Mirroring, Gestaltswitching and transformative social learning: Stepping stones for developing sustainability competence

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify components and educational design principles for strengthening sustainability competence in and through higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that uses an exemplary autobiographical empirical case study in order to illustrate and support a line of reasoning.

Findings

A number of “Gestalts” of mind‐sets of sustainability competence and key elements of the learning processes needed for developing such competence have been identified.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers to consider sustainability competence from a transformative social learning perspective. The value of the paper lies in its potential to help teachers of university courses in re‐designing their educational processes with sustainability competence in mind.

Citation

Wals, A.E.J. (2010), "Mirroring, Gestaltswitching and transformative social learning: Stepping stones for developing sustainability competence", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 380-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371011077595