Moving Universities: A Case Study on the Use of Unconferencing for Facilitating Sustainability Learning in a Swiss University

Sustainability

Patricia Wolf²  Peter Troxler¹ 

[1] unbla.org, Hügelstrasse 40, CH-8002 Zürich, Switzerland; E-Mail:;Department of Management, Technology, and Economics (D-MTEC), Center for Organizational and Occupational Sciences, Kreuzplatz 5, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland

关键词: unconferencing;    group processes;    mutual learning;    organizational learning;    sustainability learning;    sustainable university;    CO₂ emissions;    CO₂ reduction;    sustainable development;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su3060875

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Unconferencing is a method for organizing social learning which could be suitable to trigger sustainability learning processes. An unconference is defined as participant-driven meeting that tries to avoid one or more aspects of a conventional conference, such as top-down organization, one-way communication and power-relationships based on titles, formal hierarchies and status. This paper presents a case study on the application of unconferencing in a large Swiss university (ETH Zurich) where an unconference was conducted to engage students, academics, staff and external experts in a mutual learning process aimed at the development of project ideas for reducing its CO₂ emissions. The study analyzes how the unconferencing format initiated and promoted sustainability oriented group processes during the unconference, and in how far the projects which were developed contributed to a reduction of the university's CO₂ emissions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.