Vanasupa, L., & Thurman, C. J. (2018, June), Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems  Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--31154

\bibitem{asee_peer_31154}
  Vanasupa, L., \& Thurman, C. J. (2018, June), \emph{Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems}
  Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah.
  10.18260/1-2--31154

Linda Vanasupa and Carol J. Thurman.  "Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems".  2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah, 2018, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2018.  https://peer.asee.org/31154 Internet.  06 Aug, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_31154}
  Linda Vanasupa and Carol J. Thurman.
  "Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems".
  \emph{2018 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah, 2018, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2018.
  https://peer.asee.org/31154 Internet.  06 Aug, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_31154
author = "Linda Vanasupa and Carol J. Thurman"
title = "Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems"
booktitle = "2018 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition "
year = "2018"
month = "June"
address = "Salt Lake City, Utah"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/31154}
number = {10.18260/1-2--31154}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - We began this work with an intent to create an assessment strategy for community-engaged learning focused on sustainability. Through reviewing existing approaches, we discovered that the salient learning modality for such a purpose-transdisciplinarity-differs profoundly from traditional engineering education settings. Further, this form of community-engaged learning offers an authentic setting to develop many of the integrated student outcomes stated in the new engineering accreditation criteria. We contend that effective transdisciplinary learning is a means to the oft-stated goal of systemic transformation in engineering education, particularly for sustainability aims.  However, this complex, dynamic systems view of engineering education represents a radical departure from education-as-usual and thus requires a similarly radical departure from research- and assessment- -as-usual. It reflects a shift in the unit of analysis: from a singular focus on student learning outcomes to a broader view that captures learning at the transdisciplinary system level. It also requires a shift from assessing/judging student learning based on learning outcomes alone to that of navigating the learning process. This paper opens a dialogue on a compelling question for engineering education: How do we design and navigate dynamic systems of learning that themselves create sustainable communities?  We suggest an approach that includes monitoring system-level properties rather than a singular focus on the learning at the individual level. A review of literature reveals nascent alignment amongst researchers on core sustainability competencies needed for student learning, however, there is no consensus on systems-level learning approaches. Based on a literature review and lived experiences, we offer a unifying framework through a systems-level lens for essential properties of assessing community-engaged learning for sustainability: holistic, participatory and adaptive.  We also offer reflections on qualities of transdisciplinary research approaches that are coherent with complex dynamic systems and suggest future directions. 
AU  - Linda Vanasupa
AU  - Carol J. Thurman
CY  - Salt Lake City, Utah
DA  - 2018/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Transdisciplinarity for Sustainability: A Unifying Framework for Navigating Transformational Learning Systems
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/31154
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--31154
ER  -