Shape learning outcomes
CBL-based courses already provide a possibility to work on disciplinary competences, research design skills, professional skills and professional identity development by their design (Valencia, et al., 2021). However, while CBL courses could often address sustainability-related challenges, this alone does not guarantee that students will develop competencies that are necessary for throughtful sustainability transition. Such competencies might revolve around understanding and acting on our environmental responsibility, and are often transversal. For a truly integrated sustainability-focussed education, these competencies require intentional emphasis in the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) to ensure they are effectively achieved.
Competency Frameworks for Sustainability
There are several competency frameworks available that can help you identify and select key focal transversal competencies that you want your students to develop in your course. The TU/e Personal & Professional Development (P&PD) framework, adopted to support student holistic development, outlines a number of competencies highly revelant for Sustainability education. These competencies, for example, include "Self and Social Awareness", "Taking Responsibility", "Reflecting", "Dealing with Uncertainty", and "Systems Thinking".
Outside of the TU/e context, the most common competency frameworks supporting sustainability thinking and acting, which could also be translated into ILOs are:
- Inner Development Goals (IDG): The IDG Framework simplifies a complex field of human development to help us better integrate, understand, communicate and develop the inner skills needed for Sustainable Development. These focus on Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating and Acting.
- Green Comp - The European Sustainability competence framework: The areas of focus are the following: embodying sustainability values, embracing complexity in sustainability, envisioning sustainable futures, acting for sustainability.
Generating Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
After selecting the key competencies, the following frameworks may support you in formulating them into well-defined and measurable intended learning outcomes.