Beyza KARADENİZ, Meltem BARUT, Ceren ÜNLÜ ÖZTÜRK, Pelin TATLI
Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, TURKEY.
Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, TURKEY.
Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, TURKEY.
Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, TURKEY.
DOI: 10.14689/ejer.2021.92.3
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study attempts to assess the status of sustainability across Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Undergraduate programs in Turkey by (1) examining the contents of sustainability courses, and (2) acquiring more information about how the courses are taught and evaluated.
Research Methods: The study is based on a document analysis of course syllabuses, which are documents including course description, course objectives, course content, reading materials, recommended textbooks, and evaluation techniques. The course syllabuses are examined using both descriptive and content analysis. With the descriptive analysis, the current status, teaching and evaluation methods, and teaching instruments are identified; with the content analysis, common themes are defined.
Findings: The results showed that sustainability was taught through different themes, including economic, environmental, and social contexts which are fundamental in URP undergraduate education. The most frequently recurring themes included tourism and conservation, alongside ecology, planning, urban ecology, and environmental issues. It was found that themes such as urban and sustainable planning, improvement, and development all had roots in the theme of sustainability. In contrast, it was also noticed that economy/economics, while important, was barely touched.
Implications for Research and Practice: In this study, the findings regarding how sustainability is currently covered in URP undergraduate programs across Turkey have been systematically presented with the expectations that this contributes to curriculum development overall and in a better way.
Keywords: urban and regional planning undergraduate program, sustainability courses, pedagogical methods, content analysis, course syllabus.