Discussing Good Ideas, Bad Ideas, and the Things in Between about Sustainability Education with International Experts – Launching the Sustainability Education Podcast
About the Sustainability Education Podcast
Hello and a warm welcome to this brand-new Sustainability Education Podcast. In sustainability education, ideas and assumptions exist that sound plausible, but that are at least questionable or even dangerous at a closer look (Siegel, 2024). In this podcast, I want to discuss myths and facts about sustainability education, and the things in between. For this purpose, I invite world-leading experts on environmental and sustainability education, educational psychology and myth and misinformation research. (trailer of the podcast)
The Sustainability Education Podcast is Part of the Project MYTHSE
This podcast is part of the research project Identifying, Understanding, and Challenging Myths in and about Sustainability Education (MYTHSE). MYTHSE aims to explore and establish the field of identifying and challenging myths in sustainability education (Siegel, 2024). The second preregistered study within this project focuses on conducting interviews with internationally-renowned scholarly experts from fields like sustainability education, cognitive psychology, and misinformation research (Von Soest, 2023). To facilitate transparency, accessibility, and broader societal impact, the interviews will be published as open educational resources in the form of this science podcast (Cook, 2023; Dernbach, 2022).
Episode 1 — Featuring David W. Orr
Our first episode features an interview with David W. Orr, an eminent figure in environmental studies and politics. David Orr, the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics emeritus at Oberlin College and currently a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, has significantly contributed to the field through his work and publications. His books include amongst others Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect (Orr, 2004) or Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse (Orr, 2012).
In this episode, Orr shares his insights on sustainability education, the role of educational institutions, and the need for cultural and educational change to tackle climate change and environmental degradation. (But listen for yourself.)
Join the Conversation
I invite you to listen to the Sustainability Education Podcast on all major platforms. If you found this episode or the coming ones helpful, please leave a like or a comment so that others can better find this podcast. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts. You can leave a review on Spotify or our website, and reach out with comments or topic requests via email at stefan.siegel@unisg.ch. The episodes can be downloaded, commented on, reused, and integrated into courses.
Behind the Scenes
I recorded most of the episodes of the EARLI Research Stories Podcast, the other science podcast that I host and produce in professional studies, for instance at the media lab at the University of St Gallen (Siegel & Odermatt, 2023). The Sustainability Education Podcast is, in contrast, recorded and post-produced at my own desk — following the philosophy of David Lohner, a colleague and friend of mine: The desk as a studio.
📚 Reference, Further Reading, and Resources
- Cook, I. M. (2023). Scholarly Podcasting: Why, What, How? Routledge.
- Dernbach, B. (2022). Hineinhören in die wunderbare Welt der Wissenschaft. Podcasts als Medium der Wissenschaftskommunikation. In Podcasts. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-38712-9_12
- Orr, D. W. (2004). Earth in mind: On education, environment, and the human prospect. Island Press.
- Orr, D. W. (2012). Down to the wire: Confronting climate collapse. Oxford Univ. Press.
- Siegel, S. T. (2024). Project MYTHSE: Identifying, Understanding, and Challenging Myths in and about Sustainability Education. Academic Poster, oikos Sustainability Week 2024. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/119628
- Siegel, S. T., & Odermatt, F. (2023). Behind the Scenes of the EARLI Research Stories Podcast. EARLI Blogpost. https://www.earli.org/assets/files/2023-EARLI-Research-Stories-Podcast-Behind-the-Scenes-Blog-Dr.-Stefan-T.-Siegel.pdf
- Von Soest, C. (2023). Why Do We Speak to Experts? Reviving the Strength of the Expert Interview Method. Perspectives on Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592722001116
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Dr. Stefan T. Siegel (June 1, 2024). Discussing Good Ideas, Bad Ideas, and the Things in Between about Sustainability Education with International Experts – Launching the Sustainability Education Podcast. Evidence-informed Sustainability Education (EvSusEd). Retrieved December 2, 2024 from https://doi.org/10.58079/12m7w
