Teaching for and about sustainability is more than teaching the subject matter. New students often arrive at university with very black-and-white thinking; ideas are either right or wrong (Perry, 1970). When exposed to diverging ideas and opinions during their university education and the complexities of the issues that they study, this black-and-white perspective becomes more “grey”, and they can begin to understand the multiplicity of perspectives. However, to achieve this understanding, they need to develop other skills to allow them to appreciate the complexities, for example, reflection, analysis, and metacognition. For students to understand and work with sustainability challenges, both during their university education and further into their professional careers, they require a set of skills that allow them to appreciate the complexity and multiplicity of sustainability.

As teachers, incorporating or teaching sustainability is often a challenge for several reasons, for example not being an expert in the field of sustainability, not having the tools to adequately raise difficult and sometimes contested issues of sustainability, or not having the resources or organizational structure that may be required to infuse sustainability in the curriculum (Earle, 2021). Therefore, this project aims to give teachers at the university level some strategies and tools that can be used to help students develop a holistic approach to sustainability. This report will specifically focus on cases as a pedagogical tool to accomplish this.

A holistic approach to problem-solving considers the entire picture of the problem, where each change made to one part can directly affect all parts of the problem in different ways. To embrace sustainability, students should be provided with a holistic approach emphasizing the interdependence of environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability and their impact on the decision-making process. However, to view problems and solutions within the context of the entire system, students need a diverse set of skills and knowledge from various disciplines. The primary aim when teaching sustainability, therefore, is not to impart knowledge to students, but to equip them with the skills needed to engage with sustainability effectively in the future. So what competencies are necessary for sustainability education?

Sustainability problems cannot be addressed within one field alone, nor can solutions to sustainability problems be developed in isolation from other fields. Therefore, it is also important for students to develop communication and collaboration skills, learn to work in diverse teams and to listen and understand different perspectives, and how to communicate ideas clearly to those outside one’s discipline (Wiek, 2011). This also calls for interdisciplinary knowledge, in order to approach sustainability challenges in a multi-perspective and holistic manner. Also, intradisciplinary knowledge is important, to understand what aspects of a problem can be addressed within one’s discipline, and which aspects lie outside the bounds of the field and require collaboration (Barth, 2014).

Further, higher education for sustainability ought to ensure that students can consider ethical principles and values when addressing sustainability challenges including equity, justice, and respect for human rights and the environment. This is also relevant for the student’s ability to understand varying perspectives and experiences of diverse communities and practices, which is crucial for recognising the social dimension of sustainability and promoting inclusivity and equity (Samuelsson, 2022). Flexibility in handling uncertainty and change, adapting strategies to evolving sustainability challenges and opportunities is another important skill to develop. Teachers ought to promote self-regulated learning, meaning that students are metacognitively, motivationally and behaviourally active participants in their own learning process which, in addition to being an important skill for sustainability education, is important for higher education in general (Steiner, 2006; Sprain, 2012).

Finally, to understand and analyse different dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic), and the interconnections between these dimensions, students need to develop systems thinking (Sprain, 2012; Wiek, 2011). In the analysis of sustainability problems, it is also necessary to develop critical thinking skills, which allows students to question their own assumptions and to evaluate evidence to develop well-informed opinions and solutions to sustainability problems. To develop these solutions, problem-solving and innovation skills are important, which paired with systems thinking and critical thinking enable students to consider the long-term implications of solutions, as well as teaching them to consider if there may be any unintended consequences of said solution (Barth 2014).

Case studies as a tool to teach sustainability

Cases as a pedagogical tool are considered to bring together and develop many of the previously listed skills that students ought to develop to handle the complexities of sustainable development (Steiner, 2006; Sprain, 2012). Cases are considered useful for uncertain or ill-defined problems (i.e. sustainability problems) as this method fosters flexibility, problem solving and critical thinking. A problem where both initial state and target are known usually leads to reproductive thinking and application of already known methods or knowledge – thus not developing above-mentioned skills. In addition, cases are a form of active learning, where the students take charge of their own learning process, developing the skill of self-regulated learning.

There are however some challenges with and critiques against case-based approaches in sustainability education. Cases require the students to have some level of comfort of confidence to deal with complex matters where multiple perspectives and perhaps emotions are present. If not, cases could cause some level of uncertainty with students. Another critique is that whilst cases can help students to see linkages between problems, behaviours and technology, they only provide contextual thinking but do not develop abilities to change the contexts or behaviours that cause the problem. Students may also look for solutions to problems within the boundaries of current paradigms and contexts. However, it is still argued that when used correctly, cases are useful in sustainability teaching (Georgallis, 2022).

