Georgia Tech’s new strategic plan highlights the Institute’s commitment to empower students as agents of change, prepared to “help define and address the most critical problems of our time, locally and globally.” Incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our teaching can help students make connections between their disciplinary knowledge and skills and the world’s most pressing challenges. These “real world” connections also often make course content more relevant to students, enhancing motivation.
The SDG Curriculum Project of the RCE Greater Atlanta Higher Education Learning Community invites faculty at Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and Kennesaw State University to a virtual workshop designed to help instructors incorporate the SDGs into their teaching. The UN SDGs, pictured above, are a set of 17 broad and interconnected goals that address the global challenges we face. We argue that the SDGs can be incorporated into any course, regardless of discipline.
During the first portion of the workshop, participants will hear from three faculty members (at Georgia State, Spelman College, and Georgia Tech) about how they have incorporated the SDGs into their courses. Then, we will break into small groups that have been organized according to the goals of workshop participants. Facilitators with experience in course design and teaching with the SDGs will provide support and resources as faculty work on integrating SDGs into their own lessons, units, and/or courses. These work sessions will help faculty make progress toward their SDG course integration goals, whether new to the SDGs or experienced and wanting to do more.
Last February (2020) the Atlanta Global Studies Center, Georgia Tech’s Center for Teaching and Learning, and Serve-Learn-Sustain at Georgia Tech offered an introductory SDG workshop Think Globally, Teach Locally. This year’s workshop is designed both for faculty who participated last year and those who may be brand new to the SDGs. A short questionnaire in the registration form will help us understand participants needs and organize the breakout groups appropriately.
Registration deadline is February 5th, 2021.
Workshop Presenters:
Shatakshee Dhongde, Associate Professor, Director for Graduate Teaching and Training, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology
Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, Assistant Professor, Environmental & Health Sciences, Spelman College
Richard Milligan, Assistant Professor, Faculty Advisor for Dual Degree Program, Geosciences, Georgia State University
Workshop Organizers:
Michael Black, Senior Lecturer, Neuroscience and Urban Studies Institute, Georgia State University
Rebecca Watts Hull, Service Learning and Partnerships Specialist, Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain, Georgia Institute of Technology
Ryan Keesee, Asst. Director of Civic Engagement, Department of Student Leadership and Service, Kennesaw State University
Evan Mallen, Postdoctoral Scholar, Center for Teaching and Learning, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sebnem Ozkan, Associate Director, the Atlanta Global Studies Center, Georgia Institute of Technology