Conferences are a great way to exchange ideas, communicate research findings, network, and more. However, as a teaching and learning community, we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of environmental sustainability. The 2008 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference organizers chose A World of Learning as its central theme, evoking the challenges and possibilities of internationalization and globalization in post-secondary settings and encouraging presenters to explore the impact of these trends in colleges and universities. As the conference program began to evolve, it became clear that the theme also represented an important opportunity to consider the ecological impact of this annual event. This paper examines the intent, outcomes, and implications of the initiative, illuminating the ways in which initiatives that, at first glance, appear logistical and material-based, are in fact better understood as changes in individual, community, departmental, and institutional values and practices. The potential of projects, such as this one, to function as co-curricular teaching and learning opportunities in promoting institutional change is also explored.
The Experiences of Some Early and Elementary Education Living-Learning Community Participants
