Methods for Circular Economy Teaching – Method Guide and Tool Kit

The changing world requires radical changes in the way we produce, consume and educate.

As the insufficiency of natural resources is a genuine threat, we must start using the resources we already have access to. In circular economy, materials and nutrients circulate and retain their value. To move into a circular model, both society and business as well as individuals need to change.

The importance of education in this process is paramount: the future implementers of the circular model are in our schools and universities now. Circular economy is not bound to a single profession or discipline, because its success requires dialogue between different actors. Education in circular economy should thus be cross-disciplinary and involve different fields of education.

This guide presents three methods for teaching circular economy. The methods can be implemented by anyone working with students, despite the background. What the methods have in common is that they are multidisciplinary, project-oriented and working life oriented. The methods have been developed for higher education institutions, but they can also be applied in secondary education.

The guide has been produced as a part of the project #circulareconomy – New Pedagogy and Corporate Cooperation to Promote Module Studies in Circular Economy, funded by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The project is a part of an extensive project entity of Sitra, which develops circular economy education for all educational levels.

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