536
T. F. Ng et al.
Fig. 1 USM’s sustainability integration model
from around the world. At the end of the course, students are anticipated to be
equipped with the skills needed for developing sustainability-oriented programmes.
The course which was first introduced and offered in 2012 has been receiving encouraging response from students as average enrolment of 500 students is recorded every
semester.
There are several studies to gauge the effectiveness of sustainability related courses
worldwide. A study by Segalas et al. (2010) on the effect of sustainability courses
offered to engineering students from five European universities concluded that students who previously viewed sustainable development as largely technologically
related, started to consider social and attitudinal approaches to sustainability after
attending the course. In another study, Connell et al. (2012) have revealed improvements in term of thinking skills with regards to sustainability among undergraduates
attending sustainability-related curriculum. A study by May (2015) which focuses
on a variety of perspectives, lectures and diverse instruction methods during the Climate Change Leadership course held at Uppsala University, Sweden were found to
be the core contributor to effective strategies for success in sustainability education.
Nonetheless, a study by Tuncer (2008) which compared the perception of two groups
of students; with only one group enrolled in the environment-related course, did not
find any significant difference between them.
Since the inception of WSU 101 into the university curriculum, not even a single
study has been carried out to determine the impact of the course on students. Worryingly, the culture of rote learning among Malaysian students has been highlighted in
several literatures which in particular denotes the students ability to only pose lesscritical and factual questions in class due to the exam-oriented nature of education
system in Malaysia (Hussin 2006; Idrus 2007; Campbell 2011). Several literatures
T. F. Ng et al.
Fig. 1 USM’s sustainability integration model
from around the world. At the end of the course, students are anticipated to be
equipped with the skills needed for developing sustainability-oriented programmes.
The course which was first introduced and offered in 2012 has been receiving encouraging response from students as average enrolment of 500 students is recorded every
semester.
There are several studies to gauge the effectiveness of sustainability related courses
worldwide. A study by Segalas et al. (2010) on the effect of sustainability courses
offered to engineering students from five European universities concluded that students who previously viewed sustainable development as largely technologically
related, started to consider social and attitudinal approaches to sustainability after
attending the course. In another study, Connell et al. (2012) have revealed improvements in term of thinking skills with regards to sustainability among undergraduates
attending sustainability-related curriculum. A study by May (2015) which focuses
on a variety of perspectives, lectures and diverse instruction methods during the Climate Change Leadership course held at Uppsala University, Sweden were found to
be the core contributor to effective strategies for success in sustainability education.
Nonetheless, a study by Tuncer (2008) which compared the perception of two groups
of students; with only one group enrolled in the environment-related course, did not
find any significant difference between them.
Since the inception of WSU 101 into the university curriculum, not even a single
study has been carried out to determine the impact of the course on students. Worryingly, the culture of rote learning among Malaysian students has been highlighted in
several literatures which in particular denotes the students ability to only pose lesscritical and factual questions in class due to the exam-oriented nature of education
system in Malaysia (Hussin 2006; Idrus 2007; Campbell 2011). Several literatures