Cristina Calheiros

ABSTRACT Sewage management in remote rural and mountain areas constitutes a challenge because of the lack of adequate infrastructure and economic capability. Tourism facilities, in particular, possess a special challenge because of huge variability in sewage production and composition as a consequence of variations in number of guests and their activities. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are recognized as a robust and economical ecotechnology capable of meeting these challenges.

Case-based methodology is proposed to address Sustainability and Sustainable Development issues in higher education in the context of WISE (Widening Interdisciplinary Sustainability Education) an Erasmus Plus Strategic Partnership Project. The main goal of this project is to build an international network of academic teachers and researchers on sustainable development issues developing an integrated interdisciplinary thinking. Case-based methodology is a discrete approach to interactive group-based learning with the added advantage to evoke interest in students by placing them in a dilemma taken from a real-life example and motivates them for self-directed learning. A diversity of strategies can be used to develop this methodology that implies solving new problems based on the solutions of similar past problems.
A case-based methodology was developed during the second workshop of Wise Project  held in Portugal. The case (“Sustain a Sustainable Decision – Remodeling an Ancient Farm) enrolled participants in themes such as biodiversity, environmental protection, social and economic sustainability. Prior to the development of the case, the main aims were established (for example: to develop interest and motivation; to discuss the values of the three pillar of a Sustainable Development, to evoke knowledge related to ecosystem services) and the outputs settled (group work, presentation skills and time management). A data source was also provided comprising the thematic to embedded the participants in the case.  The predominant strategy was a role play and specific roles were given to each team member. Five teams where involved in the case development (Portuguese team, Polish team, Czech team, Greek team, Swedish team) and each team had four members. A second strategy developed was a field trip to Paço de Calheiros, which represented a valuable opportunity to explore good practices regarding sustainable development. This kind of strategy can be of great significance in higher education teaching and learning. A conceptual modelling activity established after the field trip proved to be very appealing and capable of developing key abilities to the inquiry process, such as observation and inference. These abilities are central to enhance higher education students’ scientific reasoning and critical thinking which will mature their understanding of Education for Sustainable Development. After the referred activities, small team groups collaboratively worked to reach a final position to remodel the farm in a sustainable way. As a whole, the case fulfilled its purpose and resulted in the exchange of different views and experiences to Widen an Interdisciplinary Sustainable Education in higher education.