OU Learning Design team blog

Sustainability Resources 

A .png image of the sustainability version of the OU Learning Design team logo. The text reads: Learning Design. 'Sustainability in Learning Design at the Open University'.

Green Gown Awards 2023 

We were highly commended for our work at the Green Gown Awards 2023. To see what the judges thought about our work you can follow the link to the Green Gown Awards page.

We’ve created a series of top tips about applying for the Green Gown Awards, based on our experience:

Planning, Teamwork, Stage 1 and Stage 2

Case studies

The case studies showcase how some of the resources in this list were used to support the design process at the OU

Case Study 1 – using our resources

Case Study 2 – using our resources

Case Study 3 – using our resources

Sustainability skills cards

These sets of cards support actionable ways to connect with sustainability. They also take the language used by UNESCO and connect it with existing OU frameworks to support the development of learning outcomes and/or activity design. 

Skills Cards –  ways of thinking

Skills Cards – ways of practicing

Skills Cards – ways of being

A twelve minute slidecast has been created to help support colleagues to consider how the skills cards may support the creation of learning outcomes.

Embedding sustainability skills guidance –Designed to help you engage with sustainability skills in order to systematically reflect upon how to meaningfully embed skills for a sustainable future into the learning journey that students undertake in your context.  

Resources to prompt thinking about sustainability in module design
These are the list of resources we have developed. Resources 4a, 4b and 4c below have been incorporated within a course on OpenLearn called ‘Supporting climate action through digital education‘.

 

1 Sustainability Principles in Module Design To raise awareness that support is available for discussions about embedding sustainability.

2 Sustainability Resources in HE Grouped by theme for ease of navigation.

3 Where to begin To narrow the focus of where to begin your thinking about how to connect with sustainability in the design process.

4a Key competencies – ways of thinking

4b Key competencies – ways of practicing

4c Key competencies – ways of being

5 Student Voice To encourage the use of student voice in the co-design of learning experiences.

6 Existing resources on OpenLearn Spotlights the Sustainability Hub on OpenLearn.

7 Connecting with the role of HE in sustainability Signposting to the framework shared by QAA and Advance HE about embedding sustainability within the student journey.

Crib sheet guidance for all seven prompt resources to help colleagues connect with and use them: Crib sheets for resources 1-7

Supporting sustainability in a distance learning curriculum – Poster resource  Presented at the 2023 EDEN conference, this provides an overview of the seven prompt resources that help prompt thinking about sustainability. It also contains a link to a video about the purpose of the poster.