Connecting the 'who', the 'how', and the 'what': incorporating human development into environmental studies and social science curricula for transformative education

Pedagogy for environmental studies and the social sciences predominantly focuses on issues external to the individual. It tends to possess a "blind spot [that] concerns the inner place—the source—from which we operate when we act, communicate, perceive, or think. We can see what we do (results). We can see how we do it (process). But we usually are not aware of the who: the inner place or source from which we operate" (Scharmer, 2018:6). This disconnection poses a fundamental constraint on pedagogy for environmental studies and the social sciences. It obscures each student's understanding of themselves and their core values and their place in the world as it relates to the topics that they study, and it also stifles their personal growth and leadership capacity in effecting environmental and social change.

Theory U, an awareness-based change management method, connects interior and exterior conditions to build leadership capacity to address the root causes of social, environmental, and spiritual challenges. Developed by Otto Scharmer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, it has focused on individual, team, organizational, and systems changes. In this presentation, I will introduce the Theory U framework, share strategies for adopting a Theory U framework in environmental studies and social science courses, and explore opportunities and challenges in doing so. This exploratory presentation will speak to my previous experiment in applying elements of Theory U in my environmental studies course. I suggest that a curriculum informed by Theory U principles may transform undergraduate education by addressing critical divides between social, environmental, and spiritual challenges. In doing so, it may illuminate a way for students to strengthen their leadership capacity while learning about environmental and social issues.