1. Assessing Student Learning Outcomes for Sustainability: Curriculum Mapping Meghann Jarchow, Matthew Sayre, Shane Nordyke, and Paul Formisano Sustainability Program, University of South Dakota

2. “ ” Education focused on sustainability is not based on a shared consensus of important concepts or curricular organization.” -Curriculum for the Bioregion Initiative from Fall 2011 What are the big ideas, learning outcomes, and skills for students in academic sustainability programs?

3. Sustainability Program at The University of South Dakota  Interdisciplinary major and minor  Began in Fall 2012  ~20 faculty members teach courses for the Sustainability Program  Courses offered from 13 departments within the College of Arts & Sciences  30 declared majors as of Spring 2015

4. Sustainability Curriculum SUST 201 Sustainability & Society SUST 203 Sustainability & Science POLS 226 Introduction to Public Policy SUST 489 Sustainability Capstone BIOL 310 Environmental Science OR ESCI 205 Environmental Earth Science PHIL 454 Environmental Ethics OR ECON 472 Resource & Envt’l Economics SUST 494 Internship OR SUST 498 Undergraduate Research Core Courses 18 credits Natural Science Specialization Course options include: Restoration Ecology Global Climate Change Energy & Sustainability Social Science Specialization Course options include: Sustainability & Urbanism Environmental Law & Policy Environmental Communication Electives 18 credits

5. Sustainability Major Student Learning Outcomes  Work cooperatively to address multidisciplinary, sustainability issues using a systems thinking approach  Communicate proficiently about sustainability, both orally and in writing  Apply their knowledge of the social or environmental aspects of sustainability in their chosen area of specialization (natural sciences specialization or social sciences specialization) to a sustainability issue

6. How well do the learning outcomes of the Sustainability major align with the learning outcomes of the courses offered in the Sustainability major? Curriculum Mapping

7. Sustainability Program Curriculum Map Work cooperatively to address multidisciplinary, sustainability issues using a systems thinking approach Communicate proficiently about sustainability, both orally and in writing Apply their knowledge of the social or environmental aspects of sustainability to a sustainability issue Work with others respectfully to accomplish shared goals Integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines to assess sustainability issues Use a systems- thinking approach to assess issues Deliver well- organized content orally to designated audience(s) Compose readable prose that effectively conveys content to designated audience(s) Apply knowledge of social sustainability to other sustainability issues Apply knowledge of envt’l sustainability to other sustainability issues Take action to address sustainability challenges Integrate knowledge to assess complex sustainability issues Core Courses (11 courses) Natural Science Specialization (19 courses) For each course, we evaluated whether each learning outcome was presented at a beginning, developing, or mastered level and whether or not the learning outcome was assessed. Social Science Specialization (14 courses)

8. Curriculum Map Summary Learning Outcome Addressed at Any Level Work cooperatively to address multidisciplinary, sustainability issues using a systems thinking approach Communicate proficiently about sustainability, both orally and in writing Apply their knowledge of the social or environmental aspects of sustainability to a sustainability issue Work with others respectfully to accomplish shared goals Integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines to assess sustainability issues Use a systems- thinking approach to assess issues Deliver well- organized content orally to designated audience(s) Compose readable prose that effectively conveys content to designated audience(s) Apply knowledge of social sustainability to other sustainability issues Apply knowledge of envt’l sustainability to other sustainability issues Take action to address sustainability challenges Integrate knowledge to assess complex sustainability issues Core Courses (n = 11) 82%100%45%82%91%82%91%82%73% Natural Science Specialization (n = 17) 41% 12%59%65%0%65%0%29% Social Science Specialization (n = 9) 11%33%0%44%89%33% 0%44%

9. Improvements to Curriculum Map  Have curriculum map evaluated by multiple faculty members  Have learning outcome assessments evaluated by the instructors for each courses  Obtain syllabus for each course

10. Next Steps  Hone and clarify learning outcomes  Some redundancy between learning outcomes  Evaluate learning outcomes of other Sustainability Program (e.g. Curriculum for the Bioregion)  Place-based learning missing  Discuss if or how the curriculum map should inform course offerings for the Sustainability Program  Work with faculty to encourage them to address Sustainability major learning outcomes in their courses  Measure student performance for the learning outcomes

11. Measuring Student Performance Work cooperatively to address multidisciplinary, sustainability issues using a systems thinking approach Communicate proficiently about sustainability, both orally and in writing Apply their knowledge of the social or environmental aspects of sustainability to a sustainability issue Work with others respectfully to accomplish shared goals Integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines to assess sustainability issues Use a systems- thinking approach to assess issues Deliver well- organized content orally to designated audience(s) Compose readable prose that effectively conveys content to designated audience(s) Apply knowledge of social sustainability to other sustainability issues Apply knowledge of envt’l sustainability to other sustainability issues Take action to address sustainability challenges Integrate knowledge to assess complex sustainability issues SUST 201 Sustainability & Society SUST 203 Sustainability & Science SUST 489 Sustainability Capstone

12. Questions and Discussion