Innovation in the teaching of sustainable development in Europe: the case of ISLE Erasmus Network

Sustainable Development (SD) is one of the most widely used terms during the last years. It is a multidisciplinary concept, which applies mostly to life sciences but is not limited to them. Even though the short survey conducted by the authors revealed that there are only a few cases of Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) around Europe that provide programs dedicated to SD, it is obvious that there is a constant raise in the need for implementing courses related to SD in existing programs. This paper discusses the case study of I.S.L.E., an Erasmus Academic Network, which aims to use the existing knowledge and tools in the context of teaching sustainable development topics in Universities and HEIs around Europe as a basis, and elaborate further by introducing an innovative approach towards the improvement of teaching SD in HEIs, based on the current needs as they are identified by the actions of the Network.

Environmental health, indigenous identity, cultural representations and the production of ecological consciousness in Northern Ontario

The primary goal of this research is to document local perspectives by presenting a set of commentaries and meanings, in the form of narratives, related to environmental health conceptions on an Oji-Cree reserve in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Through an ethnographic case study, this research explores how the modern-day production of a sociocentric and ecocentric self, as ethnic marker and moral category, is contributing to environmental/community health and well-being on Native reserves. Cultural representations of personhood and community based on the Medicine Wheel model, as a cognitive model, create an ontological paradigm that promotes a holistic foundation for human behaviour and interaction, as well as healthy, sustainable communities.

Teaching-learning process of historical heritage: a Journey as a beginning, path and end

The implantation of new university degrees within the European Higher Education Area implies the need of innovative methodologies in teaching and learning to improve the skills and competencies of students and to answer the growing needs that society continuously demands to heritage management experts. The present work shows an application of the teaching methodology proposed during the international workshop entitled “I International Planning Preservation Workshop. Learning from Al Andalus”, which included the participation of the University of Alicante and Granada, Università Politecnico di Milano and Hunter College City University of New York; where we tried to dissolve traditional boundaries derived of interuniversity cooperation programs. The main objective of the workshop was to discuss and debate the role of urban Historical Centers within the Global Heritage by the integrated work through multidisciplinary teams and the creation of a permanent international working group between these universities to both teach and research. The methodology of this workshop was very participatory and considered the idea of a new learning process generated by "a journey experience." A trip from global to local (from the big city to the small village) but also a trip from the local (historical) part of a big city to the global dimension of contemporary historical villages identified by the students through a system of exhibition panels in affinity groups, specific projects proposed by lecturers and teachers or the generation of publications in various areas (texts, photographs, videos, etc.). So, the participation of the students in this multidisciplinary meeting has enhanced their capacity for self-criticism in several disciplines and has promoted their ability to perform learning and research strategies in an autonomous way. As a result, it has been established a permanent international work structure for the development of projects of the Historical City. This relationship has generated the publication of several books whose contents have reflected the conclusions developed in the workshop and several teaching proposals shared between those institutions. All these aspects have generated a new way of understanding the teaching process through a journey, in order to study the representative role of university in the historical heritage and to make students (from planning, heritage management, architecture, geography, sociology, history or engineering areas) be compromised on searching strategies for sustainable development in the Contemporary City.

Aplicação de métodos e técnicas sustentáveis na gestão de resíduos sólidos

O artigo aborda a temática da produção e consumo de bens pela sociedade atual que ocasionam sérios problemas ambientais e sociais devido ao grande descarte de materiais de diversas naturezas. O consumo exagerado é incentivado pelas estratégias de markting que incentivam novas compras e descartes muitas vezes prematuros de produtos e embalagens. A sustentabilidade é um fator importante que deve ser considerado nesse debate pois está diretamente vinculada ao chamado desenvolvimento sustentável, um paradigma ainda em construção. À partir dos princípios gerais do desenvolvimento sustentável podem ser estabelecidos outros que abordem exclusivamente a sustentabilidade com relação ao Gestão e Gerenciamento dos Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos abrangendo as dimensões ambiental/ecológica, econômica e social. As estratégias sustentáveis para esse gerenciamento são investigadas há anos por instituições de pesquisa/ensino, empresas e administração pública no intuito de se alcançar uma solução para os problemas advindos a produção e descarte de resíduos sólidos. O texto apresenta exemplos de ações no Brasil e Espanha no que tange às ações de gestão dos resíduos descartados nesses países, com destaque para a Comunidade de Barcelona.

As consequências da não elaboração do Plano de Mobilidade Urbana na vida de munícipes com deficiência

O Plano de Mobilidade Urbana (PMU) pretende melhorar as condições em que se realizam os deslocamentos nas cidades, observando a acessibilidade para pessoas com deficiência. O PMU representa um avanço rumo à inclusão e um salto na qualidade de vida dos 45,6 milhões de brasileiros que possuem deficiência, uma vez que torna mais fácil ou até mesmo possível a circulação no espaço urbano e consequentemente o acesso a todos os bens e serviços que este oferece. Esta pesquisa objetiva avaliar os impactos negativos que a não elaboração do PMU pode gerar na vida de citadinos com deficiência e o quanto estes impactos podem comprometer o desenvolvimento sustentável das Cidades. Apenas 30% dos municípios brasileiros elaboraram o PMU no prazo estabelecido (abril/2015). Quando pessoas com deficiência nascem e crescem em regiões que não primam por sua inclusão, elas terão suas oportunidades de crescimento pessoal e profissional, comprometidas devido a ausência de acessibilidade, ao baixo acesso à saúde, à educação, ao emprego, à cultura e ao lazer. Por não desfrutarem de serviços e oportunidades, os citadinos com deficiência são reduzidos ao isolamento e os Municípios deixam de aproveitar fatia do potencial humano que poderia contribuir para seu sustentável desenvolvimento.