87 How the SDGs Shaped Our Rural Development Module

Eamonn Mullen described the transformation of a sustainable rural development module delivered within DkIT’s Level 8 Sustainable Agriculture programme. Originally introduced to address the social sustainability dimension often missing from agriculture curricula, the early iterations of the module struggled to engage students who viewed its themes as abstract, peripheral, or overly “policy-focused.” Programme review in 2016 provided the catalyst for rethinking its purpose, structure and pedagogy, supported by collaboration with sustainability education specialist Dr Suzanne Linnane.

The revised module used the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its organising framework, enabling students to connect global sustainability challenges to the realities of rural life, farming, infrastructure, services, water quality, and community resilience. Mr Mullen and Dr Linnane shifted from traditional lecture-heavy delivery to workshop-based, participatory learning, emphasising local relevance and lived experience. Students undertook SDG audits of local organisations, engaged with external facilitators such as Development Perspectives, and explored nature-based solutions for rural environmental challenges. Assessment was redesigned to centre authentic, creative tasks, including TikTok-style explainer videos, peer-led workshops, community events, and reflective vlogs documenting personal efforts to live out SDG-linked sustainability challenges.

The annual “SDG Vlogging Challenge” has become a signature feature, where students attempt actions such as living on minimal water use, eliminating plastic waste, or following a plant-based diet. Mr Mullen highlighted the impact of this shift: deeper student buy-in, greater ownership of learning, and the emergence of student leaders through public-facing events such as World Water Day. He emphasised that ESD in agriculture requires both head and heart—connecting scientific knowledge with empathy, creativity and personal reflection—to enable future farmers and agricultural professionals to engage meaningfully with sustainability transitions.