Fostering a sustainability mindset among instructional design students: The story behind an amazing Co-Design Project

As a fundamental pillar of human development, education can determine society’s course. However, although there have been many efforts to implement a sustainability lens in education, there are still some places in the education system in which sustainability is not yet addressed. That is the case of Instructional Design (the systematic process of designing, developing, and delivering educational and training materials). This is precisely what brought Dr. Ji Yae Bong, an assistant professor of Educational Technology, and Educational Technology MA students Sana Ahmad and Rasleen Kaur together through the Sustainability Co-Design Project. This Co-Design team felt that sustainability topics and a sustainability lens were missing from the ETEC 650 Fundamentals of Instructional Design course.

The team wanted to find a holistic and meaningful way to incorporate sustainability into the course. Their goal was to foster an environment in which students could develop a sustainability mindset instead of just learning about a new topic. They managed to redesign different assignments and activities of the course instead of having one unit dedicated to the topic. Their efforts paid off. The redesigned course now features classroom materials, case studies, and a course-long instructional design project that allow students to grasp the connection between their field of study and the importance of bringing sustainability into the conversation. 

Behind the scenes of a collaborative process

When Ahmad and Kaur joined the co-design project, they had recently completed the ETEC 650 Fundamentals of Instructional Design course in the previous semester. They had been in the same class and had similar motivations that drove them to join the project. The two student partners had noticed that sustainability was not a focus in the field, so exploring the link between instructional design and sustainability was a strong motivating factor. In addition, they were eager to put their curriculum design skills into practice.  

Ahmad explains that in instructional design, they cultivate a designer’s mindset, which includes a focus on empathy, collaboration and problem solving. Sustainability, she affirms, could be part of that mindset. Thus, by joining the project, both student partners thought that they could gain a deeper understanding of sustainability while bringing a holistic approach to instructional design. Additionally, as Kaur explains, “as an aspiring instructional designer it was a wonderful opportunity to do that while being in a safe space in the university, designing one of the courses that all of us took.”

Working with Bong through the students-as-partners model was one of the highlights for them. Both student partners felt supported, and valued Bong’s sustainable approach to the project. As student partners, they were given agency to make their own decisions, but steps were taken to ensure that they were working in a caring and empowering environment. As Kaur puts it, “we were not only encouraged to incorporate sustainability into the course, but that the project itself was also done in a very sustainable and inclusive [manner]. Our voices were heard.” The student partners mention that Bong was supportive and flexible. “She allowed us to take lead on various aspects, which fostered an environment of open communication and mutual respect where ideas and inputs were valued,” says Ahmad.

This highly collaborative experience would not have been complete without the support of the faculty mentor and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovation in Teaching and Learning (VPITL) staff. Assistant Professor Mitchell McLarnon, the faculty mentor on this project, introduced the team to essential sustainability concepts and gave them a high-level overview of the topic. He also provided a thorough list of resources and shared some exemplars. Additionally, the Curriculum Developer for Sustainability from VPITL, guided the team in their decision-making process through detailed feedback and recommendations.

Navigating the benefits and challenges of the redesign 

Although the redesign project was extremely rewarding, Ahmad and Kaur mention that they encountered a few challenges along the way. First, when the project began, their knowledge of sustainability was limited, and although they wanted to bring sustainability into the conversation, they found it difficult given that this perspective remains unexplored in the instructional design field. Luckily, they were able to overcome this thanks to the help of the faculty mentor and the Curriculum Developer for Sustainability. 

Second, they initially feared that the shift would make an already intensive course even more demanding. To overcome this, the team decided to use existing materials and activities and make slight modifications to ensure a sustainability focus was included. They also designed new resources for students to make sure they were supported on their learning journey. As a result, the redesigned course will provide students with an enhanced understanding of sustainability and how they can apply this concept to their work, broadening their scope of learning.

The third and most significant challenge was that they were both busy during the semester. While they were thrilled about the project, they also had other things going on that deserved equal attention, which required them to put their time management skills into practice. Thanks to the collaborative nature of the project, they felt supported while navigating this challenge. 

Participating in the redesign also brought them many rewards. In addition to acquiring a sustainability mindset, they are pleased to know that the newly redesigned course will also foster this mindset among instructional design students. Both Ahmad and Kaur affirm that they will carry this mindset forward into all their current and future projects. 

Post-project reflections

Reflecting on their experience, Ahmad and Kaur express their gratitude for having had such a unique opportunity. According to Ahmad, “this project allowed me to contribute to a meaningful cause, which is sustainability, and develop skills that are increasingly important to today’s education and social landscape.”  

They advise that those considering embedding sustainability in the curriculum try to make it meaningful and enjoyable for students. They highlight the importance of fostering an environment in which open communication and care are valued and encourage future teams to provide students with opportunities where they could be innovative. Finally, Kaur suggests that professors and co-design teams open themselves to using diverse resources and including non-western perspectives to have a more holistic understanding of the topic. 

Interested in learning more about this Sustainability Co-Design Project? Check out this summary.