Bridging the gap: from scientific research into real-world practices

Why can’t the teachers simply read the PDF? This question arises when we are discussing the goal of sharing the latest scientific research findings on climate change with higher education. Scientific research on sustainability and the environment must have practical implications and a tangible impact on society. For example, the urgency of climate change and environmental degradation demands that research move beyond theoretical frameworks to solutions actionable in communities, industries, and individual professionals’ daily decision-making.

The study we refer to here is drawn from the field of carbon-smart urban green infrastructure in cities. The goal is to translate scientific discoveries into novel procedures and practices in the design of urban landscapes. These include the creation of landscapes that sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and improve resilience to climate extremes. The ambitious goal is to significantly reduce carbon footprints, mitigate the effects of climate change, and promote sustainable living. (CO-CARBON, n.d.)

Transforming theoretical knowledge into actionable know-how

Higher education institutions (HEIs) and their educators are pivotal in advancing new carbon-smart competencies in green building and landscape design degree programmes. Transitioning from theoretical knowledge to practical expertise is critical for preparing students to address contemporary environmental challenges effectively.

The acquisition of new knowledge, new ways of thinking, and new ways of working does not occur through the passive reading of a summary of scientific research. Instead, the knowledge must be actively elaborated, processed, and engaged. HEI teachers must guide their students in sorting out scientific suggestions’ meaning and relevance in their future profession. It is essential to reflect on the following: What must we do differently in green building and landscape design than in earlier times? Why? How? HEI teachers must, therefore, re-formulate scientific knowledge into pedagogically sound designs that foster deep approach learning methodologies.

How do we learn?

Educators must create curricula integrating core scientific principles with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities to achieve this. By incorporating real-world problems and case studies into their teaching, educators assist students in comprehending the complexities and interdisciplinary nature of sustainability issues. This approach enhances students’ understanding and educates them with the requisite skills to develop innovative, research-based solutions in green building and landscape design.

In addition, educators should implement active learning strategies, such as project-based learning, collaborative workshops, and community-engaged research projects. For example, designing the outdoor spaces of a carbon-smart campus or renovating a building to reduce its carbon footprint can serve as capstone projects that synthesise learning across multiple disciplines.

An exciting aspect of the renewal of teaching content and methods is the collaboration between educators and students with external entities, such as companies and public sector organisations, during their internships. The HEI trainee may bring new practices to the workplace for reflection and implementation. In this case, collaboration with a HEIs allows companies to acquire new knowledge and update their professional practices. Ideally, this creates a learning ecosystem where new knowledge is refined and disseminated through active collaboration between HEIs and different organisations of practice.

In CO-CARBON project cooperation between companies and social organisations was considered at an early stage. The companies were involved in the research from the beginning, consulted on the preliminary results, and asked about their current knowledge needs and wishes for the research.

From ego-system to eco-system awareness

At the Pedaforum 2024 conference (Pedaforum, n.d), we had the opportunity to discuss with university pedagogical developers the incorporation of new scientific knowledge into university teaching and learning. Participants recognised very well the need to transform scientific knowledge into actionable knowledge in order to keep curricula fresh and relevant.

In the same forum, we were also inspired by the thinking of a keynote speaker, Otto Scharmer. In line with his suggestions, we discussed how educators can further enrich societal transformation by fostering a learning environment that encourages deep listening, reflective dialogue, and co-creative processes. Scharmer and Pomeroy (2024) emphasise the importance of shifting from ego-system awareness to eco-system awareness, which aligns perfectly with the broader goals of green building and landscape design education. However, this shift requires educators themselves to change their focus from developing students’ skills to developing their understanding of the interconnectedness of their future professions with the natural world and the wider community.