Professional Online Pedagogical Portfolio
Become a driving force for
sustainable development
Sustainability leadership for people, planet, and prosperity
- a Nordic ecophilosophical approach
In 2019, Camille Thisell and Professor Trond Gansmo Jakobsen envisioned a novel educational program aimed at cultivating leaders for a sustainable future. Leveraging Thisell's expertise in online education and didactics for higher education with Jakobsen's profound understanding of eco-philosophy, they applied for funding from DIKU and created a transformative learning experience, now presented at Inland Norway University. This online sustainability leadership program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that not only imparts practical skills but also instils the guiding principles of ethics and ecology necessary to advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Story
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences has received funding from former Diku (the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education) to develop an online-based study programme on sustainability leadership. The programme targets professionals from private and public sectors who desire to enhance their skills and competencies to become leaders of sustainable development in their own organizations.
This study programme is being developed as a collaborative project between the Faculty of Audiovisual Media and Creative Technology (AMEK), the Faculty of Teacher Education and Pedagogy (LUP) and the Center for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development (CCL) at Lillehammer and Hamar.
The projectgroup was formed in September 2020 and has been engaged in developing a new 30 credit online cours that aims to support participants to become ethical leaders in sustainable development.
Utilising an interdisciplinary approach, it will focus on the philosophical, ethical and ecological/biological aspects of achieving sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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As socio-ecological challenges have intensified, there has been an increased call for a guiding ethics to sustainability that values the inherent worth of nature and the mutual utility of species across ecosystems (regardless of their use/resource value to humans). This guiding ethics will be critically examined in relation to current trends in politics, social justice, economics, and ecology. Special mention will be made of the global contribution to environmental ethics of the Nordic ecophilosophers. Essential to the course will be discussions about how philosophy, science and ethics can contribute to a more sustainable society for people, planet and prosperity.
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However, leaders also need practical tools, approaches and perspectives to help achieve their sustainability goals. The compulsory course of this study programme will provide the foundations in the philosophical, ethical and value-based underpinnings of sustainable development, while the elective courses will allow for deeper exploration of these value-based perspectives in working life. Please read more about the course here (in Norwegian).
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We are eager to share our expertise with you to assist in making informed decisions for our future.
Meet The Team
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Our Reference Group
Memebers of our referensgroup
Hilde Thoresen
Head of sustainablity, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK)
Jan-Gustav Strandenaes
Jan Gustav has worked with the UN Commission for Sustainable Development since 1997, now an independent consultant - Senior advisor on governance and sustainability for Pure, Senior advisor on governance and sustainability for Stakeholder Forum.
Kristin Evensen-Gangaas
Associate Professor, Department of Forest and Outback Sciences, Evenstad at Innlandet University College and chairman of the board of Norges natur- og økologigymnas AS.
Marit Kjørstad
Miljøfyrtårnansvarlig ("Environmental lighthouse manager") and Nordic Ambassador to the Banijay Group in relation to sustainability, from the independent production company Mastiff AS.
Sam M. Crowell, Jr.
Professor emeritus from California State University, San Bernardino. Sam is the founder of the Masters Program in Holistic and Integrative Education and a founding member of the Network in Spirituality and Education and an affiliate faculty of the UNESCO Chair and Center for Education for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter at the United Nation’s University for Peace.
Victoria Wyszynski Thoresen
Professor emeritus. Writer of articles and textbooks for teacher training and has functioned as an international educational consultant. As former leader of PERL, The Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living, she has worked closely with UNEP, UNESCO and other international agencies concerned with sustainable development particularly in connection with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes about Sustainable Consumption and Production’s program on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education as well as with the U.N.
The reference group of this developmentproject will act as a collaborative group of individuals representing different stakeholders who provide feedback that will ensure that the course content is relevant and presented in a format that meets the needs of its participants.
The reference group consist of representatives from different industries and academia. Some of the members have specific expertise in sustainable development and education for sustainability; while other members ensure the representation for relevant industries.