How a case is defined and what is considered a case can vary across disciplines, and the way they are implemented and used in higher education also varies depending on the subject, objective, and education level of the students (e.g. first-year students or final-year students, introduction course or advanced course). There is a range of different types of cases that can be tailored to various teaching situations and needs. Lundberg et al. (2001) denote three different classifications depending on the objective of the teaching situation; Cases where the objectives are focused on acquiring, differentiating, and using ideas and information; cases where the objective is focused on issue identification and differentiation; and cases where the objectives are focused on formulation and implementation. Each of these three types of case studies involves different case objectives which can be related to the sets of skills necessary for sustainability education.

Cases can therefore be designed and tailored to a variation of teaching situations depending on the objective of the case and teaching scenario and with consideration to what competencies are targeted. Cases as a teaching method need to be specifically related to a certain sustainability problem or issue, but certainly can be, seeing as the teaching method helps develop competencies that are necessary for sustainability education. Determining the objectives of the case, defining the desired learning outcomes, and identifying the key competencies to focus on are good starting points when choosing the type of case to implement in teaching.

Wicked problems

A “wicked problem” is a term coined by social scientists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber (Rittel, 1973) to describe complex, multifaceted issues that defy straightforward solutions. A “tame” problem, as defined in the article, is a problem that has a clear problem definition, and can be addressed using conventional problem-solving methods. In contrast, wicked problems are highly complex, often involving numerous interconnected factors and stakeholders. There is often uncertainty on the problem definition, underlying causes, and potential solutions to the problem due to incomplete or conflicting information (Blok, 2015). This makes wicked problems difficult to understand comprehensively; it is often hard to find a simple definition of a wicked problem, and analysis of them is open to interpretation. They are often dynamic, as they evolve over time and can manifest differently in different contexts, which requires flexible and adaptive responses. One major characterization is that there is no definitive solution to a wicked problem. Instead, it requires ongoing interventions and involves trade-offs among competing objectives.

Sustainable development fulfills many of the requirements of a wicked problem and has been defined as such in several research papers (see e.g., Blok, 2015; Earle, 2021; Wright, 2020). Sustainable development often involves complex systems without simple solutions and includes many different stakeholders with different interests. Often, proposed solutions to a problem within sustainability can have both negative and positive impact on different parts of society. Examples of wicked problems within sustainable development goals include climate change, poverty, inequality, public health crises, etc. Sustainability cannot be fully described without taking a holistic approach, where both the ecological, social and economic dimensions need to be considered together to reach an understanding of the complexity of the issue (Borg, 2021).

Addressing wicked problems requires innovative thinking, collaboration across disciplines and sectors, stakeholder engagement, and a willingness to experiment and learn from failures. Discussing wicked problems can be an excellent way to engage students in critical thinking and problem-solving within the context of sustainability.

Games

Typically, teaching sustainability courses at the university level consists of a sequence of lectures introducing fundamental sustainability concepts followed by case and project-based studies where the students apply theoretical knowledge to develop more sustainable products or processes within specific technological and life-cycle contexts (Hanning, 2012; Thürer, 2018; Cruickshank, 2012). However, this approach has faced criticism for being overly theoretical and technology-centric, missing the social dimensions of sustainability that impact practical design processes (Hanning, 2012). Games have emerged as valuable tools for bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world problems (Dieleman, 2006; Dallaqua, 2024; Tan, 2023). Thus, the games offer experiential learning opportunities and create shared experiences that facilitate mutual understanding (McConville, 2017; Susi, 2007). Selecting the appropriate game type for the target student groups is crucial to achieving specific course learning outcomes (Dieleman, 2006; Plass, 2015).

Three case-based strategies for teaching sustainability

Ironically, the question of how to teach sustainability to students can itself be defined as a wicked problem (Earle, 2021). Many of the subjects taught at university have a simple problem statement, and the teaching is built around finding a solution. In contrast, sustainable development is a wicked problem in part because there is not a clear problem definition about sustainable development, (Blok, 2015), and the lack of a clear problem definition is one of the things that makes it difficult to teach sustainability (Kanon, 2023). In this section, we will discuss three types of case studies for teaching sustainability. Each case employs a different strategy to achieve the goal, which is to encourage the students to think holistically about sustainability. The cases are structured to be able to run as workshops, but elements of each case can be incorporated into all teaching to integrate sustainability into the rest of the course material. Depending on the student group and the teaching situation, each of the cases has different advantages.

The starting part of each workshop should be to introduce the students to sustainability. Depending on the level of the students, this part can be structured differently. For first year students who are new to the concept and the program, this introduction can be a slightly longer lecture on the history of sustainability, with the aim to introduce the sustainability goals, discuss the complexity of sustainability and showcase the three dimensions (economic, social and ecological) of sustainability. It is important involve the students in the discussion from the start of the introduction lecture, since sustainability is not a topic where the teacher has the “right” answers, but instead a topic where the discussion and ideas the students bring with them is a central part of the teaching (Earle, 2021). For students who are already familiar with sustainability as a topic, the introduction part of the workshop lecture can instead be a shorter segment, where the students get together in smaller groups to discuss what they already know about sustainability. A useful tool here is to use a virtual or physical whiteboard and let the students write their most important ideas about sustainability, and let this form the basis of the topics that the rest of the workshop will be built on.

