Education Sciences

Research

26 pages, 470 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Methodology to Introduce Sustainable Development Goals in Engineering Degrees by Means of Multidisciplinary Projects

by Isidro Calvo, Edorta Carrascal, José Manuel González, Aintzane Armentia, José Miguel Gil-García, Oscar Barambones, Xabier Basogain, Inmaculada Tazo-Herran and Estibaliz Apiñaniz

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060583 - 28 May 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 949

Abstract

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) reflect the relevance that sustainability is gaining in our societies. Including sustainability-related topics in university curricula requires the revision of the contents, teaching/learning strategies and assessment techniques. Although engineering degrees are starting to introduce them, it may become [...] Read more.

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) reflect the relevance that sustainability is gaining in our societies. Including sustainability-related topics in university curricula requires the revision of the contents, teaching/learning strategies and assessment techniques. Although engineering degrees are starting to introduce them, it may become complex to design significant educational experiences. This partly comes from the fact that sustainability is a highly multidisciplinary issue but, currently, the knowledge is compartmentalised into subjects. In this challenging scenario, concrete activities are required for students to better internalise sustainability issues. This work aims to present a methodology that guides academic staff to materialise the design of sustainability-related multidisciplinary activities. Since the designers of new activities may benefit from knowledge of similar experiences, this article describes one implementation throughout eight subjects within the Bachelor’s degree on Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering at UPV/EHU. The analysis and optimisation of the thermal comfort and energy consumption in the Faculty building became the common thread to design an educational itinerary that covers several subjects along all academic years of the degree, making use of active methodologies. The problem is analysed for every subject from different perspectives. Two questionnaires, carried out before and after the activities, were used for analysing the perception of the students after the activities. Results proved that the multidisciplinary project raised awareness about the SDGs and allowed students to visualise how to apply the acquired skills in problems close to their experience. As a result, more students considered sustainability as a possible future professional activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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16 pages, 1484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Educating Future Agricultural Engineers at the University of Burgos, Spain, through a Service-Learning Project on Rural Depopulation and Its Social Consequences

by Víctor Revilla-Cuesta, Marta Skaf, Javier Manso-Morato, José T. San-José and Vanesa Ortega-López

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030267 - 2 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1823

Abstract

A Service-Learning Project (S-LP) is a teaching experience through which the concepts covered during an educational course can practically be applied to address a given social problem. It is therefore a useful teaching methodology to bring courses closer to the real world. An [...] Read more.

A Service-Learning Project (S-LP) is a teaching experience through which the concepts covered during an educational course can practically be applied to address a given social problem. It is therefore a useful teaching methodology to bring courses closer to the real world. An S-LP experience is reported in this paper that was conducted with students of agricultural engineering to address the problem of rural depopulation, through the design of agri-food buildings for industries, and economic activities that help to maintain a stable population. After the S-LP, a survey was administered to both students and teachers, to assess the success of this teaching experience. The responses of the students showed not only an awareness of the social problem that was addressed, but also a critical spirit that led them to seek the best possible answer, and a global vision of the issue. It helped them to reflect on all of its facets to arrive at a way of engaging with the social problem. Importantly, the students were able to reflect upon how engineers can also serve society through their technical knowledge. The teachers indicated that the S-LP motivated the students on the course, while enabling them to successfully learn the concepts, and to develop independent study skills searching for information. In general, an S-LP is an experience that the teachers in this study would recommend and that could be especially relevant for universities assuming a role as a social entity to heighten the visibility of social problems and needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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17 pages, 897 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Disaster Prevention Literacy Education among Vietnamese High School Students

by Bay Dinh Vu, Hien Thi Nguyen, Hong-Van Thi Dinh, Quynh-Anh Ngoc Nguyen and Xuan Van Ha

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030262 - 1 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3356

Abstract

Research has shown that natural disasters can be prevented or mitigated effectively through education which provides knowledge and skills for the young generation to protect themselves and act to protect the community. The current study investigated the level of natural-disaster-prevention literacy and analyzed [...] Read more.

Research has shown that natural disasters can be prevented or mitigated effectively through education which provides knowledge and skills for the young generation to protect themselves and act to protect the community. The current study investigated the level of natural-disaster-prevention literacy and analyzed its predictors among high school students in Vietnam. This study adopted a cross-sectional school-based design, using an online survey. There were 807 students from seven public schools participating in this study. The results show that the natural-disaster-prevention knowledge, perception, skills, and overall literacy are above average, with knowledge having the highest score. Significant differences exist in natural-disaster-prevention literacy and its components by gender, grade, location, and residence. Age, location, residence, knowledge, and perception can predict participants’ skills of natural-disaster prevention. This study highlights the necessity of teaching natural-disaster prevention in schools, across grades, and focusing on providing the students with the knowledge and perception needed to improve their natural-disaster-prevention skills. This will contribute to helping the country meet the goal of education for sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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15 pages, 1497 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Language Training for Engineering Students: Integrating Resource-Efficiency into the Course Content through the Educational Process

by Neil Gordon, Natalya Kemerova, Lyudmila Bolsunovskaya and Sergey Osipov

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020176 - 7 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1734

Abstract

The sustainable use of the Earth’s resources is recognized as increasingly important on a global scale, especially in relation to natural resource management, and is effectively addressed under the auspices of resource efficiency within engineering education. This has led to an increased demand [...] Read more.

