Introduction to SDGs/CE

Plan your sustainability training session

In this section, you will find a detailed description of how you can prepare your lesson on discovering and learning about the importance of the SDGs. We will suggest different pedagogical approaches related to each activity described. In particular, we will use the following pedagogical approaches:

- learning through play linked to the activity "breaking the ice",
- research and advocacy linked to the first activity and
- moving debate linked to the second activity.

While planning your sustainability lesson, there are several resource possibilities to use, such as
- platforms containing theoretical descriptions
- online exercises
- youtube videos
- reflective questions and so on.
For example, on the SKILL CIRCLE and Live Circular Canvas learning platforms, you’ll find means to further support your lesson about circular economy concepts which can be used to better illustrate what CE is about. After making sure that learners understand the essence of CE, you can concentrate on finding the link between CE and Sustainability.

Warm-up activities, handouts and videos should also be available for lesson implementationle.

In order to reach your goal of having an engaging lesson with basic concepts of sustainability and CE, we propose that the trainer asks learners to read in advance about the basics of CE, from the Skill Circle learning platform. Possible questions should be clarified. Watching the Understanding CE video from the same platform should lead to discussions on how the SDGs are influenced by CE. It is important, that learners are advised and resources (hand-outs, links) are distributed to be consulted by learners prior to the lesson. The chosen topic should be briefly presented and time given for learners to discuss and express opinions about it.

To introduce your topics, it is either advisable to have learners watch the videos about CE and sustainable development prior to the lesson, or make sure to have an extra 5 minutes calculated in your timeframe. Either way, it is important to have learners introduced to the above topics.

Following the introduction round, within this section for the first Activity we propose to use the educational approach of digital storytelling, through which learners can see in real world the use of CE and can create/understand the link to the relevant SDGs. The second Activity will be describing the Use of WebQuests

Within this section you will find a detailed description on how you should prepare for your lesson. For the first Activity we propose to use the educational approach of digital storytelling, through which learners can see in real world the use of CE and can create/understand the link to the relevant SDGs.

The task which needs to be completed by the learners is to think about a possibility on the basis of what they have read/seen about circular economy, which they could implement in their everyday lives.
Continuous assistance needs to be provided to learners in order to complete all the needed steps.
At the following session, each group presents its own WebQuest they have created.

The three educational resources which can be used within activities 4 and 5 are:
1. SKILL CIRCLE learning platform,
2. T-Challenge Webquest platform,
3. Live Circular Canvas learning platform.

All resources have been developed within previous Erasmus+ projects, which were focusing on developing educational materials related to circular economy. From this point on, if learners understand the essence of sustainability, and CE they can easily relate these two main topics with the proposed methodologies and activities.

For implementing Activities 1 to 3 you will have all the needed resources listed within the description of the activity which will be also available under the resources section.

Icebreaking activity – Me through SDGs

Learning resources
Materials: Sticker/Icon/Card for each SDG. Printed list of the 17 SDGs.
Pen and paper.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Process:
Put the 17 SDGs’ cards/Stickers/Icons on a table. Hand out the list of the 17 DSGs to participants. Each participant takes a card/sticker/icon. All participants get 1 minute to prepare an answer to the question below (they are allowed to use their mobiles and/or tablets to search information on Internet)

The question to be answered by the trainer is: Could you tell us a personal experience related to the specific chosen SDG card/sticker/icon? Participants will be asked to take notes about the chosen SDG cards presented by others and to tick the box of the concerned SDG on their list. When a Participant is finished with his/her answer, other Participants get to ask two additional questions about the SDG and/or the personal experience.

At the end of the game, each Participant will be asked to choose 3 priority SDGs

Trainer question:

The question to be answered by the trainer is:

Could you tell us a personal experience related to the specific chosen SDG card/sticker/icon?

Tips for the trainer:

A good playing session/game :
▪        Must be related to what is studied and a content that is meaningful to the participants
▪        contain clear objectives (training objectives or other) and an understandable goal,
▪        have a pleasant and friendly appearance,
▪        having clear rules and concise instructions,
▪        be playable within an hour and almost without cost,
▪        involve all participants at the same time,
▪        give participants the opportunity to make interesting decisions,
▪        contain elements of surprise,
▪        resorting to physical activity, movement,
▪        It is easy to make a debriefing,
▪        having easily understandable rules by any trainer, without special training.

Educational approach: Learning by Playing
The practice of the game (playing) is widespread in training of adults, much more than in the schools and Universities. The pedagogy of the game promotes the development of autonomy, the expression of creativity and adaptability among young people. It also allows trainers to easily conduct training in groups. The game can be performed in a conventional classroom-based format (role-playing game, quiz, trivial pursuits...) or online (Serious games, Apps, augmented reality, social media...). In the context of training, games can meet various needs. The thematic content of a game can be used to inform, illuminate, illustrate, react, understand, share opinions, debate and look for solutions.