After the introduction, the workshop can progress using one of the three cases described here. Each case strategy has advantages or disadvantages depending on the background or interests of the students. Of course, even if one case has a focus on one skill specifically, all cases will help develop several skills and tools necessary to discuss and understand sustainability.

1. Prediction cases: to teach flexibility when discussing sustainability.
2. Wicked problems: to help the students develop critical thinking around sustainability.
3. Games: to develop social skills and communication which can be used to discuss sustainability.

Case A: Prediction cases – focus flexibility

Prediction cases provide the students with information in a structured format – in a series, but it is also the students’ task to seek out further information to be able to make predictions about a future scenario. This format of case studies can be tailored to suit many teaching contexts and to the students’ educational levels.

The students’ assignment is to make a series of predictions about how a situation will unfold or an actor’s actions, the outcome of the actions, and/or potential wider effects of said actions, using both the information provided in a series and seeking out relevant information about context, behaviors and other factors. Students will most likely rely on conceptual and theoretical models already known to them in predictive cases – but this format develops systems and critical thinking skills by engaging the students in reflection on how a situation or one actor is embedded in their context and consideration for wider effects of an action or happening.

As mentioned, predictive cases provide information to students in a series. First, students are presented with Part 1 – a scenario and information about the scenario from which they make a prediction as described above. When their predictions have been made, students are presented with Part 2 – the “most likely” prediction and further information about this new scenario. Before starting to work with the scenario for Part 2, a discussion on the students’ prediction accuracy, why they were correct or close to correct or why not, wraps up Part 1. These discussions are an important part of predictive cases as it helps students understand why their predictions were accurate or not, what information was overlooked or what additional information would have been necessary to make an accurate prediction. There is then the opportunity to continue with the format to Part 3, 4 and so on, depending on the case design and objectives, size of student groups or time allocated for the case. Being presented with new or altered scenarios in each step of the case also develops problem-solving skills and flexibility.

Prediction cases are adaptable to many teaching situations, depending on available resources and the desired learning outcome. In terms of preparation, one can choose to provide the students with more or less information in each part of the case, requiring them to seek out information individually to varying degrees. Also, it is possible to adapt how many scenarios the students are presented with and make predictions about depending on the resources available to prepare these. Part 1-3 are perhaps the minimum to be able to call it a series, however there is opportunity to expand these and increase the number of scenarios and predictions.

Prediction cases can also be used as a one-time occurrence in a course or teaching scenario – where students have between 10-30 mins per part to make predictions. They can also be designed as a reoccurring happening during a course, where students are presented with Part 1 during a lecture and work with Part 1 in groups over the course of a few days before the next scheduled teaching occasion, where they would engage in discussion and then be presented with Part 2.

The scenarios that students are presented with can either be related to sustainability problems connected to the subject, which aids in developing intradisciplinary sustainability knowledge. The cases can also be related to course or profession-specific challenges, as the format still develops sustainability competencies.

Case B: Wicked problems – focus critical thinking

This section describes a case intended to use in a class structure for getting students engaged in discussing wicked problems related to sustainability. This approach can be useful both for introducing students to the complex discussions on sustainability, and to help develop better critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Unless the students are already familiar with the concept, the first step should be to introduce the concept of a “wicked problem”, using the definitions mentioned in e.g. (Rittel, 1972), as well as the history of the term “wicked problem” and its utilization in discussions and research on sustainability. Next, the students should be encouraged to discuss in groups and think of as many wicked problems as they can. These scenarios can serve as starting points for discussions on the interconnected nature of sustainability challenges and the need for holistic, interdisciplinary approaches to address them effectively. To keep the focus towards sustainability, the students should also connect each wicked problem they come up with, directly or indirectly, to one or more of the SDGs. In case the students are having problems getting started on discussions of wicked problems, the teacher can have a few examples of intriguing problems prepared. Ideally, the examples of wicked problems should be tailored to the interests of the students and the subject matter that they are studying.

The goal of the workshop is to emphasize the complexities around wicked problems: how difficult they are to solve, and how any solution can have both positive and negative impacts if seen from the perspective of different stakeholders (Borg & Gericke, 2021). One way to achieve this is to assign each group of students to discuss a specific wicked problem. To emphasize the complexity, students can be asked to discuss which sectors of society are impacted by this problem, which of the SDGs the problem is most strongly affecting, and how many different stakeholders and interests would be involved when discussing potential solutions to the problem. To emphasize critical thinking when attempting to analyse solutions to wicked problems, the students can be encouraged to come up with a proposed solution(s) to their wicked problem, and then tasked to evaluate their solution by what impact this action will have on different stakeholders and parts of society.

The online SDG impact assessment tool developed by West Sweden Nexus for Sustainable Development (Wexsus) can be used as a tool for evaluating the solutions to wicked problems in relation to the 17 SDGs. The tool is available free online, and its goal is to help students visualize the impact on the SDGs from proposed solutions to sustainability problems. For each of the goals, the students will write a short motivation for how the goal is impacted and if they judge the impact positive or negative. In some cases, the impact is direct, while for others, the impact can be indirect. Figure 1 below shows how the impact analysis is displayed, and the motivations will be shown in a longer report.

By focusing the discussion on the intended and unintended impacts that can be caused by trying to solve a wicked problem, the discussion will encourage a critical thinking and holistic approach where all the complexities and impacts of a wicked problem will be evaluated. In the example in Figure 1, a ban on fossil fuels is a straightforward way to solve climate change (SDG 13) but will simultaneously have e.g. a direct negative impact on the food transports around the world, leading to worldwide hunger (SDG 3). Whatever the problem discussed, it should quickly become clear to the students that even if a solution has a clear positive impact on one goal, it will often directly or indirectly have a negative impact on the other goals or on different parts of society. This discussion will help the students develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking and teach them how to reflect on the complexities of sustainability issues, as well as fostering collaboration by working in a group to discuss the problems and solutions.

Case C: Gaming – focus social aspect and communication

This section discusses the implementation of two specific games designed to teach sustainability to students at various educational levels. Both games aim to emphasize the complexity of sustainability issues and provide students with real-world sustainability challenges. The successful realization of the game requires thorough preparation and enough time allocated to game instructions and debriefing section (Dieleman, 2006). The game begins with an introduction, during which students receive step-by-step instructions on the game rules and activities. This introduction may include a demonstration by the instructors to ensure all participants understand their roles and the context of the game. After playing the game, students participate in a debriefing session where they analyze and discuss their own decisions, the decisions made by other players, and the outcomes of these actions. This session thus provides a collaborative learning environment where the students reflect on differing perceptions and personal assumptions. It also encourages them to consider alternative strategies based on the ideas and experiences shared by the players.

Simulation games

In simulation games, players engage with and influence the dynamic of complex systems, yet they are unable to fully control the outcomes of their interventions (Dieleman, 2006). Within the simulation, the students can recreate diverse scenarios and experience the consequences of their decisions on social, economic, and political system dynamics (Meya, 2018). The game provides an opportunity for participants to self-analysis, and evaluate their attitudes, values, and decision-making processes. It enables them to uncover underlying assumptions that may not be universally held, highlighting the constraints and potential for impact within the system (Jones, 2015). It also illustrates the limitations and possibilities to influence the system. The game also provides a shared experience for the participants through conducting the debriefing discussion about the consequent insights. This process encourages the development of empathy and negotiation skills (Liu, 2021).

Cruickshank and Fenner detailed the adaptation of the modified version of Fishbanks (Meadows, 1989) game in the master’s program “Engineering for Sustainable Development” at Cambridge University (Cruickshank, 2012). This game simulates the operations of fishing boats of various sizes as they compete to maximize their catches. The participants should make decisions on how to deploy the boats without complete information about the overall size of the diminishing fish reflecting the uncertainty of real-world scenarios and introducing the concept of environmental limits and the reality of the ‘tragedy of the commons. This is a good example of a simulation game related to sustainability.

Role – playing games

In role-playing games, the participants take on the roles of different stakeholders (Company leaders, government officials, general public) and experience the process of making decisions through the lens of sustainability in real-world scenarios (Duchatelet, 2019). This game introduces the students to the interconnectivity of the different stakeholders and helps them to understand different stakeholder perspectives, values, attitudes and behavior, and social dynamics affecting technology choice (Camargo, 2007).

One of the effective implementations of the role-playing game in learning sustainable development is related to sustainable water and sanitation management within civil engineering at Chalmers University of Technology (McConville, 2017). The game aimed to highlight the complex relationships between different stakeholders through role-playing and negotiation. The students are divided into groups (up to 6 students per group), and each group takes the role of a local stakeholder and represents their interests during the game. The objective is to negotiate a project outline while each stakeholder aims to maximize their project elements in their favor, which leads to potential conflicts among players. The player with the most points wins. In the course evaluation, the game was mentioned as a useful or very useful component for reaching the learning goals and as important to preserve for the following year. The authors stressed the preparation step before the game is crucial to support the role-play and the following discussion, good time planning as it may take time for the student to adapt their roles, and the clarification of the rules and instruction.

Conclusion

In summary, there are many ways to teach students about sustainability, and there is no absolute answer for the “right” way. The context where teaching for and about sustainability is an important point for reflection when choosing the optimal teaching strategy. The structure of higher education –departments, different campuses and university systems – complicate the collaboration and cross-disciplinary ways of working needed for sustainability teaching. For students to develop skills necessary to address sustainability challenges, these skills need to be developed beyond the boundaries of a certain course. Case-based approaches can help in achieving this, as cases make students familiar with complexity, and uncertainty, and can develop the ability to generate new ideas and strategies from many perspectives. However, for the best outcome, a case-based approach calls for case groups to be diverse and modelled on interdisciplinary research groups that together work to address sustainability challenges. This would further develop students’ interpersonal competence and familiarity with working across diverse contexts – skills that will be required in their future profession.

