scholarly journals A Service-Learning Based Computers Reuse Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7785
Author(s):  
Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo ◽  
David López
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The World ◽  
Challenging Situation ◽  
The Impact

Higher Education Institutions are facing a challenging situation: how to introduce concepts such as Sustainability or the Circular Economy into their curricula. This study presents how to organize a Computer Reuse Program, an educational proposal for the Reuse, Repair, Refurbishment, Remanufacture and Recycling of computers into a Curriculum and a case study. The proposal is based in the Service-Learning methodology, by which students develop technical and professional skills while undertaking a project that has a direct and real impact on society. Students work on old or broken computers provided by donors, thereby acquiring technical skills. These now flawlessly functioning computers are donated to NGOs and other non-profit organizations, thus endowing the equipment with a much longer life as well as reducing e-waste, one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. As a case study, this paper presents the UPC Computer Reuse Program, carried out at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya UPC-BarcelonaTech. Since the program started in 2004, some 2500 computers have been donated to 359 different organizations in 29 countries, and more than 5200 students have participated. The paper analyzes the impact of the program on society, on the reduction of e-waste, on the environment and on student awareness regarding social justice and sustainability.

The Impact of Quality Assessment Systems on Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Varouchas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Quality System ◽  
Private Higher Education ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The Impact

This case study describes the dispute on private higher education in Greece which is not seen favorably at all under the Greek legal environment. It also provides with contrast between quality assurance systems in Greek higher education institutions and DEREE – The American College of Greece, a private, non-profit tertiary educational institution located in Athens, Greece. It also aims at exploring quality systems in higher education institutions in the EU and in Greece and investigates why and how these influence the quality system, assessment policy and practices at DEREE. Additionally, it contributes with a valued proposition on the development of a hybrid quality system which will affect teaching, learning and assessment processes and eventually lead to curricular enhancement and probably reforms. The subsequent step deriving from this study is knowledge sharing with policy makers and practitioners for the advancement of the education delivered to students in higher education. Keywords: Assessment, Case Study, Curriculum, Higher Education, Learning, Non-profit, Quality Assurance, Teaching

scholarly journals Pendidik dan upaya manajemen formulasi lembaga pendidikan Islam yang kreatif menghadapi masa pandemi covid 9

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Siti Makhmudah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Boarding Schools ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
The World ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

AbstracThis research shows several activities carried out in the home, working from home and studying from home. Learning from home is called online (learning with online sites). The design and application of long-distance learning literacy with the topic of Corona Virus 2019 Covid-19 aims to avoid this pandemic which is currently spreading completely and is very deadly. With this pandemic, it has not made the world of education lack sense in developing learning in the world of education at the RA, SD, SMP, SMA and Higher Education levels as well as Ponpes. Especially for students / learners who are still using via online as an intermediary for connecting their knowledge, while still minimizing the obstacles that occur during the online period. Therefore this discussion will be interesting. (1) the obstacles faced by students / learners, (2) the efforts made by the teachers / teachers / lecturers / educators, (3) the solutions made by the students / students and the teachers / teachers / lecturers / educators. This research uses a case study method and the research approach uses a qualitative case study method which is used to obtain information on the online learning process at the level of students who are still active in the world of higher education and Islamic boarding schools. The aim of the research is to find out to what extent, since the existence of Covid-19, all economies in the first world have collapsed as well as the world of education, including universities and boarding schools. The online school system will be implemented starting in the month of 2020. Not only in Indonesia but throughout the world. The correct formulation in this title is based on the formulation and composition in the right form in the form of the impact that occurs on students / students and teachers / teachers / lecturers / educators during the Covid-19 pandemic.Key words: Lecture Formulation, Creative Lectures, Covid Pandemic -19

Modernisation of Higher Education – Willful Action or Wishful Thinking? The Case of Bulgaria

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
Elena Blagoeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
National Level ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The impact of the last global economic crisis (2008) on the European economy put a strain on higher education (HE), yet it also pushed the sector towards intensive reforms and improvements. This paper focuses on the “Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-2020”. With a case study methodology, we explore the strategic endeavours of the Bulgarian government to comply with the European directions and to secure sustainable growth for the HE sector. Our research question is ‘How capable is the Bulgarian HE Strategy to overcome the economic and systemic restraints of Bulgarian higher education?’. Because the development of strategies for HE within the EU is highly contextual, a single qualitative case study was chosen as the research approach. HE institutions are not ivory towers, but subjects to a variety of external and internal forces. Within the EU, this is obviated by the fact that Universities obtain their funds from institutions such as governments, students and their families, donors, as well as EU-level programmes. Therefore, to explore how these pressures interact to affect strategic action on national level, the case method is well suited as it enabled us to study the phenomena thoroughly and deeply. The paper suggests the actions proposed within the Strategy have the potential to overcome the delay, the regional isolation and the negative impact of the economic crisis on the country. Nevertheless, the key elements on which the success or failure of this Strategy hinges are the control mechanisms and the approach to implementation. Shortcomings in these two aspects of strategic actions in HE seem to mark the difference between gaining long-term benefits and merely saving face in front of international institutions.

scholarly journals The Key Strategies to Implement Circular Economy in Building Projects—A Case Study of Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 754
Author(s):  
H.-Ping Tserng ◽  
Cheng-Mo Chou ◽  
Yun-Tsui Chang
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pilot Projects ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
The World ◽  
Project Phases ◽  
Future Project

The building industry is blamed for consuming enormous natural resources and creating massive solid waste worldwide. In response to this, the concept of circular economy (CE) has gained much attention in the sector in recent years. Many pilot building projects that implemented CE concepts started to appear around the world, including Taiwan. However, compared with the pilot projects in the Netherlands, which are regarded as the pioneer ones by international society, many CE-related practices are not implemented in pilot cases in Taiwan. To assist future project stakeholders to recognize what the key CE-related practices are and how they could be implemented in their building projects in Taiwan, this study has conducted a series of case studies of Dutch and Taiwanese pilot projects and semi-structured interviews with key project stakeholders of Taiwanese pilot projects. Thirty key CE-related practices are identified via case studies, along with their related 5R principles (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle) and project phases. Suggestion on CE-related practices, their 5R principles, project items, and phases to implement in building projects in Taiwan is also proposed while discussion on differences between two countries’ pilot projects is presented.

scholarly journals Extending Multilevel Statistical Entropy Analysis towards Plastic Recyclability Prediction

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3553
Author(s):  
Philippe Nimmegeers ◽  
Alexej Parchomenko ◽  
Paul De Meulenaere ◽  
Dagmar R. D’hooge ◽  
Paul H. M. Van Steenberge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Entropy Analysis ◽  
Waste Collection ◽  
Statistical Entropy ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Material Component ◽  
Future Work

Multilevel statistical entropy analysis (SEA) is a method that has been recently proposed to evaluate circular economy strategies on the material, component and product levels to identify critical stages of resource and functionality losses. However, the comparison of technological alternatives may be difficult, and equal entropies do not necessarily correspond with equal recyclability. A coupling with energy consumption aspects is strongly recommended but largely lacking. The aim of this paper is to improve the multilevel SEA method to reliably assess the recyclability of plastics. Therefore, the multilevel SEA method is first applied to a conceptual case study of a fictitious bag filled with plastics, and the possibilities and limitations of the method are highlighted. Subsequently, it is proposed to extend the method with the computation of the relative decomposition energies of components and products. Finally, two recyclability metrics are proposed. A plastic waste collection bag filled with plastic bottles is used as a case study to illustrate the potential of the developed extended multilevel SEA method. The proposed extension allows us to estimate the recyclability of plastics. In future work, this method will be refined and other potential extensions will be studied together with applications to real-life plastic products and plastic waste streams.

A case study of noise pollution levels during the restrictions period due to COVID-19.

