Drawing Sustainability: Helping students to know what they know.

Traditionally individuals’ recognition of learning within education for sustainability has relied on tutors’ feedback and assignment grades. However, with the growing need for work-ready sustainability graduates within the business community, which is increasingly adopting the Sustainable Development Goals as the framework for a sustainable business future, calls for more innovative learning approaches that encourage students’ reflection and self-analysis to know what they know are emerging. In response a reflective and self-analytical learning activity has been implemented: drawing sustainability.

The paper presents findings from a three-year study into the effectiveness of engaging students in drawing sustainability. The study finds drawing sustainability has three potential outcomes. Firstly, it can encourage students to know what they know, which in turn can increase confidence and higher cognitive skills; both contribute to development of work-ready sustainability graduates. Secondly it can benchmark students’ learning, and thirdly it can encourage students to form an image of sustainability to reflect upon and relate personal sustainability practices to society and the environment.

This paper will be of interest to educators seeking reflective and self-analytical learning activities within Education for Sustainability that can encourage students to know what they know and use this knowledge to contribute to a sustainable future.