BUP Teachers' Course
The BUP Teachers’ Course aims to promote learning for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), in the learning methods in Higher Education. The emphasis is on teaching methodology by e-learning and two workshops. The course also includes a project part. The course organiser is The Baltic University Programme‘s Associate Secretariat at Åbo Akademi University, Finland.
Course aim and target group
The learning objective of the course is to understand and implement both in theory and practice how to integrate the Agenda 2030 and the UN SDG in the own teaching processes. The participants will be familiarised with the sustainable learning and teaching competences in Higher Education, and how to utilise ESD methodology.
The course emphasis especially the SDG number 4, Quality education, number 12 Responsible consumption and production, and number 13, Climate action, but all 17 SDGs are considered.
The course includes basic facts on sustainable development, with the main focus on ESD and teaching methodology, including e-learning, peer learning and work with an individual project. By planning, developing and presenting how each participant will better integrate ESD in their own teaching, the objective and outcome of the course is kept on a concrete level. The course also gives tools for feedback and critical reflection.
The target group is educators, teachers, and researchers in Higher Education within The Baltic University Programme (BUP). Applicants from universities and polytechnics outside the BUP are also welcome but they have to pay a fee. Persons from the BUP participating universities will have priority in the selection process.
Photo: Cecilia Lundberg
Course content
The course consists of five cycles. The participants will get an introduction to and use different methods and processes applied in the course cycles.
Each participant will develop a so-called 'Change project' during the course. The 'Change project' is based on an already existing course, study programme or a future teaching experience. The idea is to change the content to better integrate the ESD. The planning and implementation of the 'Change project' will be the main outcome of the course. All the participants will have support of a critical friend and peer reviews via the e-platform Moodle and during the workshops.
Cycle 1.
E-learning on Moodle. Introduction to sustainability and ESD. Preliminary planning of the 'Change project' (1 month, 0.5 ECTS).
Cycle 2.
Workshop I with focus on SDG, ESD methodology and Design Thinking. Presentation of the plans and further development of the 'Change project' (2-3 days in September/October, 1.5 ECTS).
Cycle 3.
Development of the 'Change project' at the home university. Preparation for presentation of the project (including implementation plan, teaching and learning methods). (October–February, 2 ECTS).
Cycle 4.
Workshop II with focus on critical reflection. Presentation, reporting and peer learning together with the course. Discussion how to take the 'Change project' forward. (2 days in February/March, 1.5 ECTS).
Cycle 5.
Post course work in implementation of the 'Change project' at the home university. Possibility to publish the project reports on the BUP website and/or in a scientific journal.
Credits
A complete fulfillment of the course will generate a certificate corresponding to 5 ECTS by the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Åbo Akademi University, Finland. 5 ECTS corresponds to 135 h and includes all the cycles/parts described above.
Contact
If you have questions about the course, do not hesitate to contact bup-finland@abo.fi.
Photo: Cecilia Lundberg