Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Embedded Courses as Collaborative Pedagogical Tools: Fostering Sustainability and Global Engagement in Higher Education
Rachna Tewari, Melanie Miller Foster, Elsa Sanchez, Daniel Foster, Isaac Lepcha, Eric Pelren, Stan Dunagan, Bethany Wolters, and Joey Mehlhorn
ABSTRACT:
Higher education institutions can significantly enhance the preparedness of current students to become future experts capable of navigating the world’s uncertainties and challenges.
Beyond technical training and expertise in the subject matter, it is pertinent to incorporate programs to promote global engagement and awareness among students as they prepare for their careers. This paper presents the efforts to conceptualize and develop a collaborative embedded course to foster sustainability and global engagement among college students. The course was created as part of a broader initiative to strengthen capacity for sustainability-focused outreach, education, and research between two partnering higher education institutions in the United States. We outline the pedagogical framework and methodology used in modeling an embedded course, which included a global travel study component. We also discuss learnings, logistical challenges, and potential solutions that enabled successful execution. A vital element of the course was the collaborative planning of the course materials and assessment of the learning objectives by faculty teams. Faculty also collaborated on course design and delivery, travel planning, risk management, student recruitment, and budgeting. We conclude by sharing experiences from faculty and students in the semester-long team-taught course, which culminated with an international travel study to Central America. This project’s insights highlight the value of cross-institutional collaboration in fostering innovative teaching practices, enhancing student confidence, and building teamwork skills.
Keywords: collaborative, curriculum, education, embedded, sustainability