25 Mapping and building capacity in education for sustainable development in Trinity College Dublin

Aims and Objectives

• Overall aim: Examine a methodology to map Education for Sustainable Development in TCD through two interconnected pillars.
• Pillar 1: Co-develop with students a survey to capture student perspectives on where ESD is currently embedded within TCD curricula.
• Pillar 2: Examine the use of student–academic dyads as a method for in-depth analysis of ESD embeddedness within selected TCD programmes.

Initiative Overview

There are many different ways to both define and map ESD in higher level education, each with their own advantages and shortcomings. In Trinity College Dublin, the quantity diversity and breadth of modules renders the above task quite complex. In an effort to ensure rigor, avoid greenwashing, promote the sustainability and replicability of mapping into the future, and incorporate both staff and student voices in this task, the above tasks will be approached through a three-pronged methodology;  

Firstly, student interns were recruited and asked to nominate academic dyads from their courses to contribute to their work on this project. Their task, in collaboration with the ESD fellows was to co-design a survey and disseminate it to all students in TCD with a view to garnering student views on whether ESD is currently embedded in TCD teaching at an UG level.  

In addition to the above, module descriptors will be inputted into a bespoke designed closed AI LLM which is being developed as part of a separate but related project. The AI model will deduce whether the module description indicates that SDG themes, UNESCO competencies and specific learning pedagogies are present in each module.    

Finally student interns will examine their own courses in collaboration with their academic dyad and conduct a “deep dive” into each of the modules on that course. This examination will have the same aims as that being conducted by the AI module but will be done by humans involved in both the teaching and learning of the courses in question.

Results from each method above will be corroborated with each other to ensure rigour and data triangulation. Furthermore dyad participants will be invited to take part in a qualitative interview investigating their views on the methods used in this work, thus contributing to the body of evidence on how to effectively embed ESD into higher level education.

Impact and Evidence of Success

Three student interns have completed a report on their “deep dive” i.e. the extent of ESD embeddedness in their own courses. As part of these reports they highlighted areas where improvement can be made as well as examples where ESD leads to effective learning and have shared these findings with their discipline through the academic dyad partners.

The co-designed TCD wide student survey on ESD embeddedness has been completed by 220 students and is ongoing. 

A comparison of deep dive with survey results revealed overall agreement.  Generally, students have high confidence in their competence related to ESD, which is encouraging. Most ESD material is embedded in their early years of study and is generally achieved using presentations.

Future Directions and Sustainability

It is our intention to interview student-academic dyads to learn more about the effectiveness of our methods. Preliminary results would suggest that the use of student academic dyads is an effective method of mapping and progressing ESD which also raises awareness of same and fosters engagement with curricular and sustainability issues.

Upon comparison of all three data collection methods, where AI results are valid and align well with both survey and “deep dive” results the AI model alone may be used in subsequent years without the requirement for onerous corroboration of all courses using other methods thereby helping to ensure the continued feasibility and sustainability of ESD mapping at TCD despite a large number of modules.  

Alignment and Policy Context

• Trinity Thrive Strategy
• Trinity Sustainability Strategy
• Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD to 2030)
• National Forum priority areas (ESD; Professional Development; Student Success; Teaching and Learning Enhancement)
• UNESCO ESD for 2030
• UNECE Strategy for ESD
• Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture
• EU Council Recommendation on Learning for the Green Transition

Resources and Supporting Information

• Project overview video

Images

Funding and Acknowledgements

Funding: This work was funded as part of Pathfinders through the Higher Education Authority (HEA).