In-School Sustainability Action: Climate Clever Energy Savers

• Published in: Australian journal of environmental education Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 154 - 173
• Main Authors: Buchanan, John, Schuck, Sandy, Aubusson, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.07.2016; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS; Australian Association for Environmental Education, Inc
• Subjects: Active Learning; Australia; Buchanan, John M; Case studies; Climate; Climate science; Conservation (Environment); Conservation education; Data Analysis; Education; Electrical systems; Electricity; Energy Conservation; Energy consumption; Energy education; Energy efficiency; Energy management systems; Energy use; Environmental awareness; Environmental education; Feature Articles; Foreign Countries; Interdisciplinary Approach; Interviews; Netherlands; Primary secondary education; Problem Based Learning; Program evaluation; Schools; Student Attitudes; Student Projects; Students; Surveys; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Systems Approach; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Utilities; Australia; New South Wales; Netherlands; PSE, Australia, New South Wales; systems thinking; problem-based learning; sustainability education; student-centred; project learning
• ISSN: 0814-0626; 2049-775X
• DOI: 10.1017/aee.2015.55

The mandate for living sustainably is becoming increasingly urgent. This article reports on the Climate Clever Energy Savers (CCES) Program, a student-centred, problem- and project-based program in New South Wales, Australia, aimed at enabling school students to identify ways of reducing their schools’ electricity consumption and costs. As part of the program, students apply for Department of Education and Communities funds to address issues of electricity usage, such as building or appliance modifications, or education campaigns. In particular, this article focuses on the systemic approach used to assist teachers and students in meeting the aims of the CCES program, the Sustainability Action Process (SAP). To ascertain the contribution and value of such a framework in achieving project outcomes and associated learning and attitudinal change, we investigated teachers’ and some students’ uses and opinions of the SAP via surveys (n = 434), 16 interviews, and analysis of documents such as student work samples and lesson outlines. Our research indicates that the SAP has been a highly effective, enabling and engaging tool in helping students to identify ways and means of reducing electricity consumption and evaluating their effectiveness, as well as identifying allies and other sources of assistance in carrying out their projects.