Sustainable Development (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

Background
Welcome to the course Sustainable Development! Course will be implemented from 1.1.2021 to 15.3.2021.

The course consists of lectures, seminars, homework assignments and a written exam. It is based on the concept of the flipped classroom, which means that the participants prepare for classroom activities in their own time, with the help of online lectures, course literature and preparation assignments.

Course content
The course consists of eight module blocks, called learning packages, each corresponding to 16 learning hours (including 3-4 classroom hours), and running through a calendar week. After the final learning package, students are expected to spend an additional 10-20 hours preparing for the exam.

Module 1: Introduction to sustainable development
In this learning package students will get a basic introduction to the concept of sustainable development. Among other things, we discuss the three pillars (economic, social and ecological sustainability), the 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030, planetary boundaries and challenges related to the use of physical resources. The learning package is also an introduction to the other learning packages.

Module 2: Values Thinking
In this learning package students will learn how to problematize around sustainable solutions. They get to practice identifying values that are associated with different opinions, and debating based on their own or an assigned position. In the board game Dilemma, they will learn to explain sustainability related issues, and debate various sustainability dilemmas with their peers.

Module 3: Constructive Debate
In this learning package, students will practice taking a position and orally debating issues related to sustainable development. They will also practice using the polarity mapping tool to understand a polarized subject in its entirety, handle such polarization and design well-thought-out compromises. Once again, they will play the board game Dilemma, but this time with an interesting twist.

Module 4: Systems Thinking
In this learning package students will experience basic principles from system dynamics, which is an approach to understanding systems. Through the simulation game FishBanks they will practice managing a renewable resource, while at the same time being part of a complex system with multiple actors and information overload.

Module 5: Earth’s Climate and Climate Change
In this learning package students will gain a deeper understanding of the Earth's climate system and climate change. They will learn more about strategies for how climate research can be communicated to the public and they will also be able to practice explaining the natural science background of climate change. In the board game ClimeOut they will have the opportunity to explain and learn about these concepts.

Module 6: Critical Materials and Circular Economy
In this learning package students will be introduced to management of materials, sustainable production and consumption, and life cycle thinking. The focus is on concepts such as critical materials, resource management and circular economy. Questions that will be discussed are for example: What does a smartphone consist of? Which countries contribute to the production of critical materials? How can business strategies contribute to reducing resource waste in the supply chain? In the board game In the Loop they will attempt producing products and exploring the complexities of resource management.

Module 7: Sustainability reporting
In this learning package students will be introduced to the European Union's Directive on Disclosure of Non-Financial and Diversity Information by Certain Large Companies, which is implemented in Finnish law. According to the directive, large companies within the EU are obliged to report on sustainability indicators relevant to their business. In practice, many businesses use the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) scheme for reporting, and in this learning package students will have the opportunity to exercise global reporting according to the GRI system in a role-play scenario where they will represent one stakeholder and negotiate with other stakeholders.

Module 8: Deeper reflection on sustainable development
In this learning package, which essentially runs in parallel with all the others for the duration of the course, students will have the opportunity to deepening their reflection on sustainability. There are three major sub-tasks, which are all reported in the wrap-up seminar at the end of the course:
• Choose one item of reading from a list; read it for deepening your reflection on sustainability; and write a review on that piece of reading
• Select a project in your own life where you would like to see change for the better and report on your progress to bring such change into happening by regularly blogging on the matter during the course
• Write an essay on how the Global Goals (the SDGs) relate to the main subject of your studies
In the final seminar of the course, students will report on their results on all the three sub-tasks of Module 8.

Objective

• Introduction to sustainable development
• Values Thinking
• Constructive Debate
• Systems Thinking
• Earth’s Climate and Climate Change
• Critical Materials and Circular Economy
• Sustainability reporting
• Deeper reflection on sustainable development

Content

• explain basic concepts, challenges and opportunities that relate to the concept of sustainable development
• describe how complex systems, perspectives and norms relate to sustainability issues and their implications
• motivate actions that could be made by particular actors to contribute towards a sustainable development
• reflect upon the interrelation between technical, social, economic and environmental issues with the complexity of resource management, climate change and other sustainability challenges

Materials

Course literature
Material presented at the Snowflake Education Toolkit, continuously updated
IPCC (2013). Summary for policymakers
Runebjörk, I (2018). The rhetorical work process.
Blanda (2016). The other side is not dumb. Essay, captured from blog
FishBanks: Role description
Dilemma: Debate topics to study before the seminar Values Thinking
Dilemma: Debate topics to study prior to the seminar Constructive Debate
In the Loop: World events that are presented in the game and strategies present in the game

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures, seminars, homework assignments and a written exam.

Exam schedules

Course content
The course consists of eight module blocks, called learning packages, each corresponding to 16 learning hours (including 3-4 classroom hours), and running through a calendar week. After the final learning package, students are expected to spend an additional 10-20 hours preparing for the exam.

Pedagogic approaches and sustainable development

The course is based on the concept of the flipped classroom, which means that the participants prepare for classroom activities in their own time, with the help of online lectures, course literature and preparation assignments.