Activity 1 – Discover SDGS with videos

Learning resources
Materials: Internet access and computer / video projector.
Pen and paper to take notes.
Blackboard for the trainer.
Video List regarding SDGs introduction:
▪        Video 1: United Cities and Local Governments - YouTube
▪        Video 2: The Global Goals - YouTube
▪        Video 3: Nations Unies - YouTube
▪        Video 4: 'We The People' for The Global Goals | Global Goals - YouTube
▪        Video 5: Numbers In Action | Global Goals - YouTube
Duration: 1 hour.
Process:
This activity aims at stimulating reflection and research. The trainer will ask trainees to read a chosen article on SDGs, select a video to watch in the classroom and organise small groups discussions. The trainer provides the information (basic concepts of CE) learners will need to discuss about.
Trainer divides the whole group into pairs/smaller groups of max 3 persons.
The trainer hands out the introductory questions to start the discussions.
Learners think about the received topics, and questions, namely basic concepts of Circular Economy. Learners try to find the relation of CE to the SDGs they can be related to (SDG7,8,11,12,13). Learners discuss in pairs. Activity finishes with a debrief within the whole group about the relation of CE to the above-mentioned SDGs.

Tips for the trainer:

Prior planning and research done by the trainer is really important in order to provide useful information to learners. Trainers need to make sure that within the formed groups, each participant can have his/her say and opinion. Triggering questions should be used, when learners hit a stumbling block in their discussion:

▪ How important CE is in our everyday life?
▪ Do you agree that implementing SDGs requires knowledge on different topics?

▪ The danger in the game is to confine the participants in a passive position, the classic formula where trainees are tested on their knowledge or their ability to memorize information but they are rarely put in a situation of critical thinking regarding the transmitted information.
▪ To avoid these situations, the trainer must focus on games that require search of information rather than those where it is simply given to the participant in a binary schema "you know / you do not know”.
▪ Another possibility is to co-construct the game with the participants. The simplicity of the rules or the fact that they are known by all, makes easier to develop them.

Educational Approach: Video, Readings & small groups discussion
Small group discussions can be effective as a student-centered approach of teaching. To most effective implementation, good planning is necessary. Trainers need to think about discussion generating questions, topics in advance and should make sure that the best learning environment is given for students, in order to be able to get their full involvement and keep up their motivation throughout the sessions. Small group discussions need to be put in place while participants’ engagement can be assured and facilitated. Promoting discussion among students is of upmost importance. Therefore, trustful learning environment and relationships between the group members is essential.

Activity 2 – Advocacy and Debate

Learning resources
Materials: Internet access.
Pen and paper to take notes.
Blackboard for the trainer.
Duration: 45 minutes.
Process:
Each SDGs trainer forms two groups of 2 participants each: one for the SDGs and one against. Each group will be invited to do research to find arguments for and against each SDG using facts, figures... While other participants participate in the "moving debate"

1. The trainer has the affirmations on posters related to the photo to discuss on the walls (facilitating the positioning of the participants).
2. Participants discover the proposals, identify one that challenges them and position themselves underneath.
3. Once everyone has chosen their statement, the trainer asks someone to explain their position.
4. Then another person expresses an argument that is similar to what has been said previously.
5. At the end of each intervention, if the proposed argument leads another participant to change his point of view, the persons concerned may change their place and position themselves under the same poster.
6. The debate continues until everyone has been able to express themselves and everyone feels in tune with the statement they are defending.

A debriefing stunt should be organized at the end of each session to make it possible to resume the content. At the end of this activity, the participant will be able to:
▪ Identify issues related to the SDGs
▪ Argue and use facts about these issues
▪ Critically analyze and develop a deeper understanding of the SDGs.

Tips for the trainer:
Possible statements to start a debate:
▪ Are there too many of the 17 SDGs ?
▪ Are the 17 SDGs a matter for public authorities and businesses and not citizens?

Educational approach: Shifting/Moving debate
Shifting/Moving debate is a methodology for hosting conversations about problematic questions using argumentation. The activity encourages learners to think about all sides of an argument.
The moving debate breaks down into 3 phases:
1. The statement and set out of instructions: introduce the idea that at the beginning of a debate a learner may be clear about whether the trainee agrees or disagrees with a given statement
2. The debate: after all aspects of the issue are discussed the trainee may be persuaded to change their mind
3. The exploitation of the collected material: can identify the many complexities involved in the SDGs issues. It can include dialogue, debate and the resolving of conflict.

Activity 3 – Taking stock of the SDGs!

Learning resources
Materials: Internet access.
Pen and paper to take notes.
Blackboard for the trainer.
Duration: 45 minutes.
Process:
Learners are asked to identify school/community/neighbourhood issues related to the SDGs. Learners will understand the interdependence of the SDGs, make connections between the SDGs and their own lives, synthesize information and declare a personal commitment to act on the SDGs.

Steps to do a check-up:
Separate learners into small groups to discuss the issues they feel are most important.
Assign a speaker for each group who will present their problems.
Each group must answer the following questions (brainstorming):

1.      What are the three main problems in the region you have chosen?
2.      How are they connected to the 17 SDGs?
3.      What are your ideas/solutions to solve these problems?
4.      What action plan?

