Bio
Kim Wahl received her BSE in Elementary Education from UW-Whitewater, her MST in Biology from UW-Stevens Point (UWSP), and her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Sustainability degree from UWSP. Currently, she is working on completing her Equity and Inclusion in Education Graduate Certificate from UWSP.
With over 20 years of experience as a teacher, leader, and learner in the field of education, Kim has a great love for life-long learning.She has been an education specialist, a nonprofit education director, and an educator for learners of all ages. While living in the Pacific Northwest, she taught high school oceanography and biology. In the Midwest, she taught high school science as well as outdoor place-based education and transformative sustainability education for adult learners. For several years, Kim had the unique experience of teaching weekly outdoor place-based education lessons throughout the year for two school districts.
Experience and Interests
Teaching
- Global Affiliate Scholar, Ed.D. in Educational Sustainability, UW-Stevens Point (2022-present)
Research Interests
Kim’s recent research included participatory action research utilizing a photovoice method. Her dissertation research was built upon a transformative sustainability framework, and it focused on the role of affect in adult learner experiences in a doctoral program. The research was connected to living systems theory built upon a foundation of educational psychology, biology, and sociology. A sense of belonging, autopoeisis, and feedback loops were prevalent in the findings.
Current research interests: living systems theory and practice to support equitable, sustainable teaching-learning systems, transformative sustainability learning, place-based and experiential learning, transformative leadership.
Presentations and Publications
Recent Publications
- Wahl, K. (2020). Defying gravity: An affective photovoice lens on transformative sustainability learning [Doctoral Dissertation, UW-Stevens Point, WI]. UW-Minds & ProQuest Publishers. https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/80877.
- Wahl, K. & O’Neil, J.K. (2019). Experiential education and sustainable development. In W. Leal Filo, A. Salvia, & A. Beynaghi (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education, World Sustainability Series, Springer.