Collaborative Research: Engaged Interdisciplinary Learning in Sustainability (EILS): Enhancing STEM Education through Social and Technological Literacy

跨学科(99)可持续发展跨学科学习(EILS)项目旨在将新的教学方法、分析技能和应用技术融入对高等教育可持续发展至关重要的日常活动和实践中。该项目涉及工程学和社会科学教师之间的密切跨学科合作，通过创建和交付可持续发展工程和生态设计方面的一系列课程、实验室、教学方法和材料。EILS致力于发展“可持续发展科学和可持续发展研究”(S4)领域，并将其正式确定为一个新的跨学科领域。S4对于成功过渡到一个有效和公平地保护地球环境和生态的国家和世界至关重要。该项目对S4的做法依赖于技术-科学和社会科学领域的跨学科整合，重点是对当前和未来政策和实践中的工程、科学和社会科学要素进行研究和教学。该项目将新的教学方法应用于课程、实验室练习、实习、讲习班和认真评估教师和学生的成绩。该项目包括STEM教育、网络学习以及针对熟练专业人员教育的技术和社会扫盲元素。这门课程包括可再生能源系统、水资源、生态足迹、可持续农业、城市设计和生命周期分析的互动实验室，不同背景的学生都可以接触到这些实验室。大多数课程将包括一个服务学习项目，让不同学科的学生一起工作。这提供了学习工程设计和现实生活中的社会实施问题的机会。课程和联合课程材料由详细的教师手册补充，重点是以学习者为中心的教学方法，并辅之以形成性和同行评估战略以及可持续发展工程和生态设计手册。

Interdisciplinary (99)The Engaged Interdisciplinary Learning in Sustainability (EILS) project is designed to integrate new pedagogies, analytical skills and applied techniques to daily activities and practices critical to sustainability in the context of higher education. The project involves close interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty from engineering and social sciences, through creation and delivery of a series of courses, labs, teaching methods and materials in sustainability engineering and ecological design. EILS seeks to develop the field of "Sustainability Science and Sustainability Studies" (S4) and formalize it as a new intedisciplinary field. S4 is critical to a successful transition to a Nation and world that effectively and equitably protects the planet's environment and ecology. The project's approach to S4 rests on the interdisciplinary integration of technical-scientific and social science fields of inquiry, taking as its focus research into and teaching about the engineering, scientific and social science elements of current and future policy and practice. The project applies new pedagogical approaches in courses, laboratory exercises, internships, workshops and careful assessment of instructor and student achievements. The project includes elements of STEM education, cyberlearning, and technological and social literacy elements, directed toward education of skilled professionals. This curriculum includes interactive laboratories in renewable energy systems, water resources, ecological footprint, sustainable agriculture, urban design, and life-cycle analysis which are accessible to students with diverse backgrounds. Most courses will include a service learning project for students with different disciplines to work together. This provides the opportunity to learn about engineering design and real life social implementation issues. Course and co-curricular materials are supplemented by detailed instructor manuals with emphasis on learner-centered pedagogy supported by formative and peer assessment strategies and a Handbook for Sustainability Engineering and Ecological Design.