Activity 4 - Digital story-telling

Learning resources
Materials:
- visuals about the 17 SDGs
- pre-prepared handouts/google forms about which SDG can be related to CE
- internet
- laptop/ mobile phones/ projector – smart TV or board
- post-it notes, pen/ pencil
- learners work in pairs/ share their findings with the group.

Process:
The trainer provides the resources (Educational videos) where learners can watch the topic related videos. Brief summary of the films which have been seen is done by the trainer, from the perspective of the SDGs the lesson is focusing on. Concepts which need to be considered are discussed, made sure participants understand their meaning and importance. Interactive exercises are done as a close-up of the activity.

Icebreaker:
Put students individually to complete the following quiz about sustainability from euronews.green. Discuss briefly the results, how did they do?

To introduce the topics of the lesson, you can have two options.

1. You will ask learners to read in advance about the basics of CE, from the Skill Circle learning platform. Possible questions are clarified. Watching the Understanding CE video from the same platform and reflections/ discussions in small groups are put in place. Discussions on how the SDGs are influenced by CE are generated.

2. To introduce both topics, make sure to watch, or prior distribute these two links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maJuAFKriVw - educational video about What is CE?What is sustainable development? - YouTube – Introduction to defining sustainability video.

You can start by forming pairs/small groups depending on the number of learners in the class. After a quick round of checking that they’ve understood the videos they’ve watched, they should be discussing what they’ve found out from the videos, are these aspects new to them, have they thought about CE and Sustainability before? If they already had prior knowledge, in what context? Ask them to think about some changes they could introduce to their personal lives in order to contribute to the changes we, as society, should undertake. After the topic related Icebreaker, introduction to the lesson is made.

Educational approach: digital story-telling.
Digital storytelling combines the art of telling stories with a mixture of digital media, including text, pictures, recorded audio narration, music and video. These multimedia elements are blended together, to tell a story that usually revolves around a specific theme or topic. Moreover, this topic often contains a particular point of view. Generally, digital stories are relatively, short with a length of between 2 and 10 minutes, and are saved in a digital format that can be viewed on a computer or other device capable of playing video files.
In an educational setting, it is reasonable to ask questions of a video to help determine if it might be classified as a digital story.
Some of the questions that should be asked when viewing a video include:
• What is the topic and the main purpose of the video?
• Where was the video found?
• Who created it and when was it created?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Did the creator of the video narrate it?
• Does it contain a personal point of view?
• Does the content seem to be factual and presented in a fair and balanced manner?
• Does the video seem to have a specific agenda or message that is related to an institution, business, or other types of organization?
• How long is the video?

Activity 5 - Using webquests

Learning resources
Materials: Internet access, laptop/video projector.
Pen and paper to take notes.
Blackboard for the trainer.
Duration: 75 minutes

Process:
The trainer presents briefly what a WebQuest (main aims and structure) is.
Learners are divided into pairs/smaller groups of 3.
Trainer draws attention to the case studies on Circular Economy.
The trainer shows learners the already developed, Circular Economy-related WebQuests from the T-Challenge Webquest platform.
Learners watch the videos and read about the case studies.
Depending on learners’ prior knowledge about WebQuests, this session can be implemented within a 75 minute timeframe.

Educational approach: Using Webquests.
A WebQuest forces students to transform information into something else: a collection that maps out the main issues, a comparison, a hypothesis, a solution, etc. In order to engage students in higher level cognition, WebQuest use scaffolding or prompting which has been shown to facilitate more advanced thinking (http://tommarch.com). Nonetheless, in the era of introduction of ICT use in our everyday life, the use of ICT in education and training, apart from being inevitable becomes important.

WebQuests consist of an approach on constructionist theories, focusing on the development of transversal competences. The authenticity of the activities developed is also an important factor to consider in this methodology, which intends that the learnings are meaningful for the learners. The moments of knowledge/information transmission should be reduced, limited to those necessary to frame the tasks and introduce new subjects, since the main role of the trainer should be to serve as a resource for the work of the trainee and mediator of the group of trainees, accompanying, guiding and solving possible problems.The use of WebQuests should be commenced with an introduction of how one can create a WebQuest. Step-By-Step instructions are available in order to deepen learners’ knowledge on how to develop WebQuests.

While using WebQuests, educators/trainers do not provide learners with the answers, but they

help them to research and identify right questions and find the best answers. This methodology, developed by Dodge and March in 1995, has been gaining adherents due to its flexibility in framing various pedagogical strategies and adaptability to the most diverse themes / contents, as well as the way in which it maximizes the use of the digital tools and environments available today. It is a developed approach on constructionist theories, focusing on the development of transversal competences. The authenticity of the activities developed is also an important factor to consider in this methodology, which intends that the learnings are meaningful for the trainees. While engaged in the WebQuests, learners develop a variety of connections with the content and can form positive memories of learning. The fun, silly or interesting moments tend to stand out in students’ memories, and they latch on to the vocabulary/ structures they are studying. A positive emotional connection can facilitate learning.