Leaving the Comfort Zone and Immersing Yourself in Your Studies - Experiences and Reflections on the Introductory Sustainability Science Course

Within the framework of a compulsory course in the first year of an Environmental Engineering program, the following goal levels are addressed: teaching basics and orientation knowledge, enhancing professional competencies/future skills and onboarding. Methodologically, the course employs problem based learning, blended learning elements, peer reviews, group discussions, voting tools, role-plays, and a small project. Challenges include managing the heterogeneity of participants and ensuring adequate support and feedback processes in courses with more than 60 participants. A distinctive feature is the intensive involvement of student tutors in the conceptualization and implementation of the course. In this contribution, we focus on the challenges posed by unfamiliar methods, which can lead students to refuse to engage with them. We explore how an appropriate learning atmosphere can be created to ensure the intended effects of the formats are achieved. Based on evaluation results from three runs and personal experience, we describe and reflect on our efforts to create such a 'safe space' for students. We present two perspectives: that of the lecturer in charge and that of a student tutor.