References

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06/09/2024

Teaching for Sustainability-initiative

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Air pollution in the form of aerosol particles has a controlling effect on several of our major societal and environmental challenges. Exposure to air pollution is the largest environmental health risk factor in Europe, including ambient, indoor and workplace exposure. Aerosol particles in the atmosphere are furthermore one of the major uncertainties when predicting future climate scenarios. Aerosols are also important as they have a controlling impact on disease transmission as demonstrated by the recent pandemic.

The engineers educated at LTH will develop the green technologies of the future (for example within transport and energy, circular materials and the built environment) and need to understand the overall sustainability aspects of the new technologies they develop. They also need to understand different viewpoints, interests, and consequences of the technologies. Theories and tasks on basic physics, chemistry and measurement of aerosols can be classified as “tame” problems using the terminology introduced by Rittel and Webber (1973). Tame problems can be taught with traditional methods used in natural science and engineering. However, societal challenges and problems differ substantially, and the solutions are often not “right or wrong” but “better or worse”, making traditional educational approaches less effective. These types of problems can be considered “wicked” problems (Rittel and Webber, 1973).

Using wicked problems in teaching and learning presents challenges due to their complex, interconnected nature and lack of clear-cut solutions and interconnection with other problems/issues (Lönngren, 2021). According to Conklin (2006), wicked problems are inherently different from ordinary problems because they have no definitive formulation and no true stopping rule. Therefore, in our opinion, using wicked problems in teaching as a basis for discussions presents an interesting tool to emphasize the complexity of real-world sustainability challenges. To cite Laurence J. Peter “Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them.” However, criticism has arisen regarding the treatment of complex problems as ‘wicked,’ as it can lead to the notion that ‘all is relative,’ resulting in indecision. This, in turn, often neglects the practical aspects for those who need to address and act on these complex issues (Noordegraaf et al., 2019). The use of the term “wicked problems” in sustainability literature was recently reviewed (Lönngren and van Poeck, 2021). It was found that the concept is not always consistently applied and authors in the literature ascribe many different meanings to the concept.

Wicked problems are typically addressed by different interest groups (stakeholders) with different, often conflicting, viewpoints. Hence, possible solutions require compromises and trade-offs. To address these issues already in the education of the next generation of engineers, Savin-Baden (2000) suggests embedding problem-based learning (PBL) in curricula, which encourages students to engage with real-world problems through critical thinking and collaborative learning. PBL has been shown to promote deeper understanding, increase student motivation and engagement and promote teamwork and collaboration. However, the problem formulations are often quite open, where students set up their own learning goals and it often lack the element of different conflicting viewpoints that may be needed to contribute to solve our major complex societal challenges.

The “wicked problem” approach has been used in teaching for some time. Positive aspects of such approach include active student participation, development of critical thinking, transdisciplinary learning, student-centered learning (through discussions, shaping the learning process, co-creation), situated learning (real-world context). Some challenges with using wicked problems in teaching have also been described for example frustration and stress from students who expect to be given a straightforward answer or solution to a problem. Such stress is not productive for the learing process (Cilliers et al. 2010) and may lead to students not daring to engage in discussions, not knowing how to approach the problem and not knowing what is expected from them. It is therefore important to help the students to reduce their stress and explain to them how they should approach the problem, without loosing the complexity in the problem itself (Lönngren 2021). It has been suggested to use a hopeful way to teach and learn about unwieldy and overwhelming issues that many of today’s undergraduates will inevitably be expected to confront in the future (Sharp et al. 2021).

The course “Sustainable development in Nano-Perspectives” at the engineering nanoscience program at LTH in Lund was initiated with a large degree of student involvement (Lönngren et al. 2010). The course includes a “matrix” approach with stakeholder groups and interdisciplinary groups. More recently, Lönngren (2021) describes design principles to formulate wicked problems for engineering and natural science education. Her recommendation is to start with a problem that engages the students and choose interest groups and stakeholders that make it possible to discuss the problem from different perspectives. Conflicts of interest between the groups are clearly marked in the problem formulations. At least one perspective and argument is included for each interest group. Most importantly, it is stressed to formulate a concrete context, a clear goal and a receiver for the task to reduce student’s stress and to get them to focus on the problem. It is further recommended not to formulate the right answer as yes or no and not recommended to give the students a set of solutions to choose from, as there is a risk that the students relatively fast decide for one solution and that there is nothing more to discuss (Dobson & Tomkinson, 2012). It is better to keep the potential solutions open so that the students get the chance to discuss the problem without preconceived notions and to come up with their own “solutions”.

