Top-expertise for education in sustainability: Innovative ICT-approaches to ‘connect’ students & experts

High schools are increasingly concerned about educating and engaging their students in sustainability issues. Consequently, curricula in many schools are being redesigned in order to focus upon these issues and their consequences. The project ‘Scholen voor Duurzaamheid’ (Schools for Sustainability, SvD), for example, is being used as a springboard in Dutch high schools to gain experience in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This paper presents the outcomes of research conducted in the period January-September 2010. The objective of this research was to investigate how Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-tools can support the effective integration of experts’ tacit knowledge into high-school sustainability projects, such as SvD. The main research method used within the performed study was case research, which involved literature reviews, interviews and direct in school observations. The literature review examined the areas of ESD, experts’ knowledge and ICT-tools. Underlying theoretical aspects of these three areas were connected through the construction of a conceptual model. This model consequently formed the basis for the creation of different propositions, which were used to focus and guide the empirical data gathering. In order to gather empirical data, case studies were performed at high schools and ESD programmes working with ICT. Examination of these cases was designed to assess if the contributions of experts are considered to be valuable for the educational process, in which ways experts are contacted with the help of ICT and what kind of difficulties could arise through the use of ICT-tools. The findings of the research formed the foundation for several recommendations for different actors that are involving, or may wish to involve experts and ICT in improving the effectivity of high school ESD education.Industrial Design Engineerin

Gaming as an approach to convey the effectuation message

Purpose:Effectuation has been emerging as an alternative perspective to the traditional theories on entrepreneurial decision-making, also referred to as causal reasoning. Building on the dichotomy between causal and effectual reasoning, a simulation game was designed to explore the effectiveness of games in teaching effectuation. Design/methodology/approach:The game was designed to simulate the first year of a business development process based on an opportunity, and a number of causal and effectual actions that can be used to develop a sustainable product/service and accompanying business. The game was tested within the context of an European project, with the representatives of the project partners and students of Lund University. At the end of the game, the participants were asked to fill in an evaluation form to gather insights into the effectiveness of the game in introducing/teaching effectuation. Findings:Our findings suggestthat the game is a successful awareness tool in conveying the effectuation message; the players enjoyed it and found it educational. The game introduced the players in a fast and effective way to the theory of effectuation. Research/practical implications:Besides learning effectuation as an alternative approach, the participants could directly apply it and learned what the implications are in practice. Moreover, the game instantly provides teachers/facilitators insights into the profile of the students or participants and their causal/effectual behavior and consequent learning needs. As a result, it can also be used as an educative planning tool for course development. Originality/value:This study explores gaming as an alternative approach to teaching effectuation, and therefore contributes to the research on entrepreneurship education

Generic Energy Matching Model and Figure of Matching Algorithm for Combined Renewable Energy Systems

In this paper the Energy Matching Model and Figure of Matching Algorithm which originally was dedicated only to photovoltaic (PV) systems [1] are extended towards a Model and Algorithm suitable for combined systems which are a result of integration of two or more renewable energy sources into one. The systems under investigation will range from mobile portable devices up to the large renewable energy system conceivably to be applied at the Afsluitdijk (Closure- dike) in the north of the Netherlands. This Afsluitdijk is the major dam in the Netherlands, damming off the Zuiderzee, a salt water inlet of the North Sea and turning it into the fresh water lake of the IJsselmeer. The energy chain of power supplies based on a combination of renewable energy sources can be modeled by using one generic Energy Matching Model as starting point

A Multilevel Design Model: The mutual relationship between product-service system development and societal change processes

Change actors like designers play a strategic role in innovation and transition processes towards a sustainable society. They act at all levels of society and need help to find their way through increasingly interrelated innovation systems. To support their efforts, there is a need for a design supportive model that (1) can provide insight into the development of new products and product-service systems, as well as in developments that occur in society as a whole; (2) can provide insight into the relationship between functional problems on the one hand, and more abstract societal problems on the other; (3) describe design processes, change processes and transition processes in a consistent, mutually comparable manner that can potentially be used to structure future design-based initiatives. In this paper a Multilevel Design Model (MDM) is discussed, combining two specific functionalities: First a cyclic iterative design approach that may be generic enough to describe both the design of physical artefacts and the design of product-service systems, as well as the way that complex societal change processes may occur. Second a hierarchical systems approach, where on each aggregation level a similar description of the design, change or transition process is applied. The MDM is discussed by means of a simulated case example in the area sustainable transportation and electric transport, explaining the model may indeed be useful to describe and potentially explain some of the dilemmas that occur during the course of complex design processes.Design EngineeringIndustrial Design Engineerin

