Integrating the concept of sustainability into the classroom using online resources

Abstract

When the United Nations Member States adopted 17 integrated Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, it created a complex set of values that challenged governments, corporations, and non-government organizations. In turn it challenged institutions of higher education to adjust learning content and methodology to prepare their students for the realities of tomorrow. Several authors (for example, Kopnina, 2016; Margarita Jua´rez-Na´jera et al, 2005; and JA Aragon-Correa, et al, 2017) and institutions of higher learning (for example, the Australian Council of Environmental Deans and Directors; Vanderbilt University; and Harvard University) offer guidance in how to incorporate lessons on sustainability into the curriculum. Future leaders with a better understanding of sustainability and its impact on economic, social, and environmental elements will have a competitive advantage over their peers regardless of their career choice. The purpose of this presentation is to provide examples of resources that may be found online and how they may be used in the classroom whether it is face-to-face or virtual. The examples show a variety of formats, illustrate different industries, represent different geographic and social environments, and provide an illustration of how the author might use the resource. While the emphasis of these examples is on the corporate world, they are easily transferable to public administration and non-governmental organizations.