Creating Creating sustainable futures/CSF102/Introduction
In this micro course you’ll learn some powerful tools to assess and benchmark a baseline position of current performance. The focus is on finding ways to engage others in the process that will also raise their understanding of the issues, and enable them to begin seeing opportunities of sustainable practices.
Referring the Natural Step’s ABCD model, this Micro Course is focused on Step B (whereas The inspiring challenge of sustainable development CSF101 Micro Course concentrated on the Awareness part of Step A). The Strategic Planning for Success Micro Course will look at the Vision part of Step A, and Micro Course 4 will look Steps C and D.
Course metrics
Notional learning hours: 40 hours.
Duration: 2 weeks, 10 hours per week.
Assessment: 20 hours.
Formal credit option: Yes, 4 credits of a 15-credit course towards a 120-credit credential at Otago Polytechnic.
Course: One of four micro courses for Creating Sustainable Futures.
Credential: The following articulation pathways are available:
- Certificate in Sustainable Practice at Otago Polytechnic.
- MVP award: Certificate of General Studies at Thompson Rivers University (4 credits)
Level: 1st year Bachelor Degree Level.
What's it about
Good strategy uses the tension created between two points - a current state and a desired future - to discover and agree creative ways of moving from one to the other. Ultimately, we need to design a future for our society that is aligned with the principles for life. By understanding the current unsustainable paradigm and the design flaws that perpetuate it, we can begin to envision a future that is designed for life to flourish and focus our attention on allowing that future to emerge.
What will I learn?
In this micro course you will:
- Learn about the Funnel model to understand and conceptualise the shift from unsustainability to sustainability and a restorative future.
- Gain understanding of that we have planetary boundaries.
- Gain understanding of our Ecological footprint as a measure of impact.
- Gain understanding of our Hand print as a measure of restorative value.
- Be able to identify what’s behind the trends affecting your business/organisation/community.
- Be able to analyse the likely outcomes from these trends.
- Be able to identify existing assets and platforms that can support new initiatives.
- Gain understanding of common organisational management systems that provide structure and accountability.
- Be able to identify how an organisation, project or community is currently contributing to unsustainable impacts.
- Begin to articulate the challenges that need to be addressed in strategic planning to move towards sustainable practices.
- Gain understanding of the importance of recognising how others can help or hinder your sustainability goals.
- Learn how to identify potential partners and collaborators that can help address complex sustainability challenges.
What's involved?
There are 5 sessions each containing numerous resources and 6 learning challenges, the last one being an assessment. The sessions are:
- Understanding the challenge
- Identifying trends and drivers of change
- Assets inventory - setting a baseline
- Identifying sustainability impacts - positive and negative
- Evaluating key relationships
The micro-course can be completed in 40 hours, assessments included.
What prerequisites should I have, if any?
Anyone is free to participate in this course. An internet connection and basic web browsing skills are recommended with the ability to create a blog and microblog account (instructions and self-study tutorials provided.) You are requested to keep a personal learning journal as reflection has been shown to increase learning markedly.
Learners aiming to submit assessments for formal academic credit will need to meet the normal university admission requirements of the conferring institution (e.g. language proficiency and school leaving certificates). Learners aiming for the 3rd year Bachelor level are advised to have completed the majority of their 2nd year level subjects to have sufficient capability and experience for preparing assignments for 3rd year level of Bachelor study.
Each micro-course uses the knowledge gained in the previous one. The following prerequisites are recommended:
| Course | Prerequisite |
|---|---|
| CSF101 | None |
| CSF102 | CSF101 |
| CSF103 | CSF101, CSF102 |
| CSF104 | CSF101, CSF102, CSF103 |
