The newly formed UCD Library Green Group wanted to foster cross campus collaboration as they believed this would assist in realising their green goals. They saw the Learning Enhancement Project as a direct route to the student cohort who, motivated by their passion for the planet, would be willing to help the Library with this task.
Initiative
Putting Ethics at the Core of Sustainable Urban Futures
About this initiative
This project addresses the longstanding disconnect between ethics education and disciplinary training in planning and related fields. It seeks to embed ethical reflection and decision-making more deeply within teaching and learning activities on sustainable urbanisation. Through learner-centred, transferable teaching materials and activities in both Belfield and Xi’an campuses, it aims to help leaners develop a deeper understanding of sustainable transitions as contested and multi-dimensional processes that require ethical sensitivity and judgement. It will also strengthen learners’ competence in navigating ethical dilemmas that arise from sustainable urbanisation research and professional practices.
The deliverables include:
- Scenario-based pedagogical materials: These materials will be integrated into existing teaching and assessment structures across policy/theory-oriented modules and studio-based learning environments. This design recognises that ethics is central to planning education in both pedagogical formats and explores a flexible and transferable approach to embedding ethics across different pedagogical settings.
- Redesigned assessments: assessments will move beyond conventional, standardised, outcome-driven practices to emphasise ethical reasoning, reflexive learning and students’ ability to justify decisions under conditions of competing priorities. This design will support diverse forms of participation and learning by recognising multiple perspective and approaches to problem-solving.
- Internal report documenting the lessons learnt and suggestions for similar practices within and beyond planning education.
Expected outcomes:
- Students will develop greater confidence in identifying and navigating ethical dilemmas in sustainable urbanisation;
- Students will strengthen their capacity for ethical reasoning, critical thinking and reflective learning;
- Through context-sensitive scenarios and pedagogical approaches, students will develop more globally-aware and culturally-sensitive approaches to decision-making across institutional and socio-cultural contexts.
| Project Leads | Dr Yunpeng Zhang & Dr Ozge Yenigun |
|---|---|
| College | UCD College of Engineering and Architecture |
| School | UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy |
Lead organisations
Affiliated organisations
Linked open educational resources
Contributors
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