READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC… ROUNDNESS? PREPARING YOUNGER LEARNERS WITH FOUNDATIONAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY EDUCATION TO ALLOW FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY ACCELERATION AT HIGHER EDUCATION
Year: 2023
Editor: Buck, Lyndon; Grierson, Hilary; Bohemia, Erik
Author: Potter, Claire J
Series: E&PDE
Institution: University of Sussex, United Kingdom
Section: Established, alternative and emerging educational paradigms to equip engineers and designers for future challenges
DOI number: 10.35199/EPDE.2023.80
ISBN: 978-1-912254-19-4
Abstract
By its very nature, education is a moving practice. As new theories, practices, technologies and evidence emerges, all educators have a responsibility to ensure their teaching is at the forefront of their subject and specialism. However, many of the foundational learning skills are taken for granted as being taught and embedded in the earlier years of education. The traditional ‘reading, writing and arithmetic’ of old has been replaced with a much wider suite of skills, but as our world changes with the climate emergency, there are new learning paradigms that are essential to the growing learner and engaged human. The circular economy is one such element. A system that aims to keep materials and resources in constant flow, whilst also creating a regenerative future is arguably a critical system to be understood – and practiced in a variety of ways – by the youngest of learners as a foundational piece of education. This paper looks at two case studies – firstly, the authors new pilot study of how circularity can be embedded earlier in the education landscape through the creation of a 10-week online city-wide education platform working with schools from all key stages and also how circularity has been embedded over the last few years in a BSc / BA Product Design Degree, (and the graduate results this has created). By looking at how circularity can be embedded earlier in the curriculum as a core skill and language, the aim is to discuss how higher education can then push the progression and practice of circularity in each specialism and help the acceleration towards a regenerative future. How might our courses change if we were working with more prepared students?
Keywords: circular economy, regenerative, circularity, sustainable