Geography 30, Geographic Perspectives on Sustainability and Human-Environment Systems, is an introductory undergraduate course at Penn State. I taught this course during summer 2009 (9 students) and fall 2009 (174 students, 2 TAs). I am also helping the Dutton Institute develop an online version of the course.
Syllabi: Summer 2009 (pdf) * Fall 2009 (pdf)
A core innovation in both versions of the course is a semester-long project in which students gained firsthand experience in the practice of sustainability and human-environment geography. Summer 2009 students conducted individual projects based on the performance of some activity they considered to have a positive impact on the environment. Fall 2009 students conducted group projects in conjunction with the Borough of State College, performing field studies in support of policy recommendations presented to the Borough.
At the end of the course project, students submit writing based on their project experience to the public forum of their choice. This lead to two publications from summer 2009 students (this and this) and about 50 publications for fall 2009 students (see this list). The project and public forum writing combine to show students how to be engaged in the practice of sustainability and also bring some course insights to the broader public.
My argument for such collaborative sustainability projects is elaborated in an op-ed Collaboration is key to sustainability published in the 1 Dec 2009 Centre Daily Times.
Created 24 Dec 2009 * Updated 8 Mar 2010