The sustainable use of the Earth’s resources is recognized as increasingly important on a global scale, especially in relation to natural resource management, and is effectively addressed under the auspices of resource efficiency within engineering education. This has led to an increased demand for engineers able to carry out professional activities whilst considering sustainable issues, as well as adopting state-of-the-art technologies, and applying the best domestic and foreign practices. The study of resource efficiency encompasses a range of aspects, from natural resources, through information management, technological tools, time, and other resources. Effective engineering education should include resource efficiency, whilst enabling students to become autonomous lifelong learners, and to develop as potential researchers and professionals, able to take account of emerging issues and approaches for resource efficiency. This paper begins by analyzing the concept of resource efficiency and key research in this area. It goes on to provide a framework to demonstrate how resource-efficiency can be delivered as part of the teaching of year one engineering students, with a theoretical and methodological scaffolding. The paper presents a case study which utilizes resource efficiency within language training. The paper defines the notion of language training resources and their classification. The case study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed approach and includes a formal assessment to show its effectiveness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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19 pages, 935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

School Leadership, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Principals in China, Germany, and the USA

by Ulrich Müller, Dawson R. Hancock, Chuang Wang, Tobias Stricker, Tianxue Cui and Marah Lambert

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 853; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120853 - 23 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3774

Abstract

We live in times of multiple crises. Climate change, degradation of soils, loss of biodiversity, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine, to name but a few. School leaders are challenged in many ways to tackle the consequences of these crises, to prepare students [...] Read more.

We live in times of multiple crises. Climate change, degradation of soils, loss of biodiversity, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine, to name but a few. School leaders are challenged in many ways to tackle the consequences of these crises, to prepare students for a future that will foreseeably be full of crises too, and to just do their “normal” daily work: to make sure that the school is running successfully in order to help students learn how to read, write, calculate, etc. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a concept that aims at empowering learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to address the interconnected global challenges we are facing. This article reports on a study that seeks to investigate what principals in Germany, China, and the United States do to integrate sustainability and ESD in their schools. It specifically addresses the issue of COVID-19 and its impact on the establishment of ESD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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15 pages, 2609 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementing Sustainability into Virtual Simulation Games in Business Higher Education

by Aleksandra Gawel, Sergiusz Strykowski and Konstantinos Madias

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12090599 - 2 Sep 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2919

Abstract

The paper aims to determine how sustainability can be implemented into virtual business simulators dedicated to higher education due to the need for raising environmental awareness among students. Climate and natural environmental changes caused by human activities require adjustments in society’s mindsets and [...] Read more.

The paper aims to determine how sustainability can be implemented into virtual business simulators dedicated to higher education due to the need for raising environmental awareness among students. Climate and natural environmental changes caused by human activities require adjustments in society’s mindsets and activities, especially in the business-related sector, which makes the implementation of sustainability in business higher education of crucial importance. Virtual business simulators are innovative tools in business higher education. Their use, as a part of game-based learning, is attracting increasing interest, as this method allows us to understand interactions between business decisions and their results. In this paper, we present our case study of an IT-based business simulator, which includes aspects of sustainability, and the initial experience of a group of test students participating in the business game. The paper discusses the authors’ own IT solutions and the possibilities of implementing the concept of sustainability into business-oriented higher education. This paper proposed the manner of implementing sustainability, including pseudocodes, into a virtual business simulator. The results show how challenging it is to implement sustainability into game-based business education, as it increases the complexity of interactions among different aspects of running a business, including the goal of making a company more diversified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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20 pages, 952 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Contribution of Higher Education to Sustainability: The Development and Assessment of Sustainability Competences in a University Case Study

by Vasiliki Kioupi and Nikolaos Voulvoulis

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060406 - 15 Jun 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4259

Abstract

Universities can make a significant contribution to sustainability, and the development of sustainability competences in their graduates should be a key outcome of their courses. We propose an assessment framework for enabling and evaluating the attainment of sustainability competences in University students. We [...] Read more.

Universities can make a significant contribution to sustainability, and the development of sustainability competences in their graduates should be a key outcome of their courses. We propose an assessment framework for enabling and evaluating the attainment of sustainability competences in University students. We outline its six steps, offering tools on how to assess the alignment of University programs’ Learning Outcomes (LOs) to sustainability and how translate them into competences for sustainability. We provide approaches to evaluate existing assessment methods in terms of enabling students to develop and apply their competences, guidance on how to conduct the assessments to collect data on student performance and eventually how to use the data, and evidence collected to evaluate if the students are developing the intended competences. We illustrate the application of the assessment tool in a University case study and we draw conclusions on the evidence it offers to how higher education practitioners can benefit from its use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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20 pages, 304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Embedding Sustainability in Learning and Teaching: Lessons Learned and Moving Forward—Approaches in STEM Higher Education Programmes

by Kelum A. A. Gamage, Sakunthala Yatigammana Ekanayake and Shyama C. P. Dehideniya

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030225 - 19 Mar 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5626

Abstract

Embedding sustainability into pedagogical approaches is a key priority in higher education. Equipping students with knowledge, understanding, and skills, and developing the next generation of innovators and leaders, can potentially provide the change needed and create a real impact in the journey to [...] Read more.

Embedding sustainability into pedagogical approaches is a key priority in higher education. Equipping students with knowledge, understanding, and skills, and developing the next generation of innovators and leaders, can potentially provide the change needed and create a real impact in the journey to a sustainable future. Advancement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and corresponding industries can be seen as vital for the success of meeting a majority of the sustainable development goals, and hence the approaches taken to embed sustainability in learning and teaching in STEM higher education programmes can be considered significant in many ways. This paper is based on published literature over the last two decades and a semi-structured interview with 12 university academics from a developing country. Hence, the paper reviews approaches taken to embed sustainability in learning, teaching and assessments in STEM programmes. It also aims to investigate the actions taken by universities to integrate sustainability in STEM education and the remedies taken to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the effectiveness of the learning pedagogies used to integrate sustainability concepts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning for Sustainability: Challenges and Progress of Embedding Sustainability into Teaching and Learning and Beyond)

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