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Special Issue "Sustainability in Educational Travel and Environmental Protection"

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 November 2021.

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Brack W. Hale
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Guest Editor

Environmental Studies, Franklin University Switzerland, 6924 Sorengo, Switzerland
Interests: sustainability; educational travel; environmental impacts of tourism; plant ecology and conservation; GIS

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Educational travel has come a long way since the days of the Grand Tour and takes many forms, travelling to places near and far, and staying anywhere for an overnight trip all the way up to a full year. Educational travel programs are regarded as powerful tools to develop global citizens and teach students about the world in which they live. However, global challenges to sustainability such as climate change, the divide between the Global North and South, and COVID-19 are forcing educational institutions to re-examine the role of educational travel and how it functions. In this Special Issue, we want to examine:

How educational travel can be a vehicle to teach students about sustainability and protecting the environment;
How educational travel can itself threaten sustainability and the environment and what strategies are programs developing to counteract this; and
How educational travel can contribute to a more sustainable and greener world, through approaches such as citizen science, student research, and service learning.

Prof. Dr. Brack W. Hale
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Educational travel
Sustainable travel
Sustainable transport
Education for sustainability
Environmental protection
Conservation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Educating for the Environment: The Role of the Host Destination in Education Travel Programs

Brack W. Hale

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8351; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158351 - 27 Jul 2021

Viewed by 288

Abstract

The benefits from educational travel programs (ETPs) for students have been well-documented in the literature, particularly for programs looking at sustainability and environmental issues. However, the impacts the ETPs have on the destinations that host them have been less frequently considered; most of these studies focus, understandably, on destinations in the Global South. This paper draws on a framework of sustainable educational travel to examine how ETPs affect their host destinations in two case study destinations, based on the author’s professional experience in these locations, interviews with host organizations that use the lens of the pandemic, and information from government databases. The findings highlight an awareness of the sustainability of the destination, the importance of good, local partnerships with organizations well-connected in their communities, and educational activities that can benefit both students and hosts. Nonetheless, we have a long way to go to understand the full impacts of ETPs on their host destinations and thus truly learn to avoid them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Educational Travel and Environmental Protection)

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Open AccessArticle

A Paradigm Shift in International Service-Learning: The Imperative for Reciprocal Learning

Lynn Gregory

Kathleen Schroeder

and

Cynthia Wood

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4473; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084473 - 16 Apr 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 399

Abstract

The US-based authors argue that the practice of what we currently call “international service-learning” does not generally achieve its most important goals in the context of the global South, especially those based on the development of mutually beneficial relationships with host communities. The primary impediments to achieving this goal in any interaction between students and vulnerable peoples are: (1) the belief that a student’s reflection on their experience is sufficient, both to evaluate community impact and to promote student learning; (2) the assumption that service always has positive results; and most critically; (3) the concept of service itself. While something new and positive can be created to replace international service-learning, the changes required to do so are so fundamental that the result will be something completely different from the way that international service-learning is conducted today. We argue for the need to reframe international service-learning with a focus on reciprocal learning or risk continuing to function as a neocolonial practice with likely harm to communities and to our students as we engage in practices that reify global inequality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Educational Travel and Environmental Protection)

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Impact of Study Abroad on Sustainability-Related Attitudes and Behaviors

Hongping Zhang

and

Heather J. Gibson

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041953 - 11 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 870

Abstract

Using study abroad as a vehicle for sustainable education is a growing trend. However, an examination of the impact of study abroad on participants’ sustainability-related attitudes and behaviors years after their programs is scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how a short-term sustainability themed study abroad program impacted students’ sustainability-related attitudes and behaviors. Since long-term personal development and change of attitudes are complex and multidimensional, a qualitative approach was used allowing participants to share their experiences and reflections on the process of learning and internalizing sustainability. A total of 31 study abroad participants were interviewed (20 to 33 years of age) and a grounded theory method was used throughout the study. Participants’ behavioral changes were identified, and the specific study abroad program designs that were associated with such changes were identified and discussed. The three behavioral changes identified by the participants were lifestyle, professional development, and responsible travel behaviors. The effective program design elements include emotion, cognition, and action. Furthermore, the findings suggested revisions to the Value–Belief–Norm model in that more motives should be added whereas, weight of responsibility might need to be reevaluated. This study contributes to the educational tourism and sustainability literature with practical implications for program design, and a better understanding of students’ long-term learning outcomes regarding sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Educational Travel and Environmental Protection)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Teaching Environmental Sustainability while Transforming Study Abroad

Jacqueline S. McLaughlin

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010050 - 23 Dec 2020

Viewed by 845

Abstract

Environmental issues are of especially great importance to younger individuals, such as university students. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are a proven methodology for transforming short-term study abroad to yield higher impact and quality student outcomes, especially as they relate to teaching environmental sustainability. This paper offers a review of tested pedagogical frameworks, provides evidence to substantiate this statement from assessment data, and offers insights on how to develop and implement an international CURE. It also shares how embedding CUREs into innovative and high-quality short-term study abroad experiences can work to positively transform the post COVID-19 era of short-term study abroad. Several case studies are presented that document how students’ hands-on involvement in developing questions about real-world sustainability issues, devising and carrying out group research, and presenting their findings affect their acquisition of scientific skills and a sustainability-oriented mindset. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Educational Travel and Environmental Protection)

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