Students’ Deliberation on ‘Greening’ the School’s Energy Supply: A Case Discussed from a Whole School Approach Perspective

Abstract

AbstractDeliberative communication can be one way of creating a school culture that supports WSA for sustainability. This chapter is based on a design-based research project that investigates students’ deliberative communication when they work with an inquiry project. The project aimed at enabling ‘green transitions’ by inquiring the school’s energy system and thus strengthening the students’ technology awareness. While handling technology as part of education for sustainable development (ESD), the students are given the opportunity to deliberate through argumentation, listening to and respecting each other as well as reaching consensus about energy technology. The student groups were given a commission by the county municipality to make the school more sustainable regarding energy sources and energy use. The students handed in their proposals to the headmaster. We argue that deliberative communication initiated by inquiry projects concerning technology that focuses on ‘green transitions’ plays a part in supporting schools to become more sustainable.