Plastics as an Educational Resource for Sustainable Development: A Case Study in Ghana

José-Luis Parejo, María-O Corton-Heras, Alba Nieto-Blanco and Cristina Segovia-Barberan
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José-Luis Parejo: Department of Pedagogy, Segovia Faculty of Education, University of Valladolid, Plaza de la Universidad, 1, 40005 Segovia, Spain
María-O Corton-Heras: Department of Didactics of Musical Expression, Segovia Faculty of Education, University of Valladolid, Plaza de la Universidad, 1, 40005 Segovia, Spain
Alba Nieto-Blanco: CEIP “Andrés Segovia”, Circunvalación, 10, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28430 Madrid, Spain
Cristina Segovia-Barberan: “Montessori” School-British Education, Los Fresnos, Calle de Navacerrada, 13, 28430 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-22

Abstract: The world is going through a climate crisis that is severely impacting the environment and the well-being of the population. The increased consumption of plastics, especially in developing countries, is generating an exponential rise in plastic waste. This article introduces a qualitative investigation in the form of a case study, with data derived from an educational project focused on plastics as a vehicle for environmental education. This project was implemented with a group of 50 children from a Ghanaian school. Our results reveal that the students acquired a high level of knowledge of plastic and its properties, made possible by an active, globalizing, experimental methodology. This knowledge was later reinforced through the fabrication of materials for learning and play made of recycled plastic waste. Through this project, the participating students practiced critical and democratic global citizenship aimed at creating a sustainable world through an ecological perspective.

Keywords: plastics; teaching methods; science experiments; recycling; student projects; conservation (environment); case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6727-:d:574638

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