Analyzing Sustainable Education Based on AHP Model in HE:(Mixed Method)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student, Governance of Higher Education, University of Urmia

2 Associate Professor, Educational Managment, University of Urmia

3 Professor, Educational Management, University of Urmia

4 Associate Professor, Governance of Higher Education, Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education

5 Assistant Professor, Educational Management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the components of sustainable education. The research method is blended exploratory that has been done sequentially in two qualitative and quantitative sections. In the qualitative section, the components of sustainable education were identified by semi-structured interviews with 11 university professionals selected through purposeful sampling. To validate qualitative findings, participant review strategies and reviewers' strategies have been used. In the quantitative section in the framework of descriptive-survey research method and researcher-made questionnaire, 262 faculty members and students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad were selected by stratified sampling method. The validity of the tool was confirmed by the experts, and its reliability was calculated by the inconsistency rate. For data analysis, content analysis technic has been used in the qualitative section and in the quantitative section hierarchical process method has been used. The findings show that from the perspective of faculty members and students of Ferdowsi University, the components of sustainable education in terms of importance in priority order are: integration of sustainability concepts into learning process with relative weight of 0.075, To learn learning and apply an interdisciplinary approach with weight of 0.046,  Applying innovative strategies in the learning process with weight of 0.034, Critical thinking with weight of 0.031, Internationalization of education with weight of 0.018.

