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K. Emblen-Perry
number of other positive benefits for learning and teaching. Drawing is considered to
expose misconceptions (Dikmenli 2010) as it can demonstrate understanding in an
inspectable form (Van Meter and Garner 2005), to enhance motivation (Glynn and
Muth 2008), and to connect concepts and ideas (Long et al. 2014). Brooks (2005)
also suggests drawing can be a valuable mode of exchange as the drawing can be
presented as a record of learners’ thinking that can be reviewed and revisited by the
tutor and student, thus helping students to recognise their learning and tutors to know
what students know, i.e. a learning benchmark. All of these pedagogic benefits will
help staff to support students to understand the interconnected problems, complexity
and opportunities that are inherent in EfS, which the author recognises is generally
a problem for students.
As drawing caters for individual learners’ differences, with the task being shaped
by the students’ ideas (Ainsworth et al. 2011), it can be effective as a formative
exercise as it can scaffold learning and facilitate targeted feedback (Quillin and
Thomas 2015) which in turn can prepare students for future learning (Schwartz
and Martin 2004). This is valuable as EfS seeks to promote students’ success and
encourage lifelong learning.
5 Drawing Sustainability as a Learning Activity
Drawing sustainability attempts to benchmark student’s knowledge and understanding of sustainability to support future teaching inputs and encourage students’
reflection on learning. The activity is therefore incorporated into the first and last
lectures of second- and-third year undergraduate sustainability modules for Business Management students. In the first iteration of the activity no information on
the module structure, content or assignments is given until after the students have
completed their drawing to ensure that no unintended prompts are offered. Students
are informed that the purpose of the task is to benchmark their knowledge and that
their drawings would be retained for use later in the module.
In the last lecture of the module, students are asked to repeat the activity to provide
a new record of their sustainability knowledge. This second iteration of the activity
provides students with an opportunity to analyse the changes to their drawings and
recognise the extent of their knowledge. Although Webb (2020) suggests that learning
cannot be seen, drawing sustainability challenges this view as it encourages students
to see both learning and progression of learning.
In both occurrences of the activity, the small self-selected groups are given a piece
of flip chart paper and a set of marker pens in four colours. The use of pen and paper
encourages students to think in a different way, apply their knowledge and reflect
on knowledge to select, organise and integrate information (Quillin and Thomas
2015), all of which are required to promote employment skills for sustainable futures.
Students are given the flexibility to draw sustainability in any way they choose but
are asked to put away phones and laptops so that their own knowledge is presented
and discussed rather than an internet opinion.
K. Emblen-Perry
number of other positive benefits for learning and teaching. Drawing is considered to
expose misconceptions (Dikmenli 2010) as it can demonstrate understanding in an
inspectable form (Van Meter and Garner 2005), to enhance motivation (Glynn and
Muth 2008), and to connect concepts and ideas (Long et al. 2014). Brooks (2005)
also suggests drawing can be a valuable mode of exchange as the drawing can be
presented as a record of learners’ thinking that can be reviewed and revisited by the
tutor and student, thus helping students to recognise their learning and tutors to know
what students know, i.e. a learning benchmark. All of these pedagogic benefits will
help staff to support students to understand the interconnected problems, complexity
and opportunities that are inherent in EfS, which the author recognises is generally
a problem for students.
As drawing caters for individual learners’ differences, with the task being shaped
by the students’ ideas (Ainsworth et al. 2011), it can be effective as a formative
exercise as it can scaffold learning and facilitate targeted feedback (Quillin and
Thomas 2015) which in turn can prepare students for future learning (Schwartz
and Martin 2004). This is valuable as EfS seeks to promote students’ success and
encourage lifelong learning.
5 Drawing Sustainability as a Learning Activity
Drawing sustainability attempts to benchmark student’s knowledge and understanding of sustainability to support future teaching inputs and encourage students’
reflection on learning. The activity is therefore incorporated into the first and last
lectures of second- and-third year undergraduate sustainability modules for Business Management students. In the first iteration of the activity no information on
the module structure, content or assignments is given until after the students have
completed their drawing to ensure that no unintended prompts are offered. Students
are informed that the purpose of the task is to benchmark their knowledge and that
their drawings would be retained for use later in the module.
In the last lecture of the module, students are asked to repeat the activity to provide
a new record of their sustainability knowledge. This second iteration of the activity
provides students with an opportunity to analyse the changes to their drawings and
recognise the extent of their knowledge. Although Webb (2020) suggests that learning
cannot be seen, drawing sustainability challenges this view as it encourages students
to see both learning and progression of learning.
In both occurrences of the activity, the small self-selected groups are given a piece
of flip chart paper and a set of marker pens in four colours. The use of pen and paper
encourages students to think in a different way, apply their knowledge and reflect
on knowledge to select, organise and integrate information (Quillin and Thomas
2015), all of which are required to promote employment skills for sustainable futures.
Students are given the flexibility to draw sustainability in any way they choose but
are asked to put away phones and laptops so that their own knowledge is presented
and discussed rather than an internet opinion.