I read Chapter 1 & 3 of Sterling. S’s (2013) Future Fit Framework: An introductory guide to teaching and learning for sustainability in HE.
Available at http://www.eauc.org.uk/the_future_fit_framework_an_introductory_guide_
I found the paper interesting and though-provoking. It considered ‘Sustainability’ in a much broader sense than I had considered before. Previously I had thought of ‘Sustainability’ as simply recycling and using materials and resources sparingly. I do agree that as the educators of the next generation, ‘Sustainability’ has to be high on our list of priorities; however I’m not sure if it is quite being achieved.
In the workshops, ‘Sustainability’, as in resources and use of materials, seems quite a relevant topic. Individually we try to educate students, but possibility not well enough eg we have offcut bins for wood, metal and foam – to save students just throwing away offcuts and it means students don’t always need to cut a fresh piece of material – we also have the college wide recycle bins.
In the workshops our primary courses have certain basic materials they can use eg, mdf, soft woods, aluminium, steel, and blue modelling foam (Styrofoam) other than that they have to buy materials. Unsurprisingly, they are often very frugal with the materials they have to buy and very wasteful with the supplied materials.
There does seem to be a sense of material entitlement in our workshops, which I believe is encouraged and partly due to the amount they pay each year – an example of this is when I recently overheard a ex-student say to a current student, ‘Yeh, you might as well take as much materials as you can you’ve already paid your material allowance’. To me it wasn’t that shocking and I understood what he meant, but it made me think that the ex-student’s point of view was slightly skewed with a ‘get as much as you can’ attitude rather than sparing a thought for ‘Sustainability’.
Some students are very aware of waste and others are really not, I think often it can depend on the student’s culture/background/upbringing and what previous education they have had on ‘Sustainability’. One situation I find most frustrating is the use of blue Styrofoam – the students can use copious amounts for model making (due to the speed in which you can model it – it is often used retrospectively to show ‘idea development’ long after the final design is made, in a desperate attempt to convince the tutors of their thought process) I see students walking out of the workshops with blocks piled high of blue foam – with the majority ending up in the bin. When I have previously tried to explain the waste – it seems something that is of least concern to the students and even a sense that I am trying to trick them out of their ‘entitled’ materials. It is definitely an area we can work on with the students…. although as of yet I am not too sure how.
Other students seem more aware than the academic or technical staff. In a feedback form we received this week, it was a main priority for one student (picture attached).
The reading of Sterling’s guide suggests to me that we could be a more aware of ‘Sustainability’ – however I think there needs to be more awareness, communication and liaising within the staffing departments eg Technical and Academic to help improve it. Chapter 3 ‘Graduates fit for the future?’ looks at graduates skills and attributes with regards to ‘Sustainability’, there are quite a few references to HE establishments that use ‘attribute’ lists that their students are expected to have when leaving. It made me wonder if we at UAL have a similar process (maybe as part of each courses Personal and Professional Development Learning Outcomes?).
‘Sustainability’ is a complex subject. Who does responsibility lie with? I guess the truth is with all of us: the university as a whole for having facilities and a culture of sustainability, the staff for encouraging good practise, educating the students and set by example and finally the students for carrying this into their own practise.
I look forward to discussing the subject of ‘Sustainability’ further tomorrow.