Learning design as a catalyst for embedding sustainability

Calder, Kathleen; Matthews, Catriona and Astles, Paul (2025). Learning design as a catalyst for embedding sustainability. In: Advance HE Sustainability Symposium 2025: From embedding to embodying ESD, 18 Mar 2025, Online.

Abstract

Overcoming barriers created by lack of space, time or buy-in when embedding sustainability into the curriculum is a well-documented challenge. The Learning Design Team at the OU have worked to reduce these barriers through a structured approach which catalysed wider institutional support and action. The process began with awareness-raising and progressed to the creation of resources and sessions. These revealed the connections between AdvanceHE/QAA sustainability competencies and institutional frameworks and fed into institutional strategies and initiatives in turn. We will explore our processes, resources, reception, and future work and share insights and tips.

This session will explore the Learning Design Team at the Open University’s progress since 2022 in taking a 'bottom-up' approach to the embedding of sustainability support within learning design processes, course design and production. We will explain the three stages of resources created by the OU Learning Design team. These resources increase awareness of sustainability practices and aim to empower colleagues to identify practical ways to connect UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals and competencies, alongside the AdvanceHE/QAA Education for Sustainable Development Guidance, to their own context.

The stages cover:

Reflecting on the relevance of sustainability within your own context

Promoting existing external and internal resources to raise awareness of activity across the sector

Focusing in on opportunities to actively engage with sustainability in the curriculum.

In the context of these three stages, the poster depicts the journey of creating a series of sustainability skills cards connecting sustainability competencies with existing institutional frameworks. Student feedback supported the creation of the skills cards, the final version of which are used in course design.

The purpose of the skills cards is to guide colleagues in connecting sustainability to learning outcomes and/or activity design. They prompt discussions about embedding sustainability into the student learning journey, and support colleagues to build relevant, context-specific sustainability skills into their course design.

Insights from student feedback that highlight the importance of context in framing sustainability will also be shared, including a focus on courses that don’t traditionally explore sustainability content or approaches. Finally, we will touch on how the work within the Learning Design Team has supported wider institutional approaches to sustainability, for example contributing towards Responsible Futures accreditation. The input of our work and use of student voice for institutional change has been recognised at the 2023 Green Gown awards. Suggestions for the focus of future work, along with a series of tips generated from the ups and downs of our practice will be provided. We will be encouraging participants to reflect on how our experience might translate into their practices and how our resources could be implemented or adapted to support the integration of sustainability within the design of educational experiences in their context.