Understanding Sustainability as a Concept Within R&D Design Projects

Abstract

The present study investigates how students in the Dutch secondary STEM subject Research and Design (R&D), offered at Technasium schools, reason about the broad and multifaceted concept of sustainability. Within this educational paradigm, students are instructed through a combination of research and design projects developed collaboratively by R&D teachers, clients, and field experts. The concept of sustainability is often a explicit or implicit element in these projects, reflecting the Technasium vision of engaging students with authentic, socially relevant problems.

The study focuses on grade K7 novice students (age 12), who attempt to understand and incorporate sustainability into their work through a design brief. The brief has a significant influence on outcomes, particularly when sustainability values are emphasised, so students' interpretations are pivotal. Values can differ, as evidenced by marked differences in design direction from prioritising greening with plants versus reusing materials. The students initially created a design brief without any prior knowledge of sustainability or of design brief formulation. Following the delivery of a concise workshop on the subjects, a revision of the briefs was initiated. Initially, students referred to broad, umbrella concepts such as environment, nature, recycling, and waste, while social and economic dimensions were almost entirely absent. Following the provision of instruction, references to social and economic sustainability increased, and the use of vague overarching terms decreased. The findings indicate that students benefit from developing a foundational understanding of sustainability before.