The main tasks of the reference group is to give advice on the project's goals and vision, be helpful with external monitoring, give advice on the project's financing, and advice the project team on developing and delivery of the programme.
The reference group advise the project in the following ways:
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Review the project plans and actions with the aim of providing strategic guidance on the targets and goals of the project.
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Ensure continuity between the project’s interventions and the needs of target groups.
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Give advice on both the content and methods of learning modules towards practical relevance and applicability of learning outcomes.
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Evaluate and provide feedback on usability, content, design and layout of the digital course.
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Provide insights on trends in digital education and on professional competencies for sustainable development.
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Support project implementation and dissemination strategies.
Presentation of the Studyprogram
Academic level and organisation of the study programme
This is an online, part time education for continuing professional development. It comprises one compulsory course of 7,5 ECTS credits (BÆR1002) and one optional course of 7,5 ECTS (BÆR1003, BÆR1004, BÆR1005) to be selected from the course list, in total 15 ECTS credits. On completion of the compulsory course, it is possible to apply for admission to as many additional courses as desired, but only one optional course is required as part of the education programme. The programme requires general study competence and runs from August to June. English or Norwegian proficiency is required for this course.
Career prospects and relevance for further professional development
The program provides suitable competence for professions that require special knowledge of sustainable development.
Leaders will have the opportunity to work on relevant issues in their current position and build on their critical skills in order to meet demands for sustainable development by rethinking current approaches to economic, environmental and social issues, including critical perspectives on wellbeing and prosperity.
This program also enables current and aspiring leaders to develop knowledge and skills to facilitate an ethical approach to sustainable development. Those who aim to pursue social and environmental responsibilities both in their careers and in their organizations will benefit from this online program.
Through the studies, the participants will increase their capacity to integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into core organizational strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to develop and apply new ethical and moral perspectives in their working life, their organization’s practices and relevant to current environmental and development debates.
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Target group
This programme in sustainability leadership is especially suited for people who are aiming to develop their capacity for leading sustainable development processes and practices in their professional settings. It will support leaders to navigate the issues they are facing, related to political, economic, social, and environmental challenges.
This online programme is relevant for both current and aspiring leaders in private, public and non-governmental sectors, with at least 3 years of work experience, and for those striving to align their organization’s work with social and environmental responsibilities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The programme is organised in a flexible manner to accommodate the busy schedule of working professionals and support their needs for continuing professional development.
Qualifications
General study competence. English language proficiency is required.
Introduction
This education aims to support participants to become ethical leaders in sustainable development. Utilising an interdisciplinary approach, it will focus on the philosophical, ethical and ecological/biological aspects of achieving sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As socio-ecological challenges have intensified, there has been an increased call for a guiding ethics to sustainability that values the inherent worth of nature and the mutual utility of species across ecosystems (regardless of their use/resource value to humans). This guiding ethics will be critically examined in relation to current trends in politics, social justice, economics, and ecology. Special mention will be made of the global contribution to environmental ethics of the Nordic ecophilosophers. Essential to the course will be discussions about how philosophy, science and ethics can contribute to a more sustainable society for people, planet and prosperity.
However, leaders also need practical tools, approaches and perspectives to help achieve their sustainability goals. The compulsory course (BÆR1002) of this study programme will provide the foundations in the philosophical, ethical and value-based underpinnings of sustainable development, while the elective courses will allow for deeper exploration of these value-based perspectives in working life.
