Sustainability and Schools - Research by Dr Andrea Wheeler - How Can We Design Schools As Better Learning Spaces and To Encourage Sustainable Behaviour? Co-Design Methodologies and Sustainable Communities.

Discussion Topics

Is Well-being key to Sustainable Schools?

Participation in decision making by children is considered important to both education policy and schools building. The DfES publication Design of Sustainable Schools>, cites Alan Johnson: "Schools are here to give children the knowledge and skills they need to become active members of society. Many children are rightly worried about climate change, global poverty and the impact of our lifestyles. Schools can demonstrate ways of living that are models of good practice for children and their communities. They can build sustainable development into the learning experience of every child" (DfES, 2006, 2). The school building programme is experimenting with new forms of school systems and structure and with ways of involving the community in education, but will the potential of student participation be fully explored within the Building Schools for the Future programme? What are the barriers and limitations of children's voice? Collaborative design processes have the potential to suggest places made where children can learn to learn to listen and respond to others, and even to listen to the radical other and as yet without voice (of natural and animal worlds). Participation in design programmes could thus teach young people the social skills and democratic decision making needed to address the global energy crisis; but what are the barriers to adopting this sort of approach? What political, philosophical, or ethical issues do we have to address?

I am keen to discuss any references to architecture and well-being and well-being and education together with theories of capabilities approaches and sustainability (and anything else appropriate to this problem).

Is well-being key to sustainable schools design? How to we as educationalists or architects respond to the need to teach about sustainable lifestyles?

[1] DfES (2006) Design of Sustainable Schools DfES Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park, Nottingham. NG15 0DJ (available for download at www.dfes.gov.uk)

Respond to this topic by e-mailing andrea.wheeler@nottingham.ac.uk