Teaching Sustainability/Campus as a Living Lab

Fall 2020

Facilitated by Wendy Olmstead, Sustainability Coordinator & Shradha Tibrewal, Director, FCETL

Project — A faculty learning community (FLC) to explore a multi-disciplinary approach to the scholarship of teaching sustainability and the use of the Stan State campus as a living lab. Meeting in ten weekly 90-minute sessions throughout the fall semester, faculty will explore sustainability through the lens of systems thinking, place and pedagogy, social equity, and indigenous perspectives as well as approaches to embedding sustainable practice as a core value on campus.

The FLC will include presentations of potential curriculum resources for the use of the Campus as a Living Lab including food, water, energy, waste management, transportation, green practices, and the university’s urban forest.

FLC Goals and Activities — At the end of the FLC, $500 as a stipend or professional development funds will be provided to those who participate and meet the goals. Anticipated outcomes for this FLC are that each member will: 1. facilitate a group discussion and exploration of applications to curriculum and pedagogy grounded in the provided readings; 2. identify one course in which to incorporate a unit or module on sustainability, a sustainability challenge, or sustainability-focused activities. Course plans will be presented to the campus community during the final session.

Application — There are 10 spaces in the FLC. Applications will be reviewed in the order submitted. The first 10 applicants who submit completed applications and meet the selection criteria will be included.

Selection Criteria — Must be a Stanislaus State faculty member (FT or PT) and must agree to attend meetings and participate in the scheduled FLC activities.

Meeting Schedule — Will be determined via Doodle poll once participants are selected.

Questions? Please contact Wendy Olmstead at wolmstead@csustan.edu or Shradha Tibrewal, stibrewal@csustan.edu

The Stan State Teaching Sustainability/Campus as a Living Lab Faculty Learning Community was awarded a California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) 2020 Best Practice Award for Interdisciplinary Academics.