Teaching PSS in business practice: A win-win-win approach

This paper presents the findings gained through the implementation of the renewed Product Service Systems (PSS) course within the Design for Sustainability curriculum in 2010. Based upon the outcomes of our recent PSS research projects in practice and evaluation of the earlier PSS courses a new setup was proposed. The main starting point for restructuring the course was the conclusion that co-operation and mutual understanding between “creative” designers and “commercial” entrepreneurs are important conditions for success of a new PSS. The course setup is based upon a structured step-by-step approach (www.d4s-sbs.org) in combination with an interactive character by which the students have frequent meetings with the company representatives who gave the assignments as well as with the involved PhD-candidates of the current research projects within the faculty. It was concluded that interaction of students with real life actors increases the feasibility of developed projects (benefit for the companies) and the engagement of students with a real life context (benefit for the students). In addition this new teaching approach delivered valuable research materials (benefit for the PhD-candidates).Industrial Design Engineerin

Household energy consumption : habitual behavior and technology

Without Abstract

Ideas transformed into business enhancing entrepreneurship exploring the "best idea of The Netherlands" case

In 2004 a private initiative started in the Netherlands, to stimulate innovation and the cooperation between students and industry. This resulted in the development of a television formula "The Best Idea of the Netherlands", in which students and Dutch citizens in general are challenged to enter in an annual competition with their new ideas. The competition has been presented in a series of prime time and partly live television shows with increasing popularity. In 2004 110 ideas entered the competition; in 2008 this number has reached 1836. The research question is: does this new television formula indeed foster new product and business development, how is the innovation process organized and what are the outcomes so far? The rationale behind and justification for the development of the TV-formula is that product innovation has to be stimulated. Failure rates are high and The Netherlands lags behind on innovation in comparison to other European counterparts (Lisbon council, 2008). European countries have embraced this goal in the Lisbon treaty as their primary objective for 2010: to become leader in innovation worldwide. Innovation is a driver for national economic growth (Smits, 2006) and for continuity and company growth (Brezet, 2004; Harkema, 2004). Sources of innovation stem from companies as well as research education institutes, including students. The BIN television formula as presented in this paper is a mechanism through which co-operation between SME business and academia is fostered. The first results of the study indicate that the BIN-formula has triggered a new, very popular approach for product innovation in the Netherlands. Several stakeholders seem to profit from this phenomenon: Vacu Vin Ltd. as the first European TV-based product innovative company, IdtV and SBS6 as TV-producers and the general public as co-creators of their ‘own’ new products. The platform resulted in 14 products which were launched on the market and 100 in development. The television show also triggered educational institutes to set up new courses to stimulate creativity and to participate in the television program. In the next phase of the project, a theoretical reflection and refining of the model are envisaged.Design EngineeringIndustrial Design Engineerin

Innovation and distributed economies for sustainable development: The example of the Northern Netherlands

The issue that is discussed in this paper is: what strategy can regional policymakers adopt to revive their regional economies with regard to international competition? The province of Fryslân, a North Netherlands economically peripheral region, aims to revive its economic structure. For this purpose an investment program in energy saving and renewable energy was elaborated using the specific regional qualities. The program is framed by an agreement with the national government and the EU inter-regional co-operation program. The investment of \u80 2.6 billion is based on 29 activities that were derived from workshop interactions, and in which more than seventy businesses, experts and authorities are involved. The program may realize a reduction in fossil fuel use of roughly 21% compared with the present situation. The activities focus on energy saving and renewable energy in housing, mobility, wind energy on industrial parks and closed greenhouses, as well as the production of biofuels from biowaste. Business opportunities for the regional companies are assessed. The regional and local policy instruments are indicated for the program implementation. The efficiency of the regional and local instruments is assessed and found to be superior compared to the national output-subsidies. The implementation of far reaching energy saving and renewable energy programs is attractive and feasible at regional level, according to the models used. The findings are supported by similar developments in Scandinavia and Australia with the so-called Distributed Economy model.Industrial Design Engineerin