Abstract
While a
number of universities in Australia have embraced
concepts such as project/ problem based learning and
design of innovative learning environments for engineering
education, there has been an lack of national guidance
on including sustainability as a ‘critical literacy’
into all engineering streams. This paper was presented
at the 2004 International
Conference on Engineering Education in Sustainable
Development in Barcelona, Spain, outlining a current
initiative that is seeking to address the ‘critical
literacy’ dilemma.
The paper presents the positive steps taken by Australia’s
peak engineering body, the Institution of Engineers
Australia (Engineers Australia), in considering accreditation
requirements for university engineering courses and
its responsibility to ensure the inclusion of sustainability
education material.
It then
describes a current initiative called the “Engineering
Sustainable Solutions Program - Critical Literacies
for Engineers in Sustainable Development Portfolio”
(ESSP-CLP), which is being developed by The Natural
Edge Project in partnership with Engineers Australia
and UNESCO (Engineering Sciences and Technology Division
of Basic and Engineering Sciences, Natural Sciences
Sector). The Introductory Module to the program recently
been awarded the
Australian Banksia Award for Environmental Leadership,
Education and Training. It is the intention that the
ESSP-CLP will be a valuable resource to universities,
professional development activities or other education
facilities nationally and internationally.
Parts of the first draft of the ESSP-CLP have been
trialled at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
by Cheryl Paten with first year environmental engineering
students, in May 2004. A full course based on the
material was recently delivered by Charlie Hargroves
and Hunter Lovins at the University of Colorado Boulder.
A summary of the feedback from the trial is also contained
in this paper. Further trials are occurring in over
14 Universities and TAFE Colleges in Australia are
now proceeding.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Engineers
Australia for their continued support of TNEP
and its initiatives, in particular Doug Jones, Martin
Dwyer and Julie Armstrong. The College of Environmental
Engineering within Engineers Australia is thanked
for their support of the education module initiative
and with the time dedicated to reviewing the material
and providing feedback, in particular Tim Macoun and
David Hood. The School of Environmental Engineering
within Griffith University is thanked for its support
in trialing part of the module with its first year
engineering students, in particular Associate Professor
Bofu Yu, Dr Graham Jenkins and Dr Philip Williams.
TNEP would also like to thank the Engineering Sciences
and Technology Division of Basic and Engineering Sciences,
Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO for their commitment
to assist in the development of Level 1 and Level
2 to continue the Critical Literacies Portfolio, in
particular Tony Marjoram and Michiko Tanaka.
About
the Journal
The International
Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education is a
fully-refereed academic journal. Published in conjunction
with the Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable
Future (ULSF), the journal aims at addressing environmental
management systems (EMS), sustainable development
and Agenda 21 issues at higher education institutions,
worldwide. It intends to act as an outlet for papers
dealing with curriculum greening and methodological
approaches to sustainability. In addition, the journal
will report on initiatives aimed at environmental
improvements in universities, and the increased competitiveness
of self-regulatory mechanisms such as environmental
auditing and maintaining EMS. IJSHE disseminates case
studies, projects and programmes whilst still considering
the market opportunities available.