Increasing Sustainability Literacy for Environmental Design Students: A Transdisciplinary Learning Practice

Abstract

Nowadays, the urban water system is facing many challenges which affect the sustainable development of society. This requires higher education institutions to develop people with a diversity of knowledge and complex problem-solving capacities. This paper presents a practical case of transdisciplinary learning for junior students of environmental design at NingboTech University (Ningbo, China). The course “Environmental Engineering and Technology” ran from 1 March to 24 April 2022. A total of 25 students were instructed in the theories of urban water environmental engineering and then worked in groups to complete a design project for a river ecological restoration. The outcomes were analyzed from the perspective of combining engineering and landscape design. At the end of the course, students volunteered to take an online questionnaire about course evaluation. Students responded highly positively to the course, achieved growth in sustainability literacy, and developed skills in transdisciplinary learning. It also confirms the importance of outdoor education and project-based teaching. Additionally, the lowering of the requirement for mathematical skills through the internet tools usage and the formation of multidisciplinary teams are expected to improve future teaching outcomes. These results provide new insights for educators into the integration of the disciplines between design and engineering.