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Module Specifications

Archived Version 2022 - 2023

Module Title
Module Code
School

Online Module Resources

NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 10
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description

This ASC helps the students to acquire the scientific knowledge to understand the role of technology in supporting sustainability and sustainable development. It will increase their scientific capacity and develop their potential to explore and create technological approaches to sustainability. Moreover, students will gain an understanding of the political context and policy environment in which enabling technologies are developed and implemented, as well as exploring the potential of such technologies to address sustainable development goals. The ASC emphasizes active participation and collaborative learning in order to help students to apply the concept of sustainability globally as well as within their own communities

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify, anticipate and assess the possible positive and negative implications of applying technological solutions to a variety of global challenges
2. Build sustainable technological prototypes to address global challenges using a range of transdisciplinary skills
3. Present proposed solutions to enterprise and industry connections to develop communication and interpersonal skills, leveraging existing prototypes.
4. Identify and build technological solutions for a changing world, developing collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork skills to pull ideas and expertise together.
5. Identify the appropriate and emerging technological solutions available to specific global challenges; develop, evaluate, test and re-engineer prototypes.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Workshop33ASC contact hrs
Independent Study86Assessments
Directed learning131Associated FLOs
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Plan
Students will have the opportunity to build and debug simple digital electronic circuits and systems using an electronics kit. This will form the basis of a design challenge, when students will build a sustainable technological prototype with the support of academic and technical staff. A mini-hackathon event will also be organized in order to introduce the students to the prototyping process. The students will have the opportunity to listen to the guest speakers such as technology experts, policymakers, or NGOs, which will develop real-world insights into policy and technology challenges. Also, field trips to locations such as renewable energy facilities, technological companies, data centres etc., provide an opportunity to the students for peer-peer learning, social development and to improve their observation and perception skills. To investigate user behaviour related to sustainability, students will explore the concepts of sustainable living at an individual level and develop methods to monitor and evaluate their own ecological footprint. This will provide opportunities for self-reflection, linking with GC1LEAD and the e-portfolio. Based on their findings, students will create and develop multiple innovative ideas to reduce their ecological footprint, applying suitable technologies. There will be an opportunity for peer-review and learning through a poster presentation of their designed solution/prototype.

Associated FLO - Sustainable Technologies
This FLO helps the students to acquire the scientific knowledge to understand the importance of sustainability and sustainable development. It aims to build up the scientific capacity and capability of the students to understand the total environment and to address the sustainable development goals. Students will get an overview of the concept of sustainable development and its challenges, and relate this to a practical prototyping based on sustainable design. Students will have the opportunity to build devices considering the energy implications, sustainable materials and relate this to the carbon cycle.

Associated FLO - Politics and Global Development
This course will introduce students to the study of politics and development. Politics can influence public policies that affect our lives directly. These policies need to be decided using evidence-based scientific approaches. Policy and Technology are closely intertwined. Technological change is shaping the way society lives and this FLO will be co-taught to show how scientific discoveries revolutionized life on earth, and considers the impact of future technological trends and the positive and negative impacts of technology and development.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment% Examination Weight%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable
Indicative Reading List

  • Per Becker: 2014, Sustainability Science, Elsevier Science Limited, 9780444627094
Other Resources

None
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