24th September 2023
My idea: how can I introduce climate emergency and climate justice into the course I teach on through craft?
Thoughts on my initial research collated on this subject;
1. Attended Carbon Literacy training over 3 sessions in July 2023, I received certification from the CLP and accreditation as a Carbon Literate Citizen in October 2023. ‘On the course, learners develop their understanding of carbon reduction and climate action within institutional and global contexts. Crucially, the training supports
learners to take their knowledge into action, providing support mechanisms & networks for enabling climate action across UAL.
2. LCC September Staff Development. Talking Teaching: What is Climate Justice? in September 2023 with Rachel Clarke & Alejandro Martinez. ‘In this discursive session we will familiarise ourselves with some of the terminology around climate justice and share examples of creative practice and student projects. We will reflect on and apply approaches to embedding UAL’s climate, racial and social justice principles, through critical exploration, discipline specific contextualisation and pedagogies we will unpack and discuss challenges, while sharing practice.
3. On the BDI summer Away Day I met and asked Rachel Clarke BA (Hons) Design for Climate Justice the course leader of a new programme beginning in September 2024, if she would be involved / interviewed for my Action Research Project. ‘The course will help you to explore how creative design practice can inform and inspire action towards a more just, sustainable future. Working across subjects like graphic design, illustration, data visualisation and interaction design, exploring different perspectives and consider how collaboration can be used to preserve, restore and regenerate. Graduates will emerge as design professionals prepared to interrogate, advocate and educate – bringing together practical knowledge with creative vision to change the world around you for the better.
4. I asked George Barker my Carbon Literacy Trainer if I could interview him for my ARP.
5. I attended Facing Climate Fears: a research feedback session hosted by George Barker from the Climate and Environment Action Group, who interviewed staff and students about their experience of working and living through climate and ecological emergency. They recorded conversations, as a basis for work they developed – which recognises and provides support for staff and students facing Eco-anxiety. The stories, perspectives and data they gathered was anonymised and used to develop Facing Climate Fears: a workshop and resource for staff and students that offers tools and strategies of support while working through times of global crisis. This was designed in collaboration with the UAL Climate Emergency Network, and UAL’s Climate, Environment and Action Group.
6. I looked at Ual frameworks & policies on subjects including the Climate Action Plan, Climate Emergency Network, Climate and Environment Action Group and Research strategy 2023.
Thoughts on the research I can collate on this subject;
1. Interview my students on GB&I BA (Hons), pose the following questions;
- What do they know?
- What are they interested in in relation to their future careers?
- What would they like to know about & learn?
2. Sustainability Champion: I was asked to develop & implement a plan to embed a sustainable culture into the course curriculum for GB&I BA (Hons) in Summer 2021. Review the work we created as staff for this project – what could I use from this research?
3. MA Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures – could I speak to the course leader or students?
4. Investigate what other courses are available at Ual with an emphasis on sustainability, design and the climate?
5. CSM SWAP SHOP The UAL Climate Emergency Network founded the SWAP SHOP in 2022 in collaboration with technicians and students, as a space for material re-use and re-imagination. I want to visit the Airstream caravan to learn more about ‘how we move towards a collective, university-wide approach to material reuse, waste and circularity.’ Can I find the people who set this up, and interview them? The next swap is the 14th/15th of November, where I would have the opportunity to learn about recycling used materials for creative purpose.
6. Craft Council – look into them alongside other creative institutes, for an emphasis on sustainable craft and making – ask Joanna, my colleague on GB&I who used to work for them as a designer.
6. Create a reading list – get advice from all of the above.