There is a series of courses in aerosol science that we teach (Figure 1). The courses provide students the opportunity to gain extensive expertise in the field and to connect air pollution problems to their expertise at different engineering programs at LTH. Aerosol sciences are relevant for several of the SDGs as further elaborated in section 4 in this report. We as teachers always touch upon sustainability issues throughout these courses, even though sustainability itself is seldom the main character in our teaching activities/sessions.

In this work we explore if and how we can use “wicked problems” in teaching for sustainability in Aerosol education at LTH. Within this overarching goal we plan specifically to a) explore different approaches to introduce wicked problems in our courses and b) create portfolio of wicked problems in four different aerosol related areas put in a larger sustainability perspective.

We plan to introduce wicked problems in different courses taught by us as a means of fostering discussions among the students, helping them to engage and leading to active participation. This will in turn also help students to develop the skills needed to meet real-life challenges related to sustainable development and to contribute to solve complex problems such as air pollution, climate, spread of infectious deceases, and circular economy.

Introducing sustainability considerations throughout the course(s)

We aim to include the sustainability aspects and the concept of using wicked problems in the course syllabus and considered when aligning learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities and assessment/examination through constructive alignment (Biggs,1996). The students will be introduced to the wicked problem methodology already at the intro-meeting of the course, provided with experience from teachers and researchers who work with sustainability, along with examples on how the wicked problem approach can be applied to non-tame problems in the air pollution field. Also, the involved teachers shall be introduced to the concepts at an early stage – preferably during the planning of the course.

The following are examples to introduce sustainability throughout the course.

• Discussions, of a topic and wicked problem defined by the teacher, during an ordinary lecture (for example 15-20 min group discussions or dedicated discussion sessions (seminars) lasting 1-2h). This is further elaborated in section 3 below.
• Require that the students integrate sustainability considerations in the course project work, which will form part of the grade from the project. The projects are preferably based on wicked problems, enabling in-depth sustainability-oriented discussions in project reports and oral presentations.
• Assessment of sustainability considerations at written and oral exams (learning outcome), where questions are designed to focus on sustainability issues in addition to topic specific (mono-disciplinary) knowledge and methods.

Since many of the aerosol courses involve several lecturers with different expertice, the course coordinators must ensure that all teachers in given courses are aware of the plans and link/emphasize sustainability issues in their lectures using the “wicked problem approach”. The students are expected to take leading roles in the teaching practice, but teachers must overview the discussions to ensure that the discussions are on-topic and to help students to advance if they are stuck to avoid the frustration that may arise if not.

How to conduct the discussions – practical approach

Wicked problems typically lack clear-cut solutions and involve multiple stakeholders with various interests and viewpoints. Our idea is to utilize this complexity to facilitate sustainability consideration discussions where students analyze information, consider diverse viewpoints, think critically, gain a holistic approach, and also train in negotiations, finding common grounds, reaching compromises, and agreeing on solutions with the least negative consequences (they can foresee). We see that this would suit teaching aerosol science in a very good way and widen the scope of education when creating discussion activities that allow students to reflect on their new gained knowledge.

Below we list four examples of wicked problems (portfolio of cases), within each author’s expertise, that can be used as basis for discussions. Depending on the subject, students’ knowledge of the subjects and their skills in team discussions, these can be introduced gradually – also depending on the number of lectures allocated to the specific topic (which varies between courses and topics):

1. Short discussions focused on finding arguments for pre-defined stakeholder representatives. A thorough background info to be given by the teacher followed by splitting the students into smaller groups of mixed pre-defined and assigned stakeholder representatives. After 10-15 min discussions in smaller groups – each group presents their discussions/agreements, and the teacher(s) summarizes the arguments for all course participants.
2. Longer discussions (30-45 min), where after introduction of the problem, students are asked to define stakeholder groups themselves and put forward the arguments/different viewpoints, session ends with summary for all course participants.
3. Matrix group discussions with stakeholder groups and interdisciplinary groups in 2 h sessions where students first define stakeholder perspectives, then are divided into stakeholder groups to prepare themselves. This is followed by interdisciplinary mixed groups with one representative from each stakeholder in each group, representing the viewpoints. Here students are asked to put forward the best possible solutions and describe the trade-offs. Session finishes with presentations from the mixed groups to all course participants in a session lead by the teacher(s) followed by the teacher(s) summary.

Aerosols and Sustainability

Aerosol science has a clear and direct impact on several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As air pollution poses a risk to human health globally and influences the climate, and thus, the link between air pollution and the SDGs is encapsulated particularly in SDG 3, which focuses on good health and well-being, in SDG 13, climate action, and in SDG 11, which emphasizes sustainable cities and communities. Reducing air pollution can improve public health by decreasing diseases, enhancing the quality of life, and increasing productivity. Furthermore, by specifically addressing air pollution, cities can become more sustainable, for example by offering more efficient public transport and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This not only improves the health of urban populations but also contributes to the mitigation of climate change under SDG 13 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Aerosol particles and aerosol-cloud influence on the Earth’s radiation balance hold the largest uncertainties in the current climate projections. The uncertainties in future precipitation patterns are far larger than in the temperature. Decreased precipitation in dry regions will pose more stress on societies in the coming decades (SDG 6, clean water and sanitation). Our inability to predict future warming and precipitation accurately limits our ability to design effective mitigation strategies and to adapt to the changing climate (SDG 13), which indirectly influences several of the SDGs. Effective management of air quality therefore intersects with multiple sustainability objectives, from health to sustainable urban planning and climate action, highlighting the necessity of integrated approaches to pollution control and urban development. We aim to use hopefulness (Sharp et al. 2021) when teaching air pollution for sustainability using successful examples of how wicked air pollution problems from the past were solved e.g. acidification, ozone hole or tobacco smoking.

Portfolio of cases: Wicked problems for Air Pollution Courses

The authors of this work have expertise in different societal sectors and regularly interact with stakeholders in these sectors. We have designed four different cases formulated as wicked problems within aerosol science capturing sustainability aspects discussions. All these problems deal with aerosols and air pollution to different degrees and also address the larger sustainability contexts and the transition to new “green” technologies and that are central at different LTH programs (Examples below):

1. Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency (V program),

2. Electrification of Road Traffic (M, W

programs),

3. Circular Economy and Secondary Use of Materials (N, V Programs),

4. Trade-offs between Climate and Health Impacts of Aerosols (W Program).

Wicked problem related to indoor air quality

Is use of portable air cleaners justified in Sweden?

Background info: Air cleaners based on mechanical filtration can effectively remove airborne particles (linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases) hence improving indoor air quality where we spend 90% of the time. There are various manufacturers of air cleaners, and some of heavily promoted solutions (e.g. ozone generators) lack scientific basis to prove positive effects on air quality and in the worst-case scenario can lead to formation of air pollutants (by-products) that can have negative health effects and cause airways and eyes irritation. In many parts of the world where outdoor air quality is very poor (high concentration of air pollutants) it might be that to maintain acceptable air quality indoors air cleaners are needed. Especially in the case of homes where sensitive subgroups of the populations reside (e.g. children, elderly, and individuals with existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases). On the other hand, outdoor air quality in Sweden seldom exceeds EU ambient air quality limits. Considering climate change we all strive for energy use optimization, whereas use of portable air cleaners means increase in energy use. (Additional level of complexity depending on students’ skills: WHO air quality guidelines vs EU air quality limits, aspects of ventilation in buildings and filtration of supplied air in buildings (where such option is possible), different types of ventilation different possibilities, costs associated with it)).

Possible stakeholder groups: energy agency, company manufacturing ozone generators, company manufacturing portable air cleaners based on mechanical filtration, property owners, housing associations, parents of children with respiratory diseases, asthma and allergy association. (Additional: ventilation company, municipal environmental protection department))

Course where the problem may be implemented: TFRC06/MAMF55

Wicked Problem on Transport Emissions and Health – Clean Air Zones

Sweden is considering to introduce clean air zones in the central parts of it´s major cities. The aim is to reduce the population exposure to health relevant air pollutants and noise.

Combustion Vehicles using Gasoline and Diesel give rise to tailpipe emissions containing ultrafine particles, Black Carbon and Nitrogen Oxides with documented adverse health impacts (lung disease, cardiovascular disease etc). However, the latest vehicles following the Euro 6 emission legislation are equipped with advanced after treatment systems that have strongly reduced emission levels. Low carbon fuels such as Biodiesel, alcohols and biogas have lower emission levels compared to the fossil fuels, but exhaust emissions remain.

To reduce the climate footprint the vehicle fleet is now becoming increasingly electrified. Electrical vehicles eliminate tail-pipe emissions but non-exhaust particle emissions from brakes, tyres and road dust remain. Non-exhaust emissions already today dominate the transport particle emissions by mass (PM2.5 and PM10) and contain toxic substances such as metal oxides, microplastics and quartz. However, the health impacts of non-exhaust emissions remain poorly understood. EU has agreed on the world´s first emission standard for brake PM emissions and tyre wear as part of EURO7. However, the recently sharpened EU Air quality directive that each city need to fulfil does not include indicators/pollutants specific for non-exhaust emissions.

A suggestion has been put that in the clean air zone, all diesel and gasoline vehicles would be banned, only electric vehicles and combustion vehicles that use biogas would be allowed. Experts and stakeholders are invited to a meeting where the suggestion should be revised to a final agreement to be put for the politicians.

Stakeholder Groups: Environmental departments of our largest municipalities/cities, Swedish EPA, Astma & Allergiförbundet, NGO AirClim, Auto Manufacturers Association, Associations of Manufacturers of Brakes and Tyres (FKG).

Course where the problem may be implemented: FKFN35/MAMF55

Wicked problem on circular materials

There is a strive and need to go from a linear material system to circular materials streams. This will save the environment by reducing the environmental footprint of humanity – by reducing the need of primary materials and lowering the carbon footprint. On the other hand, the utilization of waste will introduce new environmental and human risks since these residual streams are not as “clean” and “well defined” as primary materials.

