Introduction
This is a pilot project to develop teaching and learning resources in a residential rural environment suitable for students at the University of Plymouth. The project aims to develop a specific resource at Trebullom Farm which will be fully active by 2008, coinciding with the closure of the Exmouth campus and relocation of the Faculty of Education to James Square in Plymouth.
There is an evident need for students (and tutors) living and studying in a predominately urban environment to develop their understanding about sustainability and community by spending time together in a residential learning environment, not only studying but also being involved in activities such as preparing food, house-keeping, composting etc.
The idea of developing small-scale residential Sustainable Learning Communities for HE students was generated through spending a residential week with a third year cohort of Steiner BA students at Schumacher College. It became clear that the student group developed a fine social awareness through being together and sharing practical responsibilities over a number of days with a quality of their learning which could not be achieved through normal campus meeting and study.
What is a Sustainable Learning Community?
A sustainable learning community can be envisaged as any situation where human beings link together, aspiring towards an harmonious relationship with their environment whilst being open to learning and the dissemination of knowledge and understanding. Such a community can be a school or college but it could just as well be a care-home, a farm or a workshop where expereinced practitioners share their professional understanding and skills with others but also extend their own personal understanding and further their personal development. Implicit in the concept is collective and individual research combined with the development of professional skills and critical understanding.
