University of California, San Diego
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

BENDING THE CURVE: CLIMATE EDUCATION FOR ALL COURSE DEVELOPMENT 

The “Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All” program was developed over the course of several years and implemented in 2023. This is a trans-disciplinary curriculum and multimedia content library designed to educate today's students on climate change literacy and solutions to accelerate resilience and climate justice for the planet's most vulnerable people. The program is designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of a wide range of audiences, including for-credit academic classrooms, pre-service and in-service teacher training, and adult continuing education contexts. This program builds off the success of the original program established in 2017, “Bending the Curve.” 

Positive outcomes from the “Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All” curriculum includes the creation of 40 modular units, each dedicated to a particular topic or practice area. All modules feature studio-produced video lectures, assignments and in-class activities, supplemental readings, and instructor resources. 

Two UC San Diego faculty members helped lead the development of the course program with support from the UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative. The faculty members are Fonna Forman, Professor of Political Science and Director and Center on Global Justice; and Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Climate Sciences and Physical Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 

For more information about the Bending the Curve: Climate Education for All course development, please visit: https://btc.ucsd.edu/#overview  

TEACHING + LEARNING COMMONS COMMUNITY ENGAGED LEARNING CHANGEMAKER FACULTY FELLOWSHIP   

The Teaching and Learning Commons Changemaker Faculty Fellows Program in Community Engaged Learning is an on-going faculty development program that provides an opportunity for selected faculty members to integrate community engaged learning (CEL) into their teaching, research, and public service. The program is designed to support faculty who are committed to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world through intentional activity that seeks to address social and environmental challenges. UC San Diego faculty members from any academic discipline are eligible to apply. 

Goals of the fellowship program: 

Positive outcomes include the development of several new courses, including the course “Food Justice and Indigenous Food Sovereignty.” The course explores environmental stewardship techniques and agricultural innovations that provide plants and animals for sustainable health. The creator of the course, Professor Heather Ponchetti Daly, is a tribal member of the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, part of the Kumeyaay Nation, which extends from San Diego and Imperial counties in California to 60 miles south of the Mexican border. Professor Daly was a Changemakers Faculty Fellow in 2023. View article about the course here: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/cooking-up-community-through-indigenous-foods 

Projects from past fellows are listed online here: https://engagedteaching.ucsd.edu/changemaker-fellows/community-engaged-learning/cel-fellows/index.html  

For more information about the Teaching + Learning Commons Community Engaged Learning Changemaker Faculty Fellowship, please visit: https://engagedteaching.ucsd.edu/changemaker-fellows/community-engaged-learning/index.html 

DEEP DECARBONIZATION INITIATIVE COURSE DEVELOPMENT 

The Deep Decarbonization Initiative serves as an academic hub for training on energy and climate, providing students and faculty with a comprehensive understanding of the science, social, and policy aspects of energy and climate change. With support from the initiative, UC San Diego is building new courses and adding segments on decarbonization to existing courses, enhancing the university's curriculum in this critical area. 

The Deep Decarbonization Initiative's course development aims to: 

Positive outcomes include the development and modification of several academic courses. Some example courses that have been developed or modified through the initiative's support include: 

For more information about the Deep Decarbonization Initiative course development, please visit: https://deepdecarbon.ucsd.edu/courses/index.html  

BENDING THE CURVE: CLIMATE EDUCATION FOR ALL COURSE DEVELOPMENT 

Faculty members who participated in program development were incentivized by program fundings and resources. Development of the course was funded by several entities: The UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative, UC Online at the University of California, Office of the President, The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego Center on Global Justice, and UC San Diego Teaching and Learning Commons. The course also received the Next Generation Learning Challenge grant from EDUCAUSE for the production of the Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions digital textbook. Several UC San Diego faculty members helped lead and produce the program, as shown at the bottom of this page: https://btc.ucsd.edu/#overview  

TEACHING + LEARNING COMMONS COMMUNITY ENGAGED LEARNING CHANGEMAKER FACULTY FELLOWSHIP   

Faculty members who participate in the fellowship receive the following incentives: 

DEEP DECARBONIZATION INITIATIVE COURSE DEVELOPMENT 

Course development and integration within existing courses is supported by the Deep Decarbonization Initiative, which serves as an academic hub for training on energy and climate. The initiative provides resources and funding for faculty to develop new courses and modify existing ones, ensuring that students receive a high-quality education in this critical area. 

INCENTIVES FOR COURSE DEVELOPMENT – NOT SUSTAINABILITY SPECIFIC: Although this incentive program is not specific to the development of sustainability courses, it is noteworthy because it has supported the development of a lengthy list of sustainability inclusive and related courses. 
 
COURSE DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 

The Course Development and Instructional Improvement Program (CDIIP) provides funding to support faculty projects that enhance undergraduate instruction and to encourage faculty experimenting with new instructional technologies including (but not exclusively) the creation of digital resources such as open/free textbooks, online labs, flipped courses, or adaptations that make courses more accessible, more experiential, or improve student success. Funding is available in two forms: 

Some examples of sustainability courses and projects that have been created include:  

Additional examples are available here: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/_files/2015--2023--Approved-CDIIP-Projects.pdf  

For more information about the Course Development and Instructional Improvement Program, please visit: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/evc/cdiip.html 

 
 
 
INCENTIVES FOR TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY COURSES: Although this program does not currently offer incentives for development of sustainability courses, it does offer incentives for the teaching and instruction of sustainability courses. 
 
LEARNING SUSTAINABLE WELL-BEING (LSW) PROGRAM 
The Learning Sustainable Well-Being Program is a series of 1-unit, P/NP undergraduate courses designed to educate students on how to improve their well-being and cultivate sustainable habits. The program aims to transform the way preventative mental health can be accessed by students, contributing to UC San Diego's undergraduate mission. A call for applications to teach in the program was sent campus-wide in fall 2024. 

The LSW initiative was first conceived in 2019, when Professor Karen Dobkins  developed a 20-person Freshman seminar into a 65-person Psychology class, entitled "Learning Sustainable Well-Being: Compassion for Self and Others". In 2021, the course was further developed and refined with Teaching Professor Janna Dickenson. The program's long-term goal is to create a series of "life skills" and experiential courses under the LSW umbrella, focusing on topics such as: 

The LSW program has already shown positive outcomes, with the development of a course called “Compassion for Self and Others.” The course focuses on the transformative journey blending Eastern and Western wisdom to cultivate psychological well-being, self-compassion, and emotional resilience, while fostering deeper connections with yourself and others. Next, there will be a call for a future LSW course entitled “Well-being and a Changing Planet.” This course will focus on discovering the art of balanced living through our comprehensive course. Gain insights and practical tools for a healthier, more fulfilling life. 

Academic Senate faculty selected to teach the course will receive: 

Faculty must participate in a five-day training workshop in summer 2025 and commit to teaching the course twice during the 2025-26 academic year. 

For more information about the Learning Sustainable Well-being Program, please visit: https://lsw.ucsd.edu/ 

Point of contact for credit information: