T220 Environmental Management: Systems and Sustainability is a level 2 module worth 30 credits. The module consolidates, challenges and extends students’ understanding and practices relating to management and sustainability of human-environment systems with a critical view of the SDGs and sustainability concepts and practices in a range of contexts. One of the module’s core innovations is linking environmental management and sustainability ideas and approaches with systems concepts and practical techniques including diagramming. For example, in ‘Block 4: Environmental management in communities’, students engage with several case studies that relate to communities in Guyana and the UK. Students are supported to consider the complexities of each case study through diagramming (e.g. using a spray diagram). This structured approach supports students to build their knowledge, skills and competencies which they then apply in a collaborative teamwork task. The process of collaborating to investigate and propose responses and outcomes for a contemporary environmental situation enables students to explore and learn from a range of perspectives. The diagramming aspects are facilitated using the Moodle VLE tool ‘Open Studio’ where students build a portfolio of material for use in assessments. This is also used as a resource for students to reflect on their skills development as their learning progresses.  

Author: Kevin Collins, Open University, Senior Lecturer Engineering and Innovation.