An Exploration of the Relationship between Sustainability-Related Involvement and Learning in Higher Education

Trevion S. Henderson, Jessica O. Michel, Alex Bryan, Emily Canosa, Clara Gamalski, Kelly Jones and Jeremy Moghtader
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Trevion S. Henderson: Mechanical Engineering and STEM Education, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
Jessica O. Michel: School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Alex Bryan: Student Life Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Emily Canosa: Sustainable Living Experience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Clara Gamalski: Student Life Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Kelly Jones: Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA
Jeremy Moghtader: U-M Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Higher education institutions are charged with developing civically engaged leaders to address the pressing issues facing the country and the world. While existing literature suggests institutional practices, such as promoting co-curricular involvement, hold promise for fostering key learning outcomes, educational literature suggests the benefits of participation may not be shared by all students. Using structural equation modeling, we examine the role of background characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity and gender) and co-curricular participation in sustainability-related activities in fostering climate change leadership development and sustainability activism. We find that women reported significantly higher systems thinking, futures thinking, leadership development, and activism. Additionally, our results suggest systems thinking and futures thinking are key learning outcomes related to students’ climate change leadership development and activism. Moreover, we find a small negative relationship between sustainability literacy and leadership development and activism, suggesting there might exist an inflection point at which more knowledge about climate change and sustainability issues makes students less likely to engage in leadership and activism behaviors. We discuss the implications of this work for sustainability education pedagogy in higher education.

Keywords: leadership development; activism; co-curricular involvement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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