2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (6) ◽  
pp. 206-214
Author(s):  
David Montes-González ◽  
Juan Miguel Barrigón-Morillas ◽  
Ana Cristina Bejarano-Quintas ◽  
Manuel Parejo-Pizarro ◽  
Guillermo Rey-Gozalo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Acoustic Measurements ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) led to the need for drastic control measures around the world to reduce the impact on the health of the population. The confinement of people in their homes resulted in a significant reduction in human activity at every level (economic, social, industrial, etc.), which was reflected in a decrease in environmental pollution levels. Studying the evolution of parameters, such as the level of environmental noise caused by vehicle traffic in urban environments, makes it possible to assess the impact of this type of measure. This paper presents a case study of the acoustic situation in Cáceres (Spain) during the restriction period by means of long-term acoustic measurements at various points of the city.

Environmental service-learning approach in higher education – a descriptive case study on student-led life cycle assessments of university cafeteria meals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Johannisson ◽  
Michael Hiete
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Descriptive Case Study

Purpose This study aims to share experiences of an easy to adapt service-learning approach in a graduate course on life cycle assessment (LCA). Specifically, it reports on how students helped the university’s cafeteria to assess meals by conducting an LCA for 25 meals and identifying environmental hotspots. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive case study of a graduate course at Ulm University is presented. The course included lectures and problem-based exercises, both theoretical and software assisted. A course evaluation was conducted during the course and one year after completion to poll improvement potentials, as well as its impacts on students’ everyday life. Findings It was found that although it was the first LCA for all students, the resulting LCA information of 25 different meals were homogeneous, comparable to the scientific literature and beneficial to the cafeteria’s sustainable development strategy. The concept of service-learning had a higher impact on students’ motivation than a good grade and active-learning is explicitly requested by students. The course design sensitized students to the real-life problems of LCA and made their consumption patterns more elaborate and ecological. Furthermore, this digitization of higher education could be carried out with only minor changes in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation. Originality/value As the subject of service-learning in natural sciences is still expandable, this study presents an easy to adapt case study on how to integrate such an approach into university curricula dominated by traditional learning. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this case study presents the first published LCA university course explicitly describing and evaluating a service-learning approach. The topic touches the everyday lives of students, allows comparisons between different student groups, is easily scalable to different group sizes and credits, and supports learning both how to study in small groups and cooperation between groups to ensure comparability of LCA results.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE TRANSITION TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

2021 ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Sergey Bushuyev ◽  
Denis Bushuiev ◽  
Victoria Bushuieva ◽  
Olena Verenych
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Organizational Development ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The problem of creating effective models, methods and tools for strategic management of projects and programs for the development of organizations in the transition to a circular economy. Global trends in the development of organizations prove that the world is transforming with acceleration. The life cycle of knowledge and technologies for managing complex projects and programs is significantly reduced. The technical and technological complexity of organizational development projects increases due to innovations. These trends create significant challenges in the development of project management systems and programs for the formation of a circular economy in Ukraine. This is especially true of projects and programs in conditions of uncertainty about the impact of COVID 19 and anticipation of a global crisis after a pandemic. Today, the application of proven best practices (benchmarking) is no longer a way forward. Forming a vision, goals and strategy for the implementation of organizational development projects in advance makes our actions rigid, not flexible. When creating a project or program begins with focusing on what is valuable to our customers and the country, it is enough for us to use best practices. But the complexity and innovative orientation of development projects of organizations in the transition to a circular economy creates a number of challenges. One of the answers to these challenges is cost-effective work on project management and development programs, taking into account the trends of transition to a circular economy. Project management teams learn to distinguish between what is valuable and what doesn't matter, this is the path that management methodologies have taken for decades. A number of projects have taken the first steps in implementing the necessary cost-effective / flexible transition that supports sustainability and adaptability to turbulent environmental changes. In the conditions of modern destructive economic relations in the world community the problem of a choice of strategy of projects as drivers of development of the organizations is vital. One of the key approaches to the development of the EU is the transition to a circular economy with maximum utilization of both waste products and projects, and the disposal of project products after the end of product life cycles.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document