| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.37 |
| Liaison | Michelle McCollum |
| Submission Date | Nov. 18, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
George Brown College
AC-1: Academic Courses
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
14.00 / 14.00 |
Sandra
Neill Curriculum Analyst Academic Excellence |
Figures required to calculate the percentage of courses with sustainability content::
| Undergraduate | Graduate | |
| Total number of courses offered by the institution | 1,925 | 0 |
| Number of sustainability courses offered | 144 | 0 |
| Number of courses offered that include sustainability | 478 | 0 |
Number of academic departments (or the equivalent) that offer at least one sustainability course and/or course that includes sustainability (at any level):
Date Revised: Jan. 26, 2015
Total number of academic departments (or the equivalent) that offer courses (at any level):
Date Revised: Jan. 26, 2015
Number of years covered by the data:
A copy of the institution’s inventory of its course offerings with sustainability content (and course descriptions):
An inventory of the institution's course offerings with sustainability content (and course descriptions):
The website URL where the inventory of course offerings with sustainability content is publicly available:
A brief description of the methodology the institution followed to complete the course inventory:
In May 2014, the Green Team completed a large-scale update of its first Sustainability-Across-the-Curriculum audit. We now know which programs already provide a framework for learning that emphasizes environmental, social and/or economic sustainability skills, knowledge and attitudes, particularly as these relate to a student’s own field of study. We know precisely in which courses this learning takes place, based on course learning outcomes, and we know how much of each type of sustainability learning (environmental, social, economic) is taking place within each course, program and Centre.
Methods
1. Develop framework to capture data on the integration of sustainability themes within program outcomes and course learning outcomes.
2. Define terms and concepts:
a) Developed George Brown College definition of the three pillars of sustainability:
- Social sustainability is concerned with practices that promote social justice, conflict resolution, access, human well-being, social equity, diversity, intercultural fluency, quality of life, global citizenship, and community building.
- Environmental Sustainability is concerned with reducing human consumption of resources and mitigating human impact on the natural environment.
- Economic sustainability views healthy local and national economies as fundamental elements of liveable, equitable and prosperous communities.
b) Definitions of “Skills for Sustainability: (Reference Centre Centre for Sustainable Futures, Teaching & Learning Directorate (Plymouth University, UK); Learning for Sustainability” (Reference: Curriculum for the Bioregion Initiative, Washington Centre for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education); and the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and University’s (MTCU) Sustainability Defining Skills (Knibbs, 2012).
c) Defined Sustainability Courses: as courses with three or more learning outcomes related to environmental, economic and/or social sustainability.
d) Defined Courses that include Sustainability: as courses with 1 – 2 sustainability related learning outcomes.
3. Identify key words, phrases and topics associated with general and discipline-oriented social, environmental and economic sustainability.
4. Search for and score the presence or absence (1/0) of sustainability themes within program- and course-level learning outcomes. Where sustainability themes were found, the audit also captured the type (environmental, social and/or economic sustainability).
Date Revised: Jan. 26, 2015
How did the institution count courses with multiple offerings or sections in the inventory?:
A brief description of how courses with multiple offerings or sections were counted (if different from the options outlined above):
Which of the following course types were included in the inventory?:
| Yes or No | |
| Internships | Yes |
| Practicums | Yes |
| Independent study | Yes |
| Special topics | Yes |
| Thesis/dissertation | No |
| Clinical | Yes |
| Physical education | Yes |
| Performance arts | Yes |
Does the institution designate sustainability courses in its catalog of course offerings?:
Does the institution designate sustainability courses on student transcripts?:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Numbers based on Courses available to Audit: 1925 (vs total number of courses: 2156)
Numbers based on Courses available to Audit: 1925 (vs total number of courses: 2156)
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.