An evaluation of a pilot CPD activity to support the development of D&T subject networks in secondary schools

This paper summarises the key findings of an evaluation of a pilot CPD project to support the development of innovative curriculum materials and CPD activities. It explores how the technologies available through CAD/CAM and EiSS can be mutually supportive and help teachers to develop KS3 activities that involve designing and making a functional electronic product to a high standard using CAD/CAM and PIC technologies. The paper introduces the pilot project and outlines the methodology used for both the project and for the evaluation of the project. An outline of events is presented along with a short description of the four schemes of work that were developed and trialled. A summary of the findings from the evaluation is then presented. These are divided into. • Development of subject knowledge; • Development of pedagogic knowledge; • Adaptation based on school centred knowledge; • Outcomes of student interaction, and; • Discussion on integrating CAD/CAM and electronics

Content model as a tool for re-designing services at transformational level: case study of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Service Designers have been working in organisations at a transformational level using tools and methods that primarily focus on the needs of the individuals. Change theories suggest that for transformational change to take place in organisations, change in individuals needs to happen in relation to change at organisational level. Thus service designers need knowledge that enables them to envision what change may look like at an organisational level. This paper presents a case study of a content model that was developed as part of the design research to represent such knowledge. The model represents education for sustainable development (ESD) as a vision of a new service provided by schools to students. It draws on empirical data collected from five schools, organisational change theory and service thinking to show the service/user relationship that needs to be developed at a school level to move schools towards the provision of ESD. The model was tested with seven service designers through in-depth interviews. The findings support understanding and usability of the model in the design process as a tool for transformation but also highlight barriers that a model as a stand-alone tool presents. Wider issues in relation to service designers engaging with transformational change within schools are also discussed

Reinventing refills: guidelines for design

This paper presents findings from a DEFRA funded collaborative research project run by Loughborough Design School in collaboration with Boots Alliance GmbH, and presents guidelines for design teams regarding the design of successful, sustainable, refillable packaging. The study focused on ‘body wash’ products in the area of personal care. A broad range of qualitative methods were used to create a background framework, develop design concepts and test the viability of the design solutions. Two concepts were turned into high fidelity prototypes and tested in multi-activity user focus groups. The prototypes were evaluated from an environmental perspective using the Eco Indicator 99. Discussion is focused around general findings regarding refillable packing and also on specific findings related to ‘concentrates mixed in the parent pack’. The findings from this study have increased understanding about the potential implications of refillable packaging and how it might be successfully utilised by business. A range of guidelines for the design of refills have been identified. Further a more detailed understanding of consumer perceptions, business challenges/opportunities and environmental savings associated with ‘concentrated refills that are mixed in the parent pack’, has been identified. It has been seen that to be successful refills must offer good quality; be very easy to use and appropriately delivered; be clearly communicated; be offered through a brand consumers like; and represent good value, whilst radically reducing the amount of packaging manufactured and distributed. Incorporating carefully considered consumer and environmental needs into the brief is critical to the successful development of refillable packaging

Education and sustainable development: a new context for design

The subject matter of design is the one that concerns itself with change and alternative resolutions (Buchanan, 1995). Increasingly design problems are issue-led with an emerging metaissue of sustainable development (SD) (Fuad-Luke, 2009). This paper discusses the issue of SD in the context of public services in the UK as an opportunity for design. As there is a great diversity in the context, organizational complexity, design and delivery of public services, the focus is on the UK primary education. UNESCO (2009) identified education to be critical in promoting SD and for schools to become ‘centres of expertise and innovation’ in the area. A non mandatory goal from the government and the lack of clarity in definition of SD (Bourn, 2005) leaves schools without strategic incentive for change. The preliminary findings from the interviews of six case studies presented in this paper will seek to explore and identify characteristics and current approaches to SD in the UK schools. The findings will become a foundation for discussion of the role of design within this new context

Design decision-making and materials: research agendas and gathering evidence

This paper describes the development of the research agendas for three PhD research projects which took place over the last two decades in the Department of Design and Technology at Loughborough University. The emergence of these agendas in relation to their eras is described and the data gathering methods developed to pursue them noted. The paper is intended to support teachers, designers and other researchers in the early stages of the design of their research projects

Systems and service design and the circular economy

We must instead always strive to design, work, and live sustainably. The voices throughout this handbook present many different characteristics, layers, approaches, and perspectives in this journey of sustaining

Understanding consumer disposal behaviour with food to go packaging in a move to circular, zero waste packaging solutions

It is clear that a shift from the current make-use-dispose mentality of product consumption is required to move to the ideal of a Circular Economy (CE), where the world’s resources are kept in use for as long as possible and their value retained. The idea of waste as a resource within a CE is not new, but the pressure to apply it to the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) packaging industry has been growing in momentum since 2016. Many research studies have focussed on recycling behaviours in the home, but few have looked at consumers behaviour with food to go (FTG) packaging disposed out of the home. This research set out to assess the habit strengths of millennial consumers disposing of FTG packaging out of the home within the UK. The outcome of this research showed that millennial consumers have strong habits (upper quartile) in relation to their FTG packaging disposal routine. However, a significant percentage of participants were placing FTG packaging into incorrect recycling bins, showing there is still confusion amongst consumers about how to dispose of waste out of the home. Understanding of habit strengths at the packaging disposal stage could be one element to help in the design of interventions within packaging or waste system design, developing the responsible consumer behaviours required for a circular, zero waste society to exist

Product service systems: A sustainable design strategy for SMEs in the textiles and leather sectors

Sustainability is no longer an optional facet of production. Concrete actions are needed from every actor in society to achieve more efficient, responsible, and innovative ways of producing, consuming, and living. Businesses, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are key actors in the drive toward sustainability. Product Service Systems (PSS) are an alternative for SMEs willing to make the transition towards more sustainable operations, but they remain an unknown quantity for many companies. In this article we present findings from two recent studies on the design of sustainable PSS for SMEs. Our main objectives are to inform designers, design managers, and policymakers about the advantages a sustainable PSS offers to SMEs seeking more sustainable operations, and discuss SMEs’ operational needs should they wish to innovate using PSS

Promoting sustainable human development in engineering: Assessment of online courses within continuing professional development strategies

Higher Education Institutions play a critical role in societies transition towards sustainable development, educating future professionals and decision makers. In the last few decades, a number of technical universities have devoted major efforts to integrating sustainable development into engineering curricula. There is still, however, an increasing need to further transform learning and training environments and build capacity of educators and trainers on sustainable development issues. Against this background, this paper assesses the role of online training courses, within continuing professional development strategies, in promoting sustainable human development in engineering degrees. It was built upon the implementation of a European initiative, the Global Dimension in Engineering Education, promoted by a transdisciplinary consortium of technical universities and non-governmental organisations. In terms of method, this study analyses two sets of quantitative and qualitative indicators to assess i) the perceived quality/relevance of the training proposals, and ii) the learning acquisition of participants. Quantitative indicators were complemented by a descriptive analysis of findings from a semi-structured survey. The results provide evidence that online learning can be an effective approach for continuing professional development of academics. The findings also suggest that participants perceived online courses’ contents and curricula, developed jointly by academics and practitioners of non-governmental organisations, as relevant and useful for integrating sustainability principles in teaching activities. To conclude, authors recommend the leaders of higher educational institutions to explore the integration of online courses addressed to faculty into university policy and strategies, as a way to promote professional development and the engagement of academics on sustainable development

Testing new tools for introducing the global dimension in engineering education

Testing new tools for introducing the global dimension in engineering educatio