INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION: THREE APPROACHES TO
SUSTAINABILITY
AASHE Conference
Campus Initiatives to Catalyze a Just and Sustainable World
October 11, 2010
Shirley Vincent, PhD
Director of Educational Research
National Council for Science and the Environment
IE Education & Sustainability
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NCSE national study of IE
Programs
Relationship
Role of IE programs
 Graduates
 On
campuses
NCSE National Study of IE Programs
2008 Census count of U.S. programs
Study - 286 IE programs at 238 college & universities
Representative, ±5% sampling error, p<0.05 for all
findings
NCSE National Study of IE Programs
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IE programs
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Baccalaureate &
graduate
Environmental
Science(s) & Studies,
other names
Exclude professional,
allied disciplines
840 programs, 1183
degrees, 652
institutions
IE Degree Programs
44% Environmental science(s) , 25% Environmental studies, 31% Other names
Flexible - Vary by Institution
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California State University at Monterey Bay
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Earth Systems Science and Policy
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Environmental Policy
Marine and Coastal Ecology
Watershed Systems
Science and Social Justice
Science Education
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Environmental Science
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Environmental Communication and Participatory Processes
Environmental and Community Land Planning
Environmental Systems and Risk Management
Environmental Policy and Democratic Processes
Water and Wetland Resource Studies
IE Education & Sustainability
Field identity – Problem solving for sustainability
Central focus – Sustainable systems
Three approaches
IE Program Identity
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Focus of Study: The interfaces between human and natural systems
(coupled human-nature systems).
Educational Approach: A holistic educational approach that focuses on
interdisciplinary knowledge and insights gained from systems approaches
and diverse epistemological viewpoints to understand environmental
problems and devise solutions. Curricula should include key concepts from
the natural sciences, the social sciences, the applied sciences and the
humanities.
Key Learning Outcomes: Disciplinary synthesis and system-thinking
cognitive skills. Knowledge of the sociopolitical and natural aspects of
environmental problems, understanding of the limits of technology and
science for solving environmental problems, and the importance of
acknowledging and reporting uncertainty.
Goal: To prepare graduates to be sustainability-oriented problem solvers
through scholarship, research, practice and informed citizenship.
Three Ideal Approaches/Models
Solutions Focus
Three Ideal Approaches/Models
Adaptive Management
Problem Solving
for Sustainability
Problems Focus
Systems Science
Scientific
Analysis Focus
Policy & Governance
Societal & Institutional
Change Focus
Systems Science Model
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Analytic orientation stressing expertise in the natural sciences
and traditional science skills to understand the human-nature
systems interface
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Emphasis on natural sciences, technical research & analysis skills
More environmental science(s) or other science-focused names
Least popular ideal – 22% of all IE degree programs
Higher proportion of undergraduate programs
More within a non-IE department such as biology or geology
UG prepare students for graduate and professional schools; GR
prepare students to be environmental academics
Least likely to include sustainability
Policy & Governance Model
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Social and institutional change orientation, focus on public
awareness, policy and governance processes to create a
resilient, sustainable human-nature systems interface
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Emphasis on social sciences, humanities, & public engagement
skills
More environmental studies or policy-focused name
Ideal for 33% of all IE degree programs
More professional master’s degree programs
UG prepare students to be environmental leaders and change
agents and to improve environmental policy decisions
Most likely to include sustainability
Adaptive Management Model
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Applied, professional orientation, focus on collaborative,
integrated decision making processes to sustainably manage
the human-nature systems interface
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Emphasis on coupled human-nature systems knowledge, problem
analysis & solutions and management skills
More names other than environmental science or environmental
studies or management-focused name
Most popular ideal - 45% of all IE degree programs
More master of science and doctoral programs
More likely to require undergraduate participation in a research
project
More likely to include sustainability in curricula
Summary
Role of IE Program Graduates
Role of IE Programs on Campus
Role of IE Program Graduates
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Increasing emphasis world-wide on integrated (interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary) sustainability-oriented knowledge production and
decision making processes
Environmental professionals point to the importance of participating
in these processes as integral to their work
IE graduates uniquely qualified to participate in, structure, facilitate,
and manage these processes and serve as policy-science and
policy-management “translators”
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Systems Science – interdisciplinary research to inform decision making
Policy and Governance – serve as policy-science and policy management
“translators” in decision processes
Adaptive Management – professional “meta-experts” structure and
facilitate sustainability management processes and programs
Role of IE Programs on Campus
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Serve as core interdisciplinary centers for environmental
and sustainability study
Core interdisciplinary faculty, joint appointments, affiliated
faculty draw upon expertise across the campus
 IE & sustainability majors
 Dual majors and minors, general education
 Certificates and professional continuing education
 Facilitate and support interdisciplinary research and campus
sustainability initiatives
 Visible focal point for service, outreach
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More Information
Shirley Vincent
svincent@ncseonline.org
National Council for Science and the Environment
ncseonline.org
Interdisciplinary Knowledge Factors
Interdisciplinary area
Natural Sciences
Coupled Human-nature Systems
Economic Development
Disciplinary knowledge areas
IE knowledge
(proportion of knowledge component)
life sciences (60)
Natural Sciences
physical sciences (27)
ecology (13)
natural resources management & agriculture
(31)
geography (20)
Natural
sustainability (15)
Resources
education (14)
research methods (11)
ecology (8)
policy & public administration (42)
economics (42)
Social Sciences
business (9)
other social sciences (8)
history (48)
language arts (31)
Humanities
philosophy & ethics (21)
Economic
engineering & built environment (73)
Development
business (27)
Integrated Skills Factors
Integrated area
IE skills
Cognition
Problem Analysis
Technical Research & Analysis
Cognition
Management
Problem Solutions and
Management
Community Engagement
Public Communication
Skills sets
(proportion of skills factor component)
synthesis (25)
problem-solving (23)
analysis (19)
creativity (17)
critical thinking (16)
field research (26)
laboratory research (23)
mathematics (15)
statistics (13)
spatial analysis (11)
technical & academic writing (8)
oral communication (5)
(same as above)
personnel management (36)
project management (27)
leadership (17)
decision science (10)
information management (10)
community relations (54)
advocacy & outreach (35)
leadership (11)
creative & journalistic writing (64)
mass communications (28)
creativity (10)
Knowledge Factor Model
Skills Factor Model
Problem Analysis
Technical Research & Analysis
Cognitive
Problem Solutions and Applications
Management
Community Engagement
Public Communication
Cognitive
NRC (1996): Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society
Importance of IE Knowledge Factors
Importance of IE Skills Factors