing (64) mass communications (28) creativity (10)

Knowledge Factor Model

Skills Factor Model NRC (1996): Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society Problem Analysis Technical Research & Analysis Cognitive Problem Solutions and Applications Management Community Engagement Public Communication Cognitive

Importance of IE Knowledge Factors

Importance of IE Skills Factors