Focused Discussions
For work that is best discussed or debated, rather than reported on through a formal presentation, these sessions provide a forum for an extended “roundtable” conversation between an author and a small group of interested colleagues. Summaries of the author’s key ideas, or points of discussion, are used to stimulate and guide the discourse.
Making the Invisible Visible : Sustainability Education and the Hidden Curriculum
Focused Discussion Debby R. E. Cotton, Jennie Winter
Sustainability education forms a key element of the sustainable development goals. However, much research in this area has focused on formal curriculum and pedagogic approaches. These are important areas, yet there is increasing evidence that much sustainability education occurs ‘under the radar’ through informal learning and the hidden curriculum. Although many institutions have undertaken some form of ‘curriculum audit’ which explores the inclusion of sustainability in the formal curriculum, much less is known about the workings of the hidden curriculum and its influence on student learning. This session explores the concept of the hidden curriculum, the ways it may impact on education, and outlines some research on sustainability which reveals the hidden curriculum in action. The intention is to prompt discussion with international delegates about the ways in which educators’ attitudes influence curriculum content; how the hidden curriculum might be expressed through pedagogic decisions; and the potential impact of the learning spaces on student learning.
University Engagement in Multi-Sectoral Development in South America: Mercer On Mission's Center of Strength Model
Focused Discussion Craig Mc Mahan
Mercer University, through its international service-learning program (Mercer On Mission), has been engaged in multi-sectoral development initiatives in three South American countries: Ecuador, Peru, and Guyana, since 2014. Our work has focused on the needs of small-scale artisanal gold mining (ASGM) communities. The key issue in ASGM communities throughout South America is mercury pollution, stemming from its use in gold processing. Our team of faculty and students, in collaboration with local and national governmental agencies including the US EPA, have designed a Mercury Capture System that recaptures 99.6% of the mercury used in gold processing. This is a game-changing technological advance that assists Minimata-compliant countries in their efforts to address this leading cause of mercury pollution in the world. But instead of targeting this single issue, we recognized that ASGM communities face an array of challenges that beg for a holistic response. Through our Centers of Strength model, Mercer On Mission teams provide an integrated, multi-disciplinary response to the highest priority needs identified by the community. In Zaruma, Ecuador, the concern was for economic diversification. So, we built a coffee industry literally from the ground up that now annually exports 40,000 pounds of coffee to US markets. In Laberinto, Peru, the need was for improved public schools. Our education team collaborated with the local school to provide ongoing professional development for their faculty. In Bartica, Guyana, we worked with local health officials to conduct public health assessments in preparation for our deployment of a Telemedicine system next year.