Learning outcomes
Upon finalising this education, in Sustainability leadership for people, planet, and prosperity - a Nordic ecophilosophical approach students will have acquired the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:
Knowledge
The student
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is acquainted with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and able to work with the Sustainable Development Goals
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has an understanding of different ethical positions and the ethical implications of different perspectives, i.e., human and non-human perspectives
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has a critical understanding of ecological processes, biodiversity and the science of environmental sustainability
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has an understanding of competing philosophical perspectives, the key elements of Nordic ecophilosophy, and their influence on approaches to sustainable development
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has knowledge about complex socio-ecological challenges and understand them from an interdisciplinary perspective on people, planet and prosperity
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has an understanding of the framework conditions that govern efforts to achieve a balance between organisational development, environmental and social sustainability
Skills
The student
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can critically reflect on and discuss human centred (anthropocentric) and non-human centred (non-anthropocentric) ethics and their application to real world cases of sustainability
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can critically discuss different ecophilosophical approaches and evaluate their relevance to present sustainability challenges
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can apply ecophilosophical perspectives in general organizational leadership towards sustainable societies
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can acquire and assess the quality of information from diverse sources, disciplinary backgrounds and research, and can apply it to understand sustainable development and support organizational decision making
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can apply a critical understanding of ecology and environmental sustainability into their work with the SDGs
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can identify and argue strategically for new business opportunities arising from work with SDGs
General competence
The student
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can use transformative and ethical perspectives to provide effective leadership towards sustainable development
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can lead discussions and manage cooperative action on sustainable development issues
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can work for and promote sustainability change and transitions
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can frame organizational decision-making with a value-basis for sustainable development
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can lead pursuit of win-win-win solutions across the triple-bottom line of people, planet and prosperity
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Planlegging for god brukeropplevelse
I forbindelse med design og utforming av læringsplattformen er Garretts (2010) modell som opprinnelig kommer fra IT-verden.
Her har strategien vart at den nettbaserte læringsplattformen skal oppleves luftig, lettorientert og studenten skal raskt få en oversikt over innhold. Kurset skal i så stor grad som mulig være selvforklarende.
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Scope
For å oppnå strategien har vi arbeidt med farvevalg og ikoner samt kodet faner i en side som ikke er en standardfunksjon man kan velge i canvas men som gir brukern en god oversikt
Dette henger sammen med strukturen som vi snart kommer til. Skelettet er modulene og kapitlene i Canvas. Surface er den ferdige produkt.
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STRATEGI - Hva vil vi med nettkurset vårt?
Med bakgrunn i analyse av tidligere forskning i forbindelse med nettstudier laget vi en konseptmodell. Brukerne skal ha en god oversikt over stoffet, elementer presenteres i den rekkefølge det er tenkt at studenten skal arbeide med dem. Det skal være lett å finne det materiale man trenger (intuitivt) og få valg for å unngå att man tappar bort seg i emnerommet. Hovedaktiviteten i emnerommet er å lære seg nåe nytt og relatere dette til egen praksis. Av denne grunn har alle moduler minst en oppgave relatert til egen praksis. Videre er det av stor relevans at opplegget skaper aktive studenter og gir en opplevelse av at man ikke er alene. Flere oppgaver skal derfor presenteres og kommenteres i diskusjonsforumet i emnerommet.
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OMFANG - Hvilken funksjonalitet må nettstedet tilby?
Denne del i Garretts modell handler om å gjøre om strategi til krav. En informasjonsside i kursen gir studenten en oversikt over innholdet av den praktiske informasjonen. Her ligger også en video med gjennomgang av den praktiske informasjonen. UH-sektoren er lovpålagt å sørge for att elektroniske sider er utformet på en slik måte at de kan brukes av alle studentene våre. Her er det viktig å ta hensyn til farge og kontrast bland annet.
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STRUKTUR & RAMMEVERK
Nettstedets ulike deler skal passe sammen og virke. Her gir strukturen omfanget form, Rammeverket konkretiserer strukturen. Vi har brukt moduler som rammeverk, for så å gi vær modul ett antal kapitler. Vært kapitel har ens struktur.
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OVERFLATE
Det ferdige nettstedet og måling av gode brukeropplevelser
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Vi vil måle hvor lett studentene som skal lese studieprogrammet forstår, bruker og liker produktet. På denne måte kan vi måle produktets kvalitet
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Vi vil måle om studentene opplever at de får gjennomført studiet på forventet måte eller ikke. Vi knytter brukeropplevelsen nært til aktiviteter og målet for aktiviteten, på denne måten kan vi måle brukertillfredsstillelsen.
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Datainsamling gjennom spørreundersøkelser under studieforløpet samt analyse av seertall/beteende av videor i Vimeo.
