scholarly journals Teaching Sustainable Responsibility through Informal Undergraduate Design Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8378
Author(s):  
Louise R. Manfredi ◽  
Meriel Stokoe ◽  
Rebecca Kelly ◽  
Seyeon Lee

Recent reports, initiatives, and activities around higher education institutions revealed the relevance and value of sustainability education through both formal curriculum and informal curriculum activities. While the significance of sustainability education has continuously improved by raising awareness among new generations of students, it has not adequately promoted pro-environmental behaviors or attitude changes. This research study used a linear pretest–posttest experimental approach to understand whether two codesigned interventions; a trash and recycling bin system, and a Materials Exchange program, could improve sustainability literacy and material conservation behaviors across the School of Design. Additionally, a mid-experiment focus group study was conducted to provide text-rich data for analysis of 3R behaviors. Analysis of the data collected revealed that these interventions were reasonably successful in improving responsible material management. To have a greater impact on sustainable behavior, it is suggested that a formal educational experience should supplement the informal interventions described in this paper to onboard students as they enter the design studio culture. Additionally, the expansion of the trash and recycling bin station system into the university dormitories is discussed. This work has successfully catalyzed a collaboration between all School of Design stakeholders to address studio waste in a tangible way.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyeon Lee ◽  
Louise R. Manfredi

Purpose This paper aims to explore systematic strategies implemented at the School of Design, X University, to use materials more sustainably and responsibly in the design studios. Design/methodology/approach Printing and prototype fabrication are a vital facet of design education. These physical products which consume vast quantities of materials are key to evaluating ideas, and for training students to effectively communicate design intent to their professors and future clients. Despite the University’s initiatives for campus-wide sustainability efforts, waste generated from repeated design iteration is still a big problem in studio culture. Findings This effort between faculty, staff and students has initiated a sustained conversation about the excessive landfill waste generated by projects undertaken. Together, this paper aims to find ways in which the outcomes could be self-sustaining. Originality/value This research would be beneficial to anyone who plans to raise awareness and understanding of institutional waste management strategies at the university level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-515
Author(s):  
Vanessa R. Levesque ◽  
Cameron P. Wake

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how the process of creating and implementing sustainability competencies across a university illuminate dynamics of organizational change. The push to advance education for sustainable development in higher education will likely require transformation of existing policies and practices. A set of shared sustainability competencies could guide the integration of sustainability throughout an institution. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports on a case study of one US university, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) that developed institutional-level sustainability competencies. The process used to create and implement sustainability competencies is outlined, and key factors that influenced the associated organizational change are identified. Findings Very few US universities have institutional-level sustainability competencies. At UNH, drivers of organizational change such as overcoming disciplinary boundaries, developing a common vision and working from the bottom-up enabled the creation of institutional sustainability competencies, but the same processes were not enough to drive deeper implementation of the competencies. Originality/value This paper not only identifies the context-specific drivers of the development of institutional sustainability competencies, but also identifies universal themes that can be applied to other institutions embarking on a similar process. Additionally, this paper serves as a foundation for future research exploring how the process of creating institutional sustainability competencies may be linked to how effective they are in shaping subsequent sustainability education.


Author(s):  
Joseph H. G. Howard ◽  
Herbert C. Ratz

The importance of international engineering student exchange programs in today’s increasingly global marketplace is well accepted. This report describes aspects of the experience of the University of Waterloo with such a program which involves 26 institutions in 14 countries. A major element in a successful link is close collaboration between faculty coordinators at the two institutions.


Author(s):  
Jade Herriman ◽  
Emma Partridge

This paper describes in brief the findings of a research project undertaken by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. The research was commissioned by and undertaken on behalf of the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW). The aim of the project was to investigate current practices of environmental and sustainability education and engagement within local government in NSW. The research was commissioned by DECCW as the preliminary phase of a larger project that the department is planning to undertake, commencing in 2010.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Maria Yaseen ◽  
Misbah Bano ◽  
Masood Jawaid

