This presentation explores a pedagogical approach to introducing sustainability—particularly social sustainability and gender equality—within an Interaction Design course for Information Systems students. We, as educators, carry a pedagogical responsibility to ensure that students understand and question the societal impact of the technologies they create. This includes ethical reflection and societal awareness in design education towards more equitable and sustainable IT. Recognizing the gender imbalance in the program and the polarized reactions to gender-related topics, we redesigned our article seminar format to include a broader range of themes such as ethics, accessibility, environmental sustainability, and gender, all tied to students’ personal interests like gaming and emerging technologies. Using a flipped classroom model, students engaged in group discussions and presentations, fostering deeper reflection on the societal implications of interaction design. The inclusion of relatable and diverse article topics increased student engagement and even influenced subsequent bachelor thesis topics. Our experiences from article seminars on the Interaction Design course suggest that connecting sustainability issues to students’ lives and interests can create more inclusive and meaningful learning environments, especially in male-dominated fields.
