Teaching environmental sustainability while transforming study abroad

Abstract

Environmental issues are of especially great importance to younger individuals, such as university students. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are a proven methodology for transforming short-term study abroad to yield higher impact and quality student outcomes, especially as they relate to teaching environmental sustainability. This paper offers a review of tested pedagogical frameworks, provides evidence to substantiate this statement from assessment data, and offers insights on how to develop and implement an international CURE. It also shares how embedding CUREs into innovative and high-quality short-term study abroad experiences can work to positively transform the post COVID-19 era of short-term study abroad. Several case studies are presented that document how students’ hands-on involvement in developing questions about real-world sustainability issues, devising and carrying out group research, and presenting their findings affect their acquisition of scientific skills and a sustainability-oriented mindset.