THE PROJECT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CIRCULAR ECONOMY 2.0 – Experiences on the operation and development of the project learning environment from the viewpoint of the interest groups

Retrieved from a bachelor thesis’s abstract:
Helena Ahopelto (2018), THE PROJECT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CIRCULAR ECONOMY 2.0 – Experiences on the operation and development of the project learning environment from the viewpoint of the interest groups, Bachelor thesis, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku – Finland. Available at: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/158147/Ahopelto_Helena.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

This thesis investigates the Circular Economy 2.0 -project learning environment of Turku University of Applied Sciences. The goal of this study was to determine how the different interest groups have experienced the project learning environment, if the set goals have been reached and how the project learning environment should be developed in the future from the point of view of the interest groups. The goal was to provide results that could be utilized in the development of the Circular Economy 2.0 -project learning environment. The thesis was commissioned by Circular Business Models -research group that manages the project learning environment.

A qualitative approach was chosen for the thesis and the research data was gathered by interviews. The subjects of the interview were chosen with consideration so that the assistant students, employees and businesses in collaboration with the project learning environment would all be represented.

The study results showed that the interest groups had experienced working in the project learning environment as altogether positive and had considered the experience useful to all the parties involved. The development need that turned out concerned, among other things, the clarification of the project learning environment’s structures, feedback and personal evaluation as well as the recruitment of students from different field of studies. Based on the interviewees’ experiences the goals placed on the project learning environment mostly appeared in its operation.

EDUCATING FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Retrieved from a bachelor thesis’s abstract:
Marketta Virta (2017), EDUCATING FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY – Case Kiertotalous 2.0 project learning environment, Bachelor thesis, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku – Finland. Available at:
https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/134500/Virta_Marketta.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The purpose of the thesis was to determine how the circular economy should be educated, how students learn it best and how a project learning environment supports the change of mindset. The thesis also presents how the Kiertotalous 2.0 project learning environment at Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) functions in its present form and how its function could be optimized.

The client of the thesis was the resource-efficient business research group of TUAS. The research group organizes circular economy education at TUAS, among other things. The circular economy differs from the linear economy since the waste does not arise when it is minimized as early as in the design of products. In circular economy, raw materials cycle in closed loops and waste is valuable material when manufacturing new products. The theoretical part of the thesis covers the basics of circular economy and briefly the theory of problem-based learning. In the empirical part, the educating for a circular economy is analyzed by a literature review. In addition, the empirical part introduces the Kiertotalous 2.0 project learning environment. Multidisciplinary, shared expertise and system thinking are related to circular economy and these matters should be considered also in education.

The idea of circular economy is easy to teach through metaphors and stories. Problem-based learning plays an important role in preparing students for continuing changes in the global world and working life. The thesis provides development propositions for the Kiertotalous 2.0 project learning environment. For example, investing in branding and advertising would attract students from different study fields, supporting multidisciplinary and shared expertise.