About the CDI

Beginning as a professional development workshop in 2015 and originally titled 'Greening the Curriculum', the Sustainability Course Development Institute (CDI) is an annual event co-hosted by the Office of Sustainability, the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness, the Sustainability Education Research Institute, and the School of Environment and Sustainability. The event is designed for faculty members in higher education who are looking to integrate sustainability perspectives into their own new or existing courses.

Issues in sustainability are proving increasingly relevant across a wide range of fields. By including sustainability perspectives in a variety of subjects and courses, there is the potential to educate a larger number of students on these important issues that will remain relevant throughout their lives. The Course Development Institute assists faculty interested in integrating sustainability into their curriculum by providing:

  • Context for sustainability education
  • Curriculum development support
  • Criteria for sustainability in the curriculum
  • Collegial support and discussion
  • Access to resources and curriculum development funds

2017

The 2017 Sustainability Course Development Institute will occur on the following schedule in May:

May 2 9:00 am - 12:00 pm All participants attend together
May 4 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (lunch provided) Participants grouped by specialization: Sustainability, Indigenization, or Open Pedagogies
May 9 9:00 am - 12:00 pm All participants attend together
May 11 9:00 am - 12:00 pm All participants attend together

To prepare for each face-to-face session, participants will view online material and complete some activities in advance. Details about online material and activities will be provided on acceptance to CDI. In the sessions, participants will have the chance to work on their courses and discuss session topics with the assistance of members of the GMCTE staff. Participants will also share what they are working on with each other to gain valuable feedback.

Location: TBD

General Admission: Free to U of S educators. 

Requirements

  • Attendance at all four sessions.

  • Weekly participation in the online discussion board.

  • Weekly exploration of online videos and other resources.

  • Completion of all assignments, due weekly.

  • A final reflective piece will need to be completed two weeks after the last CDI session.

  • Two additional consultations between the CDI instructors and the participants will be arranged after CDI and prior to the start of the term to check-in on how these courses are proceeding and answer participants questions that have come up since the CDI.

Registration

To register, please visit the Gwenna Moss Centre's web page for registration details.

2016

The 2016 Sustainability Course Development Institute will be held Monday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 3. It is the first year it has been given full CDI support by the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness and is the beginning of its annual presence at the University of Saskatchewan. Faculty members from all fields or insitutions are invited to attend.

Date: May 2 - 3, 2015

Time: 8:30am - 4:30 pm

Location: Kirk Hall 146 (117 Science Pl.), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.

General Admission: $500. Greening the Curriculum is opened to all post-secondary faculty interested in attending. 

External applicants interested in attending should contact the University of Saskatchewan’s Office of Sustainability at sustainability@usask.ca. Openings are limited, so please book placements as soon as possible in order to ensure a spot.

U of S Faculty Admission: FREE. University of Saskatchewan faculty may register free of charge. Contact the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness for more information.

 

2015

Details

Date: May 4 - 5, 2015

Time: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Greening the Curriculum has been scheduled to fit between the University of Saskatchewan’s Teaching Innovation Week (Apr. 27 – May 1) and the Regional Centre for Expertise in Sustainability Education’s Annual Recognition Event.

Location: Health Sciences Room 2334

Admission: Greening the Curriculum is opened to all post-secondary faculty interested in attending. University of Saskatchewan faculty may register for free, while general admission will be $500.

For U of S faculty interested in attending this event, please contact the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness to register for free.

External applicants interested in attending should contact the University of Saskatchewan’s Office of Sustainability at sustainability@usask.ca. Openings are limited, so please book placements as soon as possible in order to ensure a spot.

Workshop Facilitators

The workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Paul Rowland, a renowned leader of sustainability education in North America. Paul holds degrees in Biological Science, Education, Ecology, and a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction. He has served as the Dean of Education at the Universities of Montana and Idaho and most recently held the position of Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Paul now provides consulting services to colleges and universities that focus on strategic planning, curriculum development, and sustainability.