Keywords

References

Aktas, C.B., Whelan, R., Stoffer, H., Todd, E., Kern, C.L. (2015). “Developing a universitywide course on sustainability: a critical evaluation of planning and implementation”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 216-221.
Alexander,  V. G. (2015). “Development and validation of the critical thinking about sustainability scale”. A Dissertation submitted to the University of Purdue in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Ph.D of Philosophy. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
Amaral, Luís P., Martins, N. & Gouveia, Joaquim B. (2015). "Quest for a sustainable university: a review". International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 16 (2),­ 155 – 172.
Barth, M. (2015). “Implementing sustainability in higher education learning in an age of transformation”. Publisher: Routledge.
Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica, F.E., Mazzuto, G., Paciarotti, C. (2015). “Cook & Teach: learning by playing”. Journal of Cleaner Production,106, 259-271.
Biberhofer, P. & Rammel, C. (2017). “Transdisciplinary learning and teaching as answers to urban sustainability challenges”. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 18(1), 63-83.
Clioud, J. (2016). “Education for a Sustainable Future: Benchmarks for Individual and Social Learning”. published by The Journal of Sustainability Education.
Dlouh a, J. & Burandt, S. (2015). “Design and evaluation of learning processes in an international sustainability oriented study programme. In search of a new educational quality and assessment method”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 247-258.
Ghaemi, P., Shobeiri, S.M., Larijani, M. & Rokrok, B. (2016). “Evaluation of Environmental Education Methods based on AHP Model”. Journal of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 5 (1), 33-44.
Grecu, V & Ipina, N. (2014). “The sustainable university– A model for the sustainable organization”. Management of Sustainable Development Sibiu, Romania, 6 (2), No.2, 15-24.
Grindsted, T.S. (2015). “Educating geographers in an era of the anthropocene: paradoxical natures- paradoxical cultures”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 320-329.
Hakimzade, R.  (2010). “Globalization, Internationalization of higher Education and Interdisciplinary Curricula”. Scholarly Iournal of Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, 2 (4), 1-17.
Jannah, M., Halim, L., Mohd Meerah, T.S. & Fairuz, M. (2013). “Impact of Environmental Education Kit on Students’ Environmental Literacy”. Asian Social Science. 9 (12), Published by Canadian Centerof Science and Education, Available at: www.ccsenet.org/ass.
Javdani, H, & Meyli monfared, J. (2014). “Sustainable university a platform for living a high quality life”. 2nd International Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development, 717-726.
Javdani, H. (2009). “Globalization and Higher Education A Gap Between Theory and Action - New Strategies for Development of Iranian Higher Education System”. Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education (IRPHE). 15 (3), 107-130.
Jones, P., Selby, D. & Sterling, S. (2010). “Sustainability Education: Perspectives and Practice across Higher Education”. Earthscan: London, UK.
King, J.A. & Franzen, R.L. (2017). “Environmental Literacy in Environmentally Themed Higher Education Courses”. Journal of Sustainability Education. 13, ISSN: 2151-7452.
Larr an Jorge, M.L., Herrera Madueno, J., Calzado Cejas, M.Y., Andrades Pe na, F.J., (2015). “An approach to the implementation of sustainability practices in Spanish universities”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 34-44.
Littledyke, M., Manolas, E. & Littledyke, R. (2013). “A systems approach to education for sustainability in higher education”. International journal of sustainability in higher education, 14(4), 367-383.
Lockley, J. & Jarrath, M. (2013). “The nature of sustainability as viewed by European students”. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 7 (1), 113-124.
Lozano, R., Ceulemans, K. & Scarff Seatter, C. (2015). “Teaching organisational change management for sustainability: designing and delivering a course at the University of Leeds to better prepare future sustainability change agents”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 205-215.
Malekinia, E., Bazargan, A., Vaezi, M. & Ahmadian, M. (2014). “Identifying and Prioritizing Components of Sustainable University”. Quarterly journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education, 20 (3), 1-26.
Malkki, H., Alanne, K. & Hirsto, L. (2015). “A method to quantify the integration of €
renewable energy and sustainability in energy degree programmes: a Finnish
case study”. Journal of Cleaner Production,106, 239-246.
Matsuura, K. (2007). “Address on the occasion of the Round Table on ‘‘Education and Economic Development’’. UNESCO. Retrieved from:http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001541/154152e.pdf.
Merck, J. & Beermann, M. (2015). “The Relevance of transdisciplinary teaching and learning for the successful integration of sustainability issues into higher education development”. In: Leal Filho, W., Brandli, L.L., Kuznetsova, O. & Paço, A.M.F.d. (2015), Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Development at University Level, World Sustainability Series, 19-25. Available at: http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319106892. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-10690-8_2
Mio, Ch. (2013). “Towards a sustainable university: The Ca' Foscari experience”. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan (ISBN 9781137351920) (Monografia o trattato scientifico).
Mwendwa, B. (2017). “Learning for Sustainable Development: Integrating Environmental Education in the Curriculum of Ordinary Secondary Schools in Tanzania”. Journal of Sustainability Education, 12, ISSN: 2151-7452.
Park, J.Y. & Son, J.B. (2010). “Transitioning toward Transdisciplinary Learning in a Multidisciplinary Environment”. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning,  6(1), 82-93.
Rose, G., Ryan, K. & Desha, C. (2015). “Implementing a holistic process for embedding sustainability: a case study in first year engineering, Monash University Australia”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 229-238.
Saaty, T. (1999). “Decision making for leaders”. Translated by Towfigh, A.A. Tehran: Industrial Management Institute.
Sammalisto, K., Sundstrom, A., Holm, T, (2015). “Implementation of sustainability in universities as perceived by faculty and staff e a model from a Swedish university”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 45-54.
Saunders, C.D., Brook, A.T. & Myers, O.E. (2006). “Using psychology to save biodiversity and human well-being”. Conservation Biology, 20 (3), 702-705.
Schmitt-Figueiro, P. & Raufflet, E. (2015). “Sustainability in higher education: a systemati review with focus on management education”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 22-33.
Teodoreanu, L. (2013). “Engineering education for sustainable development: a strategic framework for universities”. Annals of the oradea university: Fascicle of management and technological engineering, Issue 1, 413-418.
Tohidinia, A & Ghadimi rabbani, M. (2015). “Islamic-Iranian model of progress and Challenge “Sustainable Development Unsustainability”. Tehran: Islamic-Iranian model of progress.
UNESCO (2012). “Shaping the Education of Tomorrow”. 2012 Report on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, Abridged, Unesco: Paris.
UNESCO (2015). “Rethinking Education Towards a global common good?”. UNESCO Publishing, Available: http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Steering committee on education for Sustainable Development (2011). Discussion paper on the role of education for sustainable development in shifting to a green economy geneva.
Von Blottnitz, H., Case, J.M. & Fraser, D.M. (2015). “Sustainable development at the core of undergraduate engineering curriculum reform: a new introductory course in chemical engineering”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 300-307.
Washington, H. (2015). “Demystifying sustainability, towards real solutions”. Publisher: Routledge.
Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
Volume 7, Issue 1
October 2018
Pages 19-36

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics