With the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) on the horizon, thoughts are rightly turning to topics around sustainability and climate change across all 红玫瑰社区s, with education听产别颈苍驳听no different.听听
Scotland鈥檚 independent schools take sustainability very seriously, with many having well established initiatives in place听and听environmental issues听already听featuring听prominently across their听curriculum.听听
One such school is听听which听introduced a ground-breaking online learning platform听earlier this year,听which has听a focus on sustainability: FIDA 鈥� the Futures Institute at Dollar Academy.听听听听
We sat down with Ian Munro, Rector at Dollar Academy, to find out more听about听FIDA听and what听it鈥檚听doing in the run up to COP26听in November.听
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Tell us more about听? What are your aims with this initiative, and what successes have you seen so far?听听
FIDA听is an online open-access听education听platform that empowers young people to learn in new ways, though innovative 鈥楪lobal Challenges鈥櫶�which are听rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals听(UN SDGs).听听
The听launch听of FIDA听earlier this year听was a significant step for听Dollar Academy听and a way for us to tackle听three听key听aims. Firstly,听rather than being a noisy bystander, we wanted to play an active role in听the national debate about curricular reform by creating new听types听of courses and challenges that deal听with real听world听issues听in direct partnership with industry and academia.听Our second aim was to听lean into听sustainability听problems听and opportunities. We recognise听that we are living through a climate crisis,听so each听FIDA听course and听challenge听is听linked听back to听at least one of the听UN听SDGs.听Finally, we wanted to do our bit in听closing the attainment gap by providing equitable and free online access to all听of听our courses听and materials.听听
Through FIDA, we also offer SQA courses,听starting听last year听with Higher Politics听which is听a subject听only available in a small number of Scottish schools听at present.听We ran Higher Politics听through听a听prototype听online听platform,听which听was set up after we saw the successes of teaching young people online听during the听pandemic. We expanded on this, and it eventually has evolved into FIDA.听More recently, we have had input听and support听from Education Scotland who are doing their own countdown to COP26, which includes two FIDA challenges.听听
We also recently partnered with听Sustainable Fashion Week听to run two creative design challenges and an online panel discussion event that brought together听Fashion Revolution,听Sustainable Fashion Scotland, Zero Waste Design Online听and Glasgow-based ethical fashion brand听ReJean Denim.听It was hugely heartening to see young people come forward with searching questions around the transparency of fashion brands and the accessibility of sewing to people with disabilities. We were also particularly pleased to work closely with Alva Academy on the听Sustainable Fashion Week听initiative.听
We originally hoped to include more in-person events and aspects to the FIDA launch, but ongoing COVID restrictions have made that impossible for now. There are, however, real benefits to an online offering 鈥� it is scalable and can reach a very large number of young people across Scotland and beyond. This said, we look forward to FIDA having an increasingly physical presence in the weeks ahead.听听
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What kind of partnerships have been part of FIDA so far?听听
A key feature of our Global Challenges is partnership with industry,听as we want听to ensure the听topics听we are covering听truly听reflect current real-world issues. So far,听every one of our Challenges has involved at least one external partner from industry or from a university research department.听We have听forged partnerships with听a number of diverse organisations,听from听Highland Spring听on our bioplastic creation course听to听educational charity听Parallel Histories听on our monument design challenge.听
Dollar Academy itself has been active听in community-based projects听for a number of years through activities such as听tree planting听and听establishing听beehives听in the听local听area,听and听we are about to听help out at听the town of听Dollar鈥檚 first Sustainability Festival.听听
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What has feedback from pupils been like?听听
Pupils have really enjoyed taking part in the Challenges as they provide the opportunity to听take听action听and design solutions to global problems听- not just talking the talk, but walking the walk too!听So often there is a negative narrative around these issues that FIDA has turned on its head with its solution鈥揹riven听approach.听听FIDA Challenges also come with the opportunity of work experience or mentoring from our external partners for a young person aged 16-18 who submits an outstanding piece of work.听
Pupils were also actively involved in the design of the FIDA website 鈥� our senior pupils helped sense-check all content and copy,听making sure the website resonated with other teenagers.听You can听really听see the influence of young people on FIDA, and they will continue to be involved as the platform grows.听
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In your view, why is it important that we get pupils involved with environmental initiatives at school level?听听
It鈥檚 important that young people get involved for whole host of reasons 鈥� they are citizens of the world and will feel the impact of climate change throughout their entire lives. We must help them become informed and empowered to take positive action 鈥� solutions to some of the issues we face rely on creativity and collaboration, which young people are really good at, so we need to make time for it in schools.听听
Young people today have a great social and environmental conscious and want to make听the听world better in so many ways - they can be powerful change makers and听should be supported to do so.听听
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Many thanks to Ian Munro for his contribution to his blog. You can find out more about听听听
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