SDT306 is a level 3 interdisciplinary module which focuses on how to equip students with skills to participate in sustainability debates and champion responses to sustainability challenges. Half of the module's assessment marks are linked to project work that addresses biodiversity, climate change and food issues. The project runs in parallel to the module content and is split into mini-project, group project, and individual project elements. 

 

For the group project students work together to create a set of slides which answer a research question about either Ecosystem Services (ES) or Sustainable Diets (SD). Students choose which topic to pursue and work with between five and ten peers. Each group member approaches the question from a different natural- or social-science perspective, e.g. intergenerational equity, natural heritage, sustainability, ethics, in order to consider different perspectives. 

 

Student groups have autonomy over how they collaborate and can work together online synchronously or asynchronously over approximately eight weeks of study time. Although a challenging task, most students report finding it rewarding and recognise the usefulness of developing collaboration and time management skills.

 

Author: The Open University's Responsible Futures Audit 2024

 

Student quote

"This seemed interesting and even though I don't love group projects, I feel like this would have the students gaining a lot from the learning."