Directed integration of university-wide ESD into chemistry degrees at NTU

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Coffey, M., Molthan-Hill, P. ORCID: 0000-0002-4425-1800 and Dharmasasmita, A. ORCID: 0000-0003-3793-4459, 2017. Directed integration of university-wide ESD into chemistry degrees at NTU. In: 7th EuroVariety 2017, University of Chemistry Education, Belgrade, Serbia., 28-30 June 2017.

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Abstract

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) offers all students (25000+) the opportunity for an additional academic award which focusses on education for sustainable development (ESD) to supplement their degree programme. In this initiative, the Sustainability in Practice Certificate (SiP), participants demonstrate how their discipline can be applied in the wider context of sustainable development (Molthan-Hill et al., 2015). Whilst the NTU Business School adopts compulsory participation in the SiP, for others, including Chemistry, participation is optional.

The theme for the SiP is “Food for Thought”. Participants explore how their subject applies to one of many aspects of food sustainability (Puntha et al., 2015). The scheme is relatively new and uptake by students for whom the award is optional is patchy, with relatively low engagement levels for Chemistry students, a behavior seen for some other subjects (Jones et al., 2008; Zeegers & Clark, 2014). This may be due to sustainability being viewed as a purely environmental issue, with weaker awareness of its social and economic dimensions.

This present work details how the SiP requirements are aligned with coursework for a module available to Level 5 NTU Chemistry degree students to facilitate participation. This module (Applied Instrumental Analysis) focuses on the development of understanding and practice of a wide range of analytical chemistry applications.

Module coursework requires students to comprehend primary literature papers relating to the instrumental chemical analysis of food in relation to food safety, security, taste studies, composition analysis or contamination screening (e.g. Sapozhnikova et al., 2015). Students produce a poster which contextualizes this studied literature to suit to a wider audience. This work aligns with the SiP requirements at two key stages of a five-stage process to award. By contextualizing ESD directly to the course content of the chemistry programme, engagement in the SiP by chemistry students has improved.

Item Type:

Conference contribution

Creators:

Coffey, M., Molthan-Hill, P. and Dharmasasmita, A.

Date:

June 2017

Identifiers: