Remco

Interdisciplinary inquiry method

Study a local water distribution system. To do this, form three groups in the class.

1. The first group works with a historical perspective: When was the water distribution system built? What were the aims and difficulties at that time? What was the context? Is it still the same? Have the aims been reached?
2. The second group works with a geographical perspective: How is the water distribution system planned within the territory? What is the underlying spatial logic? How did it develop? Who are the actors involved and what are their interests? How is this reflected in the way the water distribution system is planned?
3. The third group works with a citizenship perspective: What are the laws and regulations related to water distribution? What were the political choices made ?

After a phase of sharing work, students are invited to identify some key issues of the local water distribution system, identifying what tends towards sustainability, and what does not.

Pictures are given which represent situations with men and women, and others with only women or only men. The group will be asked
to develop a set of enquiring questions that the pictures might evoke
to develop responses to the questions, paying attention to gender differences, both in the questions posed and in the answers.

Inquiry method: learners explore how water is managed in their area, and exchange with one another in the form of “expert-groups”. 
3 or 6 groups search in (scientific) literature, in the press, making interviews and fieldtrips, they define (one sub-topic per group or for two groups):

• A the natural context (water basin, pluviometry, carrying capacity, …)
• B the way the resource is managed (implicated stakeholders, governance type and ownership, costs, usages, legislation and regulations in case of scarcity, …)
• C the connotation given to the resource (based on activities depending on it, accessibility and distribution patterns, economical and non-economical values and scientific knowledge related to water, …)

The groups mix (groups of 3 or 6 with 1 or 2 person per sub-topic – a,b,c)) and present their work to each other. Discuss: 

• A whether the water is managed in a sustainable way, who benefits from the existing regulations and governance type, and who is excluded if any. 
• B one possible way of tending towards more sustainability if needed, taking into account the governance type and the legislation, values and power issues amongst stakeholders and the carrying capacity of the resource. 
• C what their own values and perspective is on this issue.

The groups present their conclusions to the whole group and discuss the similarities and differences in their judgement. The whole group then has to decide whether the water is managed in a sustainable way or not, and what could be done towards a more sustainable way of managing the resource if necessary, summarising what compromises they would have to make as individuals with a specific set of values. 

See also p. 146 of UNESCO’s guide 2017 “Textbooks for SD – a guide to embedding”.

Students research female engagement in environmental/sustainability NGOs (role and power relations)

Ask students to explore the gender dimension of each role identified.

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes:

1. Based on a picture of people lacking access to water/sanitation, students imagine their story. Writing in role as a person in the picture they describe the daily implications of the water/sanitation situation on their life.
2. The different stories (at least 2-3 on the same picture) are then read and shared in small groups so as to realize the impact of a water-related situation on people’s lives.

The teacher keeps track of the most important features, and then brings in the real story of the illustrated people to see how far our thoughts were from reality

Ask students to reflect on pictures with a particular focus on gender e.g. what do they show regarding gender roles, power, relationships. How do they know?

Inquiry method

1. Using different resources (e.g. World Water Atlas: Belin Publishing), students describe the current situation.
2. In groups, students analyse its (un)sustainable components and make suggestions as to why this could be, looking at the issue
   • from an environmental, social and economical perspective;
   • from a local, national and international point of view.
3. In groups, students research their suggestions to see if there is evidence that they are correct.
4. In plenary, various roots of inequality in water access and unsustainable management of water resources are presented and discussed.

Ask students to take note of examples of stereotyping experienced – differences in attitudes, behaviours, opinions, values towards men & women in the course of a day.

Small groups reflect on findings and differences and similarities revealed.

Start with a vision, and identify the steps to make it happen:

1. Present students with a future scenario for their area that demonstrates sustainable water management. Ask students in groups to analyse the gap between the present situation and the given scenario and think of possible steps and ways to move from the present towards the vision. Then ask them to think about how to put their ideas into action by identifying objectives, stakeholders to be dealt with, hindering/fostering elements (laws, political setting, socio-economic conditions, …) and further structural elements that could be used or would have to be dealt with.
2. Groups share ideas and compare and discuss.
3. In plenary, the teacher draws conclusions from ideas presented and points out things to take into account when operationalizing a vision for the future.

Group activity: Role-play. Set up a gender discrimination scenario in a working context, e.g. school staff, editorial staff, medical analysis lab…
Students adopt different roles and discuss how they can contribute to the solution of the gender discrimination problem.