Completion alternatives

Not available.

Student workload

5 ECTS credits/~130-140 Student Learning Hours incl. 25 classroom/on-line hours

Evaluation methods and criteria

Assessment
To pass, students must:
• Pass the written exam (for a passing grade, a minimum of 20 points out of 40 is required)
• Attend all 8 seminars
• Complete and pass all 7 learning packages
The following opportunities will be given for those students who for some reason missed attendance at a maximum of one seminar and/or did not pass the exam:
• One re-exam
• Compensatory assignment (must be agreed before the seminar)
Grades are given on the scale 1-5 and are calculated by following criteria and weightings:
- Learning packages max. 70 points.
- Exam max. 40 points
- Student must recieve atleast 50%/55p from the max. of 110 points to pass the course
- Learning packages will determine 70% of the final grade
- Final exam will determine 30% of the final grade


Score is given on a continuous basis as learning activities and examinations are passed:
• The exam adds max. 40 score points depending on the test result, provided that the test is passed (minimum 20 points).
• Each of the 7 assessed learning packages will have max. score of 10 points (total: 7*10p=70p)
• The re-exam adds as many score points as the regular exam. Once a pass mark is given for the exam, it is not allowed to do it again to increase the score.
Homework assignments
There are two types of home assignments: preparation tasks that are performed before each seminar, and follow-up tasks that are performed after each seminar (except after the last seminar). Both are mandatory.
All assignments are mandatory to upload before their respective deadlines, as PDF files through the web platform. Note that follow-up tasks may only be uploaded by those who participated in the corresponding seminar. All assignment tasks can be assessed as ‘fail’, pass’ or ‘pass with distinction’.
Seminars
During the seminars, students will participate actively in problem solving, discussion, debate, decision making, etc. through workshop exercises and educational board games. Attendance and active participation at all seminars is compulsory. Note that it is a requirement for being allowed to participate at the seminar, that the corresponding preparation tasks for that seminar has been completed before the seminar.
Exam
At the end of the course module, a written exam will be performed. The exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions (each with four alternative options, one of which is correct). Each question can give 1 point. Students will receive an individual test with questions chosen at random from a question bank. A minimum of 20 points is required for passing.
Recommended reading for the exam: all material listed on the web platform under ‘Documents’ (book chapters and other material). It is also recommended to go through preparation and follow-up tasks as well as activities carried out at the seminars.
Students who receive less than 20 points at the exam will be given an opportunity to sit a re-exam.

Failed (0)

Grades are given on the scale 1-5 and are calculated by following criteria and weightings:
- Learning packages max. 70 points.
- Exam max. 40 points
- Student must recieve atleast 50%/55p from the max. of 110 points to pass the course
- Learning packages will determine 70% of the final grade
- Final exam will determine 30% of the final grade

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Grades are given on the scale 1-5 and are calculated by following criteria and weightings:
- Learning packages max. 70 points.
- Exam max. 40 points
- Student must recieve atleast 50%/55p from the max. of 110 points to pass the course
- Learning packages will determine 70% of the final grade
- Final exam will determine 30% of the final grade

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Grades are given on the scale 1-5 and are calculated by following criteria and weightings:
- Learning packages max. 70 points.
- Exam max. 40 points
- Student must recieve atleast 50%/55p from the max. of 110 points to pass the course
- Learning packages will determine 70% of the final grade
- Final exam will determine 30% of the final grade

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Grades are given on the scale 1-5 and are calculated by following criteria and weightings:
- Learning packages max. 70 points.
- Exam max. 40 points
- Student must recieve atleast 50%/55p from the max. of 110 points to pass the course
- Learning packages will determine 70% of the final grade
- Final exam will determine 30% of the final grade

Further information

Extended learning objectives
After completing course, the student should be able to:
• explain basic concepts, challenges and opportunities that relate to the concept of sustainable development.
• define, explain and be able to use sustainability vocabulary and relevant facts in writing and conversation.
• make reasonable estimates on the order of magnitude to questions about global development.
• describe the phenomenon 'the tragedy of the commons', ecosystem services and key concepts in system dynamics.
• propose strategies to manage or reduce the risk of system collapse.
• identify feedback loops in complex systems and be able to describe their course of events using words and expressions from system dynamics.
• formulate well supported arguments for various viewpoints.
• critically review arguments and show respect to people with opposing opinions.
• identify arguments and counter arguments in a polarized issue and be able to discuss those in a reasonable and structured way.
• using the polarity map as a tool to map a dilemma situation.
• state the main components and a number of feedback mechanisms in the Earth's climate system.
• use guidelines for climate communication to adapt language usage to situation and target group.
• motivate why actions made by a particular actor contributes positively to managing climate change.
• explain how global climate scenarios are used and describe predicted trajectories for a particular region.
• explain the terms critical materials and circular economy.
• give examples of some critical materials, the origin of these and common uses.
• reflect upon the complexity of resource management in society.
• identify examples of strategies and marketing communication that are in line with models of circular economy.
• suggest changes in a company’s business strategies or business model, which could contribute to reduced resource waste.