How to Make a Positive Impact on Those Around You: Be a Change Agent for Sustainability

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This teaching tip introduces the important concept of a change agent in facilitating positive change. A case study of a famous change agent in the environmental field illustrates the long-term impact that one individual can have.  This tip also includes related opportunities for students to talk about sustainability and the concept of a change agent in organizations, communities, and economies.

Content Objectives

• To introduce the concept of a change agent
• To provide opportunities for individual reflection and group discussion on sustainability

Language Objectives

• To scan for key information on a web site
• To practice in small groups, especially focusing on fluency
  

Activity

1. Introduce the case study, including the background material provided and key vocabulary that will be new for the students.
2. Help provide examples and additional explanation, as needed, for the class as a whole.
3. Provide opportunities for students to answer the discussion questions for the case study in small groups or in pairs.
4. Lead additional discussion with the class as a whole, sharing the best ideas from all the groups.
5. Review and summarize key concepts learned during the lesson.
   

Materials

Background reading through web links and discussion questions

Category

Sustainable growth (green business): concept of a change agent in facilitating positive change in organizations and society; different styles of facilitating change

Learning Theme

Learning to know; life-long learning

Resources

Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2001). Essentials of organization development and change. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing.

Eoyang, G. H., & Olson, E. E. (2001). Facilitating organization change: Lessons from complexity science. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Greiner, L. E., & Schein, V. E. (1988). Power and organization development: Mobilizing power to implement change. Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press.

The Sierra Club. (2010).[Web site]. www.sierraclub.org. San Francisco, CA: Author.

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 Also see Language for 21st Century Business