Teaching_Sustianability

Teaching Sustainability Summer School Paper In this paper I am trying to examine and question the issues of teaching sustainability in construction. It seems that one of the hardest parts of teaching this subject is grasping and agreeing on what the term sustainability actually means. Reading about this subject and asking a colleague has gives me the general opinion that there seems to be much different variation on sustainability. My aim with this paper is to try and find and understanding the meaning of sustainability, so that working together with different groups within the construction area can reach a common goal the process of working together. As a result, the paper will offer a method which will allow teachers from different backgrounds to collaborate discuss and address sustainability. When thinking about teaching sustainability it would be apparent that a logical explanation of the term sustainability would be needed Bruntland (1987) defined Sustainable Construction as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” From this statement Bruntland can see the links between the present and the future the important word here is “needs “and “not their wants “it’s about what people “like” not about satisfying their desires. Parkin (2000) indicates a connection between “Sustainability” and “Quality of life” by stating that “Sustainable development is a process which enables all people to realise their potential and improve their quality of life in ways that simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth’s life-support Systems” Parkin supports Bruntland by bring in an element of “security”. Kilbert (2007) provides us with his thought on this subject here we have a concise clear statement on “sustainable construction” “[sustainable construction is the] creation and responsible management of a healthy built environment on resource efficient and ecological principles “ This statement introduces a new look one of "preservation of existing conditions" (conservation). Halliday(2008) engineering designer suggest that "achieving sustainability requires us to live within the earth's capacity to provide the materials for our activities and to absorb the waste and pollution that our activities generate". www.waset.org/journals/waset/v53/v53-148.pdf Bruntlands comments on sustainability introduce the concept of placing responsibility with everybody. All four definitions share the same theme, and while researching this paper I came across many more. The problem I have of using these four definitions in this paper is I have found it difficult to gain a true meaning. To me as a lecture trying to teach sustainability and it concept means that there is going to be a diverse curriculum for the student, this may have the added affect on learning outcomes and compatibility. When it comes to addressing the points I have made above, I think there should be a defined understanding of sustainability which everybody can agree on. And try to put in place how this topic can be taught across the Construction and the Built Environment at Hull College. This would then have to emphasize the importance of the whole subject of sustainability to the students. Having talked with some of my colleagues and ask them about developing a strategy of how we should proceed with the teaching of sustainability it came clear to me that we first should first have a defined meaning of sustainability. • Sustainability to protect all natural resources for future generations manage materials locally and nationally to protect the environment. • Sustainability is increasing efficacy of buildings, energy saving, recycling materials it about brown field development the use of old building it’s about conservation. As we can see from the two statements there is no acceptable or distinct meaning to obtain a specific goal, the two examples above do promote the thoughts of my fellow lectures at Hull College when I asked for their thoughts on sustainability and there meaning of it. I think there are two main issues that must be addressed in the classroom when we look at teaching sustainability Firstly: • Embedding – establish an association with linked learning, teaching and the assessment criteria. Have a methodically and pragmatic approach to how sustainability is to be taught and how it will be assessed. Secondly: • How can we integrate into the curriculum what would be the best possible theme. Looking at it closer I think one way forward would be to get the students to think about what sustainability means to them and then to look at other suggested means of sustainability, this would introduce reflective practice within the subject. The students we are teaching today have to embrace this subject and carry it forward for future generation, making sustainability a priority so that students in the future will embrace this topic. Firstly we could look at the way we conceive the meaning of sustainability and what it does not relate to, such as the discussions and debates which surround the consequences of the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming. Embedding this into the curriculum is a must so that the student is aware of the basic fundamentals. Having given the student the bigger picture a wider concept about the environment, we must then come back to the individual, where do they fit in, how they promote the concept of sustainability. The student needs to grasp that there is no complete answer it about promoting and achieving aims. Secondly we would need to look at the curriculum that is in place now, and establish exactly what is covered at the moment. We would then need to address the support that would be needed and the specialist knowledge required to deliver this subject. By doing this you not only ensure the topic is covered properly it also establishes the importance of the subject. Existing curriculums in place could be developed encompassing all the particular relevant parts of sustainability making sure that it is all covered. And maybe the appointment of a member of staff who can relay the issues across the Hull College School of Construction and Built Environment. The pointed person would be tasked with making links between current and new sustainability making sure it is introduced in to the curriculum and taught to the learners, this would give the learner the opportunity to reflect and evaluate it At Hull College at the moment we are looking at the members of staff who are involved with our Employer Engagement roll to play a bigger part in sustainability by talk to and encouraging employers, to maybe set up a forum through Hull College were student, staff and employers can discuss, talk and address any issues on sustainability. The results from this could be given in feed back to an appointed member of staff who in turn could make changes to the curriculum which in turn my influence the learning outcomes. At Hull College at the moment the syllabus what we have in place, I feel that it only scratches the surface of sustainability; it needs to be developed further. It does not have to replace what is all ready there; it can build on that plat form to deliver a curriculum that has the fact which makes it real. This may be in the form of a specialist unit managed as a group like a project. It is at this point, the planning stage where we address the importance of any decisions we are about to make. The strategies we adopted here need to cover the whole of the sustainability curriculum This group work allow linked learning, inclusive teaching, specific assessment strategies which can be developed for the short and long term planning. By using this method and teaching sustainability as a project it will allow the student to forge links between the curriculum and the outside world, this would then bring in the concept of Integration. CONCLUSIONS As we can see from the paper teaching sustainability in construction and the built environment is not going to be easy. You only have to look at theories of the academics and the two ideas on sustainability written out by two of my colleagues. There are a great number of differing views on this one subject which in turn has a combined effect on the curriculum. Reading different perspectives on sustainability, I would like to see the curriculum design brought from behind closed doors and allow input from both employers and professional bodies. I know from my finding that these professional have their understanding of what sustainability means to them. Having talked to my colleagues and put their interpretations of sustainability into my paper, you can see how they differ from that of the academics with their views on sustainability. I think the main points taken from this paper must be that everyone must reach an agreement of what the first step is going to be on how we are to deliver the curriculum. Once this has been established the under lying principles for the teaching and assessment can be put into place. (The method) Incorporating this system will support the student in the learning process. I think the important part here for the student is the theme, group based, working on a suggested project. Reading the views of the academics on sustainability brings me to my final point it is not right to force any one interpretation on to someone. We should be aiming to develop a learner’s capacity to think for themselves and reflect on their own ideas and what the relationship is to the subject. As leaner they will be able to take this experience into real life situations they will hopefully be able to differentiate and not pass judgment. REFERENCES P. Bruntland, (1987) United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-282080-X. S. Halliday. (2008) Sustainable Construction, Butterworth-Heinemann, ISBN-978-0-7506- 6394-6. J. Kilbert, (2007) Sustainable Construction 2nd Edition, Hoboken, Wiley Publishing. Title Sustainability and environment  Authors Cobi Smith Class 363.7 FIR Standard no. 9781861684196 Edition Medium Book Language Imprint Cambridge: Independence, 2008 S. Parkin. Sustainable Development: The Concept and the Practical Challenge, Proceedings of ICE, Vol. 138, November, 2000, pp. 3 – 8. Dr Nick Kelly ESRU www.esru.strath.ac.uk/Courseware/Class-design/.../sustainability.ppt accessd 17/03/2011 www.waset.org/journals/waset/v53/v53-148.pdf accessd 17/02/2011