Supporting the journey of transformative learning and leadership for sustainability

The world faces a confluence of social and environmental threats that will require humans to transform the way we live. This in turn will require educational practices that can inspire creativity, enable deep learning and motivate change for sustainability. In particular, practices that can support our future sustainability leaders to be more effective at enabling change. As such, this research explores how creative practice might support transformational learning and leadership for sustainability. The research involved examining the creative practices implemented during a sustainability leadership program and the transformative learning that occurred. The findings indicate that creative practices were integral in supporting reflective practice and other ways of knowing. And through a better understanding of their values, passions and purpose, the participants were better able to make sense of their sustainability leadership journeys. The significance of this research is that it helps to address the need for new knowledge and research in the fields of Transformative Learning, Education for Sustainability and Leadership for Sustainability. In particular, it provides detailed descriptions for how creative (arts) practice can be used as a tool to support transformative learning for sustainability. It is hoped that this research will also stimulate dialogue within the transformative learning, sustainability education and sustainability leadership communities about how they might support humankind to reimagine its place in the world.