Today the regulations are not optimized for secondary use of materials. As an example, as soon as a product is classified as waste it falls under specific waste legislation which is typically much stricter than the legislation for and regulation of primary materials when it comes to content of potentially toxic elements. A key question is if the current legislation related to waste management and secondary use of waste streams is adopted to the new circular economy, and how it should help saving the environment from the new threats, without stopping the transition into a circular economy?

One example of a waste material that can be utilized is ash from waste incineration. The fraction of waste that cannot be recycled in any other way will, also in the future, be incinerated recovering the inherent energy. A residue from the incineration is ash, classified as hazardous waste due to the high content of metals that needs to be utilized, if not as today putting it to landfills. However, even though the levels of potentially toxic elements in the ash are above the limit values for the waste to be used for secondary purposes, the levels are below those valid for primary materials, and tests show that these are not leaching/bioavailable.

Example of stake holder/interest groups:

• Regulators of materials, circularity, climate
  • Municipalities, Governmental agencies, EU organs
• Regulators on environmental protection
  • Governmental agencies, EU organs
• Activists that
  • Primarily sees the risks with utilizing materials without being 100 % sure they are safe from the perspective of human and environmental exposure to PTEs
  • Want to save natural resources and reduce CO2 emissions (somewhat contrary to the above “activist type”)
• Citizens

Course where the problem may be implemented: MAMN75

Wicked problem on air quality and climate

Is our strive for improved air-quality in conflict with climate mitigation?

Air pollution leads to ~6-9 million deaths globally. Most of these are due to inhalation of airborne particles, so-called aerosols. Cutting the emissions of aerosols (and aerosol forming species) would result in improvement of the air quality, leading to saved lives (and explicitly target SDG 3). However, aerosols cool the climate, and reducing the aerosol concentrations will therefore result in climate warming, further adding to human caused climate change (SDG 13).

Targeting aerosol emissions is not an easy task. Most human activities cause increased aerosol load (adding to the complexity of solving AQ issues). Some examples of these are combustion, agriculture, forest management, mechanical ware of cars’ breaks and tires. All of these impacts both the AQ and climate.

Further consideration: Aerosols have short lifetimes compared with typical transport times in the atmosphere. Hence, they become local and regional AQ problems rather than global ones. Should only regional stakeholders and interest groups sit at the table when discussing the AQ-CC nexus?

Suggestion of stakeholders and interest groups:

• Regulators on climate mitigation
  • Municipalities, Governmental agencies, EU organs
• Regulators on air quality
  • Municipalities, Governmental agencies, EU organs
• Activists (mostly climate oriented in Europe, could be more air-quality oriented in some more polluted regions).
• UN organs (WMO, WHO, IPCC, etc.)
• Actors impacting the aerosol load, for example:
  • Industry, Agricultural sectors, Forest owners and forest management companies

Courses where this problem may be implemented: FKFN45

References:

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher education, 32(3), 347-364.

Cilliers, F. J., Schuwirth, L. W., Adendorff, H. J., Herman, N., & Van der Vleuten, C. P. (2010). The mechanism of impact of summative assessment on medical students’ learning. Advances in health sciences education, 15, 695-715.

Conklin, J. (2006). Wicked Problems and Social Complexity, Chapter 1 in “Dialogue Mapping: Building Shared Understanding of Wicked Problems” Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-01768-5.

Dobson, H. E., & Bland Tomkinson, C. (2012). Creating sustainable development change agents through problem‐based learning: Designing appropriate student PBL projects. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 13(3), 263-278.

Lönngren, J., Ahrens, A., Deppert, K., Hammarin, G., & Nilsson, E. (2010). Sustainable Development in Nano-Perspectives: An Innovative Student Initiative. In Engineering Education in Sustainable Development, Gothenburg, Sweden, September 19-22, 2010.

Lönngren, J. (2021). Wicked problems i lärande för hållbar utveckling–Vägledning för att ta fram exempel och problembeskrivningar. Högre utbildning, 11(3). In Swedish.

Lönngren, J., & van Poeck, K. (2021). Wicked problems: a mapping review of the literature. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 28(6), 481–502. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2020.1859415

Noordegraaf, M., Douglas, S., Geuijen, K., & Van Der Steen, M. (2019). Weaknesses of wickedness: A critical perspective on wickedness theory. Policy and Society, 38(2), 278-297.

Rittel, H. W., & Webber, M. M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy sciences, 4(2), 155-169.

Savin-Baden, M. (2000). Problem-Based Learning in Higher Education: Untold Stories, Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.

Sharp, E. L., Fagan, J., Kah, M., McEntee, M., & Salmond, J. (2021). Hopeful approaches to teaching and learning environmental “wicked problems”. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 45(4), 621-639.

02/09/2024

Teaching for Sustainability-initiative

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