Background: E-learning refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad range of solutions that enhance knowledge and per-formance of learners. This mode of learning can be used by institutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational inter-ventions in the face of the social, scientific, and pedagogical challenges. Worldwide, it has gained popularity in the past few decades; however, its use is highly variable among the medical schools of Pakistan. Currently, a very few number of institutions have adopted it officially in their curriculum. Despite this, many students use different E Learning resources to enhance their learning.Objective: To find out about the online resources utilized by the medical students in addition to their traditional medical curriculum to enhance their learning.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 300 participants from Dow Medical College and Jinnah Sindh Medical Universities were included after taking informed consent. A self-administered questionnaire which consists of demographic information, years of study and online resources with their usage details by the students for different subjects of basic and clinical sciences were documented.Results: Almost all the students reported to use some form of eLearning to enhance their medical understanding. The most frequently used electronic resources were Google images (61.7%) and Wikipedia (50.3%). Mostly, the students used YouTube (25.7%) for animations; Kaplan (27%) and Dr. Najeeb (15.6%) for video lectures. However, Audio lecture by Goljan (17.7%) was the only resource for podcast learning. Among discussion forums, Facebook groups (16.3%) were most popular and among static websites, Medscape (4.3%), PubMed (2.5%), WebMD (1.3%) were the most commonly used ones.Conclusion: All of the medical students used some form of eLearning in medical education in addition to their formal curriculum. This way of learning should be further implemented in the form of formal curriculum as e-learning modules for basic and clinical sciences to make learning easier, engaging and innovative for the 21st century learners.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 8-13
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Webeck ◽  
Tetsuya Nagasaka ◽  
Hongmin Zhu ◽  
Fumihiko Imamura ◽  
Fuming Wang

Author(s):  
Kathryn Dixon ◽  
Ricardo Gonzalez-Carriedo ◽  
Lisbeth Dixon-Krauss

This chapter provides an account of an international student teaching exchange program between the University of North Texas (UNT) and the University of Seville (UdeS) from inception to implementation. The first section of the chapter offers a rationale for the program including a review of research related to international exchanges specific to educator preparation. Section two includes a discussion of program establishment, a description of initial contacts between the universities and steps taken to form legal agreements binding the institutions to the program. Logistical aspects of the program are detailed, including agreements with local school districts. The final section synthesizes the research conducted at UNT using Mezirow's (1991) transformative learning theory to study the effects of the program on its students. Three years of data have shown a clear pattern in regard to the personal and professional growth student teachers experience as a result of their participation in the program.


Author(s):  
Consuelo De Luna Habito ◽  
Susan Janette G. Ealdama

Recognizing the important contribution of the indigenous people's (IP) youth towards the sustainable development and conservation of the internationally recognized Ifugao rice terraces (IRT) of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines Open University implemented a youth capacity building and exchange program among IP youth from Hungduan, Kiangan, Banaue and Mayaoyao rice terraces in the Ifugao province. The study conducted focus group discussions that included identity construction with physical co-presence and utilization of new communication technologies (NCTs) through the strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results of an appreciative inquiry approach (SOAR). Beliefs, ethnicity and values were three key identity construction factors. Need, talent, passion, and conscience were also included among the dimensions of identity construction. These findings were subsequently used in the design and construction of training course modules customized for IP youth from the IRT using the blended-mode of learning and practical activities such as video logs and memes in NCTs.


1982 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Nelson ◽  
Edward M. Bennett ◽  
James Dudeck ◽  
Richard V. Mason

This paper describes a resource exchange program between two human service organizations: a public school board and a university. This case study illustrates the utility of the concept of resource exchange as a response to pressures for the effective management of limited human resources. With an emphasis on mutual goals, needs, and strengths, the resource exchange program expanded resources available to both organizations. For the public school board, new services in the form of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs were developed. For the university, research and training opportunities were created. Finally, the fragmentation between and within the organizations was reduced in correspondence with their increased mutual interdependence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Papenfuss ◽  
Eileen Merritt

Students, practitioners, and scholars of sustainability education are increasingly calling for divergent curricula and novel pedagogical approaches that cultivate transformation and emancipation at both the individual and institutional levels. For decades, ecovillages around the globe have provided alternatives for sustainable living and many have also developed alternative educational approaches. For this reason, ecovillages can be important learning laboratories for experimenting with sustainability education curricula and pedagogies, allowing scholars to learn across disciplinary, cultural, and worldview boundaries. In the present study, we conducted a descriptive case study of Findhorn Foundation College’s 5-week Ecovillage Design Education course. By applying a narrative analysis of archives, field notes, surveys, and interviews, we arrived at 17 different categorical elements across six major themes. Using the field data, we linked these categorical elements to three consistent pedagogical elements: ritual pedagogies, pedagogies of story, and collaborative pedagogies. We conclude by highlighting several inductive themes present in participant data that indicated potential hindrances, constraints, and cautionary tales regarding implementation of these pedagogies in higher education contexts situated in the Global North.


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