Experiential learning competencies for sustainable development education: A field case study from Eigg, Scotland

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a study focusing on the role of experiential learning pedagogy in higher education to evaluate how it can contribute to ­competency building for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The UNESCO competencies framework for ESD was used to evaluate the different learning attributes and assessed for competency building across a cohort of postgraduate students attending an experiential outdoor field course to the Isle of Eigg, Scotland. Results identify a wide range of competencies developed on the course, with collaborative, critical thinking, and normative competencies most prominent. Four connecting qualities shared across student interviews: place-­responsiveness, collaborative learning structure, real-world contexts, and critical reflection. Qualities of learning, as we argue, shifts the focus away from curriculum design solely for the attainment of abstract competencies, toward meaningful experiences where competencies can be identified through critical self-reflection by learners.