Environmental management learning through the campus

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Environmental management learning through the
campus

• Liz Sharp
• University of Bradford

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Why am I giving this talk?

• Organised campus-based learning through
  Environmental Management Case Studies module
  for the past three years.
• Won 2006 Green Gown
• I am typical academic
• Running around with teaching research
• Research interest in Environmental Management
  but not campus action.

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What I am going to talk about

• What is the module?
• Why it works for
• Campus environment manager
• Students
• What has made it work?
• How has it not worked?
• Recent developments summary
• Potential / issues for replication?

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What is the module?

• Level-2 module with about 35 students studying
  Geography, Environmental Science or Land and
  Water Engineering.
• Student groups plan and implement a project which
  addresses one aspect of University environmental
  management.

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Green gown application claim

• Win-win-win combination of benefits
• Propagating the skills, knowledge and
  understanding of sustainability issues using real
  life environmental problems as a learning tool.
• Supported development of student key skills, such
  as team work and project planning, through an
  applied project in an institution they know.
• Tangible contributions to improved University
  environmental management.

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Project topics

• Usually involve the collection of evidence to
  inform the development of policy
• Have used different research techniques including
  focus groups, questionnaires, analysis of
  existing data and interviews
• Have addressed a range of aspects of University
  environmental management from travel, through
  waste to energy.

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Past project titles 1

• Review of car parking arrangements Benchmarked
  University practice against best practice car
  parking management strategies within the HE
  sector.
• Student travel patterns survey Survey of
  destinations, frequencies, distances and modes of
  UK students travelling to their homes and
  international students travelling to their
  domicile countries.
• Environmental Review of Grounds Maintenance
  included habitat mapping of University
  landholdings with attention to regional priority
  habitats, a litter survey, and baseline
  pesticide/chemical use information.

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Past project titles 2

• Review of cycling preferences Surveyed students
  and staff about preferences and potential for
  mode switch to cycling, and what facilities might
  facilitate the shift.
• Student consultation environmental impacts
  Investigation of environmental priorities held by
  the Universitys student body which also reviewed
  which communication tools students use to access
  University information.

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Module cycle

• September Preparation of module materials and
  ideas for potential projects
• October-December Support students framing and
  developing their ideas into a project plan
  (also skills development in relation to CV,
  project planning and research methods)
• January-March Support students in carrying out
  the project and producing the project report
• May Students present their findings reflect on
  learning from the project

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Why it works for the Environment manager

• additional person-power to the business of
  environmental management in the University
• Student groups have unique access to student
  perspectives and preferences
• The projects do require an investment of my
  time, and some are stronger than others, but
  overall gains for environmental management in the
  University far outweigh the costs Jaime
  Sullivan, Environmental Manager

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Examples of benefits gained

• GROUNDS MAINTENANCE informed the Universitys
  decision to implement biodiversity action plans
  installation of new litter bin/signage. Pesticide
  and chemical use information will benchmark
  future consumption.
• STUDENT TRAVEL PATTERNS data has been added to
  the Universitys travel plan and annual carbon
  footprint.
• REVIEW OF CAR PARKING informed the Universitys
  travel plan creation of a new car parking
  provision policy.

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Why it works for students (and me!)

• students understanding of real environmental
  management is best achieved through genuine case
  studies in an organisation with which they are
  familiar
• core professional skills, such as team work, CV
  preparation, report writing, project planning,
  presentation and reflection are better taught
  within a disciplinarily-relevant module

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What has made it work?

• Collaborative spirit between Environment Manager,
  Careers Development Service, and myself
• Student groups of lt40 so management of different
  projects does not become too complicated
• Accumulation of module materials during 6 years
  of teaching this or similar module.

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How has it not worked?

• Some students have not been motivated produce
  poor work
• Environment manager has had limited availability,
  driving some students to extreme frustration
• Tensions occur within student groups, sometimes
  affecting project quality, but often impacting on
  student experience.

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Recent developments

• Having won the Green Gown in 2005-6, this year
  we have moved from concentrating on the Campus!!
  (though not completely)
• Opportunity for Yorkshire Water Conservation
  Challenge sponsored by DTi and Yorkshrie Water,
  students asked to invent project find ways to
  promote water conservation.
• Projects concentrate, variously, on main campus
  buildings, halls, student attitudes, student
  housing, school children.

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Summary of experience

• student learning is enhanced through real world
  problems which they can understand contribute
  to because they know the campus and how it
  works
• environmental management is enhanced through the
  extra people able to gather information and the
  advantages of a student perspective.

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Potential/issues for replication

• Needs geography/ environment/ engineering/
  management courses with an applied focus
• Needs committed staff who are keen to work
  together across institutional barriers
• Might be hard to replicate with groups of greater
  than 50 students
• One strength is the focus on student skill
  development in a discipline-related context.

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Replication - discussion

• Could this type of module be replicated in your
  institution? (Or is it already?)
• What for your would be the advantages of
  replicating it?
• What are the main barriers you perceive?
• How would you go about replicating it?

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Thank you for listening!
e.sharp_at_ bradford.ac.uk