ABSTRACT
One of the surprising findings in my research that launched the idea of a specific sustainability mindset was that the individuals interviewed showed an unusual level of comfort with slowing down and switching from an action-oriented-mode to a reflective mode.
Problems and difficult situations that are puzzling or hard to explain are the best opportunities for reflection and learning, which is what makes this Principle so key for the current challenging times, which are definitively problematic.
At the same time, the students populating our classrooms operate at a different velocity. Their attention spans are brief, and they prefer multitasking rather than focusing on one topic at a time. This entails a more superficial treatment of the contents. They may be more comfortable in action—“doing,” as opposed to the more sedentary reflecting since the former provides a sense of forward movement or progress. Yet rapid actions are not necessarily thoughtful actions. And this is precisely what got us into trouble. This Principle helps educators find ways to develop more reflective, insightful individuals.
