Date: June 15
Time: 14:00 – 18:00
Place: TBA

The higher education sector continues to prepare students for a stable and predictable futures where skills and careers are clearly mapped out and are usually informed by the present. Yet the world unfolding around us continues to become more complex, uncertain, and disruptive. This workshop will demonstrate the use of game- and play-based approaches which engage with this inherent ‘wickedness’ through the exploration of possible futures in 2030 and 2040 and the entangled causes and effects of climate change. This interactive and participatory session will offer participants the opportunity to engage with and reflect on two immersive and creative approaches to embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across the curriculum and beyond.

Objectives

• Simulate the ‘real-world’ and possible economic, environmental, and societal futures to 2030 and 2040 through a multi-player card-based game i.e., ‘SDGs to 2030’ game.
• Explore and reflect on the causes and effects of climate change through a multi-player card-based game i.e., Climate Fresk workshop.
• Critically reflect on the role of ESD in higher education.
• Co-create participant actions for implementation.

Intended audience

The workshop is open to all participants but will be limited to 20 people maximum to facilitate maximum engagement and participation.

Agenda

Duration: 4 hours

Phase 1 (facilitated by Dr. Mark Kelly and Dr. John Scahill, ATU)

1. Brief introduction of the SDGs general overview in a higher education context and a detailed outline ‘SDGs to 2030’ game design, development and rules.
2. Interactive multi-player ‘SDGs to 2030’ game with 2030 and 2040 News Report.
3. Group Reflections on Possible Futures obtained during the previous game.

Phase 2 (facilitated by Dr. Nataliya Romanyatova, SETU)

1. Climate Fresk Workshops (Three parts) based on the causes and effects of the climate system.
2. Sharing Circle. Share reflections on the two game- and play-based workshops to co create implementation plans within their own contexts.

Organizers

Dr. Mark Kelly (Ph.D., M.A., M.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons), SFHEA) is the Head of the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Centre for Sustainability, the co-lead of the ATU Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Academy, a senior lecturer in the ATU Department of Building and Civil Engineering. Mark is currently on secondment with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland as the National Policy Advisor on ESD. He has 25 years’ experience working in higher education, with his research interests spanning construction and demolition waste management, resource efficiency, circular economy, ESD, SDGs, teaching and learning excellence, and digitalisation. Mark.Kelly@atu.ie

Dr. John Scahill (Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons), SFHEA, CEng.) is the co-lead of the ATU ESD Academy, and a lecturer in the ATU Department of Building and Civil Engineering. John is Principal Investigator on the EU GREEN BASE project, a multi-university research initiative examining sustainability-related education practices and perceptions among academic staff across nine European partner universities. He has 18 years’ experience working in higher education, and 30 years’ industry experience with his research interests spanning ESD, SDGs, circular economy, and digitally enhanced pedagogical innovation. John.Scahill@atu.ie

Dr. Nataliya Romanyatova (Ph.D., M.Ed, B.Ed, MA, CELTA, SFHEA) is a researcher at South-East Technological University (SETU), Ireland. Her expertise spans education, sustainability, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), linguistics, instructional design, and project management. Nataliya has 15 years of experience in Higher Education as a lecturer and associate professor. Her research interests include AI, UDL, ESD, digital education, and pedagogical innovation. Nataliya designed the first Irish BSc Additive Manufacturing programme and the Irish model of the Carbon Literacy course (partnership). She has designed and led several key university projects, such as the SETU ESD community of practice, the Sulitest launch, the ESD Toolkit, and the Climate Fresk Game programme. She is the SETU UDL Lead facilitator for the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and an associate editor of the Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning (IJTEL). nataliya.romanyatova@setu.ie