Improving student awareness of sustainable development and related employability issues through embe

1
Improving student awareness of sustainable
development and related employability issues
through embedded course content

• Neil Gordon
• Department of Computer Science
• University of Hull, Hull
• HU6 7RX England
• n.a.gordon_at_hull.ac.uk
• http//www.hull.ac.uk/php/cssnag/
• Talk at the 2009
• Higher Education Academy Annual Conference
• 30 June to 2 July 2009, University of Manchester.

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Brief plan to the talk

• We will consider some of the issues around
  Sustainable Development (S.D.) in the curriculum
• In particular, the awareness of students and
  their views on this topic
• Links of SD with professional and career
  development.

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Introduction

• To start with we consider a couple of key
  questions
• What is sustainable development
• What is Education For Sustainable Development
• How does this relate to professional, career and
  personal development.

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Write down what you believe Sustainable
Development is

• In pairs, discuss and summarise your own ideas of
  what Sustainable Development (S.D.) encompasses
• Now combine with a nearby pair and decide on the
  main themes
• Decide on a word which reflects your consensus on
  what S.D. is about
• Report back the word(s) have you found?

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What is Sustainable Development

• What is isnt it isnt just about the
  environment (but that is a large part of it)
• Sustainable Development covers a wide range of
  topics

• The obvious ones the environment and the green
  issues, as well as some which are perhaps less
  obvious, but reflect the idea that society should
  be long lasting
• Sustainability is being promulgated through a
  number of channels.

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Some principles for Sustainable Development

• Meeting the needs of today without compromising
  the ability of future generations to meet their
  own needs
• The UK policy breaks this down into
• Environmental
• Social
• Economic
• Scientific
• Governance.

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Why teach it?

• Education has been recognised as a key player in
  developing awareness of SD
• This has led to Education for Sustainable
  Development

• Drivers for including this include
• Government (indirectly via HEFCE) are encouraging
  this
• Many institutions are including it in their
  plans
• Professional requirements
• Personal reasons.

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What are the professional aspects of SD?

• Initially write down your own ideas of what these
  may be
• Next compare with a neighbour
• Now combine with a nearby pair and decide on the
  main themes
• Report back the main professional theme(s) (if
  any).

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Some examples of professional Aspects

• Requirements by many employers to behave
  ethically, especially w.r.t. S.D.
• Professional body requirements can be specific
  or as a general interpretation of the need to act
  professionally.

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Embedding Sustainable Development within the
curriculum

• SD provides a focus for developing ethical
  issues
• It can provide a case studies and examples
• It can expand the context of discipline based
  teaching in particular opening up cross
  curricula and International aspects
• Many external bodies expect/require it
• It links with Personal Development Planning.

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Barriers/objections to Embedding S.D.

• E.G. Lack of relevance Overfull curricula Fear
  of indoctrination Attitudes own, colleagues
• Write down ONE barrier (from above or your own)
• Swap your objection with your partner and
  attempt to address their objection
• Report back any objections that seem
  insurmountable.

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Hull Case study 1Careers Development

• These modules are offered to students across
  campus
• They consider the work environment and career
  choices and planning
• Taught mainly online
• For the last session, SD content was increased,
  including links to SD resources, and an optional
  exercise was added which involved
  students determining their carbon footprints.

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Hull Case Study 2Computer Science

• A traditional core module for computer science
• Module in question covers IT and professional
  skills
• Embedding SD allowed the previously disparate
  ethics and IT to be integrated
• Considering Ethics and social impact of computing
  is a requirement of the accreditation of our
  degrees
• SD content embedded through some lectures and
  workshops.

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Hull Case Study 2Computer Science

• Examples of the way we included SD include
• Considering the impact of hardware
  upgrades/disposal
• Power usage of systems and the growing dependence
  on them
• Opportunities for IT to improve other systems
  e.g. logistics as well as the role of IT in
  modelling (e.g. Earth models of climate change).
• Activities to focus on this included
• Workshop/lab activity develop and adapt an
  Excel Spreadsheet to calculate carbon footprints
• Consider how amending the dependency and usage of
  systems (on vs standby vs off) can cut energy
  usage and costs.

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ESD in your subject

• Back in your pairs, consider what topics you may
  use to include aspects of S.D. - in particular
  with reference to professional ones - within your
  own disciplines
• For example in computing one aspect is challenge
  of Green Computing
• Report back the main topics you would use.

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Accreditation and professional issues

• Many professional bodies are taking up the issues
  of SD or at least aspects that fall under SD
• For example, the British Computer Society is
  recognising the Green IT agenda and so now adopts
  a code of practice on data centres as well as
  being about to launch a Green IT qualification.

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Students views and perceptions of sustainable
development
Chart indicates number of each category who
answered positively
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Initial Student views on SD

• Quite similar between the two modules considered.
  Some quotes from students
• planting trees where ever they get cut down
• Im not sure
• A way of having and maintaining a continuous
  supply of energy
• development which leaves the environment
  unharmed.

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Views following the learning of SD material in
situ

• Students seem positive about SD
• Some felt that undergraduates, especially those
  that have gone on to university straight from
  school are less aware and less concerned
• They felt that mature students had more life
  experience and are more aware of the impact
  that humanity is having on the environment etc.
• felt SD to be important and should be included
• A lack of awareness that SD had been taught.

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SD and its relevance to career development and
professional practice

• Employers are beginning to take account of SD
• Public bodies in particular such as the civil
  service and education
• Individual students are influenced in their
  choice of industry sector and individual
  employers
• The last point can also link SD with Personal
  Development Plans as students consider their long
  term plans.

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Conclusions

• Sustainable Development is on the agenda of many
  of our stake holders the government, HEFCE, the
  HEA as well as industry and students themselves
• For some students SD may be a good way to engage
  with them and also play a part in encouraging
  them to consider SD
• Given the professional dimension, embedding it
  within our teaching can provide a way to engage
  with employability and professional development
  aspects for students across disciplines.

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Thanks

• This work was carried out with colleagues Dr
  Lindsey Atkinson, Mr Tony Taylor and Dr Steve
  Hanson at the University of Hull. Thanks to them
  for their efforts and contributions
• The work was supported by a Higher Education
  Academy Mini-grant thanks to the HEA for
  supporting this work.

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Resources

• Higher Education Academy, Sustainability pages
  http//www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/learning/sustai
  nability
• Roberts, C and Roberts, J, 2007, Greener by
  Degrees Exploring Sustainability through Higher
  Education Curricula, http//www.glos.ac.uk/ceal/re
  sources/greenerbydegrees/index.cfm
• Stern Report http//www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/indepe
  ndent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_chang
  e/sternreview_index.cfm
• United Nations Sustainable Development Page
  http//www.un.org/esa/sustdev/index.html