Circular economy refers to production processes that reduce waste, emissions, and energy leakage through reuse, re-manufacturing, recycling, and up-cycling. In 2014 the EU set ambitions goals on waste management, aiming at a more circular approach to the economy. Circular models divert from traditional production where input resources result, after processing, to discarded waste, emissions, or energy leakage by keeping materials in the production loop. Circular production is related to the concepts of responsible production and consumption. It relies “living” systems that exploit closed loops in economy to, as much as possible, use waste in future production cycles. Well-designed circular processes do not affect consumer satisfaction, business costs, or revenues, but lead to a reduced environmental footprint. In the face of climate change, circular practices can contribute to environmentally friendly business processes that support the long term well being of individuals and communities. Circular practices span economic sectors. For example, materials used in the tourism sector are recycled in furniture manufacturing, coffee waste can be used in agriculture as fertilizer, food waste can be used for feeding animals, renewable energy and water management models can contribute to reduced emissions, etc. Circular design is highly relevant in the heavily production- or service-based TVET sector. Qualification needs in TVET are changing to reflect the societal shift and sensitivities towards a green economy (CEDEFOP). Green skills are high in demand in sectors ranging from computers to energy production, construction, waste management, transport, agriculture, and more (OECD). Most jobs require the “greening” of day to day skill sets, work methods, and occupational profiles (the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs). TVET students would be better placed in the job market through circular skills such as: - Understand the benefits of a circular economy, material reuse, and no waste cycles and strategies for achieving them. - Understand cross sector synergies towards a circular economy. - Be able to earn rapidly as technology evolves. - Have social competencies and collaborate effectively with individuals with diverse backgrounds. - Have circular mindsets on responsible consumption. - Practice empathy for understanding societal sensitivities towards climate change and environmental protection. - Think creatively to identify areas of potential improvement in production processes in terms of reducing emission and waste and reusing waste. - Be able to work within limited resources and timelines. Design4Climate aims to empower vocational education students aged 16-21 through effective training to redesign production towards a circular, environmentally sustainable economy. The project targets TVET in general, due to the cross-sector nature of a circular economy (i.e. waste from one sector being used in another). The project aims to build core green economy skills that are broadly applicable in TVET. Learners will be challenged to turn traditional production process to circular through design thinking principles in educational scenarios inspired by real world cases. The project uses design thinking as a learning methodology. Design thinking aims to best address needs by understanding how a user experiences a service. It is based on principles of empathizing with users, ideating for generating a plethora of ideas on tackling an issue, prototyping, and validating ideas through user engagement. When properly applied, design thinking has the potential of reaching solutions to challenges problems for which none appears to exist at first glance. Learning will be delivered through digital collaborative services that will support design thinking activities of understanding real rather than perceived needs, defining an accurate problem statement, brainstorming, reviewing, contributing to the enrichment of peer ideas, and validating solutions to ensure that user needs are effectively met. Gamification elements, such as clear objectives, timely feedback, recognition, and more, will promote reinforcement of knowledge and student engagement. Design4Climate will further support the integration of proposed design thinking approaches in learning through good practice guidelines targeting educators. The project promotes quality vocational education through innovative, digitally enabled learning design that links green educational activities to industry needs and societal demands. It empowers students to become active and civically minded professionals, able to design services better fitted for consumers. It contributes to long-term sustainable development by promoting core skills on environmentally responsible, human centered production. And it promotes responsible practices of TVET providers on social and environmental sustainability through learning activities that help mitigate climate change.
The project was implemented to form a complex solution based on the direct analysis of requirements of the educational TVET sector in terms of green competencies. As a supportive methodology, the Design Thinking approach was applied which not only stimulates the business approach but also appreciates and promotes creativity. Project retaliators wanted to fit the expectations of pupils. Into consideration were taken the needs of the modern learners that want to involve in the learning process the contemporary topics, team working, and usage of digital media. The mentioned above complexity refers to the solution that can be readily used by learners in various circumstances, but also supports teachers in their divergent educative actions. Knowing that educational transformation always requires time to adjust the initial predefined set of topics aimed. So as to reach the needs of various teachers also different approaches during classes were taken into consideration. As supportive material, also tips for teachers using the platform were planned to achieve.
The Design4Climate project is an answer to the needs of TVET sector to facilitate the process of obtaining green competencies with project-based methods by learners. The modern way of living requires conscious learners and their teachers to obtain not only plain data knowledge but also higher-level competencies related to the methodologies of problem-solving. Although the general technical progress of the world is continuously speeding up, the key point of aware-society is not to forget about the limitations of the Earth's resources. In that way, the project addresses the necessity to educate professionally drawing attention to business and Earth-oriented competencies in an appealing way. Within the project, the application of modern learning approaches was integrated with the concept of unlimited educational space. Such space in the form of a cooperative platform can be used as a supportive medium of standard classes but also can be applied for distant and remote learning. Design4Climate addresses the needs of educators that require support in designing learning activities that are multidirectional – integrate project-solving skills, and social and green competencies, with a knowledge approach.