Participation in Roleplays
One of the shreds of evidence that my Master of Architecture students have learned from my teaching is the wholeheartedness and excellence of their roleplay performances. I use roleplays to develop my students' positive environmental attitude while having fun and gaining a learning experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
The method sparks their imagination and creativity on how an environmental problem assigned to their group started and how it can be solved, and this promotes higher thinking skills. The environmental issues covered are those considered common phenomena in Malaysia, i.e. air pollution, deforestation, flash floods, solid waste problems, and water pollution.
Each student in a group plays the role of a stakeholder who argues a particular position. Identifying solutions to a specific problem makes role plays interactive. They spend thoughtful time designing the scenario for other roleplay, identifying the major stakeholders, and creating the roles. Appropriate scenarios require interaction from stakeholders with multiple perspectives. Therefore, they have to identify the perspectives and define the type and number of characters and the framework for their actions.
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| Flash flood roleplay (2018) |
I do not expect them to develop a deep understanding of human situations after limited exposure to a single roleplay. But their learning is clarified, confirmed, and solidified during a post-activity debriefing session. Here, they relate their roleplays to their own lives, and reflect their own feelings and behaviours in the roleplays. Overall, the results turned up to be entertaining, exciting and fulfilling!
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| Water pollution roleplay (2018) |
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| Solid waste problem roleplay (2018) |
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| Deforestation roleplay (2018) |
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| Roleplay inspired by the book "Cradle to Cradle": Waste and Recycling (2012) |
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| Roleplay inspired by the book "Silent Spring": Impacts of Insecticides and Pesticides (2012) |
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| Roleplay inspired by the book "Small is Beautiful": Production by the masses, not mass production (2012) |
Participation in Green Competitions
Some of my former students who had developed a tremendous passion for the environment and environmental-friendly design had participated in green design competitions of their own accord, either during their candidacy or after graduating from the Part II Architectural program at UPM.
They managed to build a rapport with new friends and experts in the construction industry, which is a true challenge faced by other graduates. Every year, I share their success stories with other new students for the purpose of motivation and inspiration.
In 2013, Susanne Law Lu Sun (graduate of B.Arch 2014) surprised me with great news! She participated in the Anugerah Hijau (or Green Award) Green Space Category competition and won the runner-up (second position).
Frankly, I first learned about the Anugerah Hijau competition and EcoKnights (the organizer) from Susanne. Open to all youths between the ages of 18 to 29, the competition features a different theme each year to encourage more Malaysian youth to think about and be involved in environmental preservation activities. Every year, the top 30 finalists are invited to join a 3-day workshop with highly-respected industry experts to help refine their proposed ideas and concepts.
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| Susanne (farthest left) won second place in the 2013 Anugerah Hijau Green Space Category. Photo: EcoKights |
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| Susanne (in pink shirt) with other finalists and industry experts. Photo: EcoKnights |
Then in 2014, Low Zhi Ling and Lam Xin Yee (graduates of B.Arch 2015, UPM) participated in the same competition and created an inspiring eco-friendly campus design. They were proudly selected as the finalists!
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| Low Zhi Ling (left) and Lam Xin Yee (graduates of B.Arch 2014, UPM) attended a 3-day workshop with the industry experts. Photo: EcoKnights |
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| Presenting their final scheme to the judges. Photo: EcoKnights |
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| Finalists for the 2014 Anugerah Hijau (Green Space Category) StarMetro, Friday 18 July 2014, p.11 |
Participation in Environmental Volunteering Work
Upon graduation in 2014, Susanne Law Lu Sun became a full-time graduate architect. She has also been involved in some volunteering work by running some educational programs for children. In March 2017, she invited me to be part of her environmental program for young children and their parents by giving a talk about green cities and green buildings (and why they are important) at the Children's Library in Puchong.
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| Give children and their families a talk about green cities and green buildings. Photo: Susanne |
After the talk, we all planned a "green city" together. Children and parents were divided into groups and each group was given a specific building type to be built (e.g. school, shopping mall, restaurant, hospital, library, fire station and etc.).
The groups then had to decide which piece of 'land' (the map of a 'city' was marked on the floor) would be most suitable for their building. Seeing groups of children presenting and negotiating their ideas and opinions was fascinating.
The children were not only made to think about how their 'land' should be planned, but they also had to think how their 'land' should be connected to the neighbouring 'land'. They had to carefully choose the best location for their building, landscape, parking area, zebra crossings, roads, footbridge, etc., on their piece of 'land' to ensure connectivity with the neighbouring 'lands'.
Everyone had to remember that his/her 'land' would contribute towards a "green city"!
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| Susanne (in a dark blue shirt) was supervising children during the 'land' development process. The marking of 'roads' and 'land' boundaries are clearly visible on the floor. Photo: Blogger |
Then they built the whole thing using cardboard boxes and other recycled materials. Once completed, the group 'sold' their ideas to everyone. Parents were as excited as their children, and the exploration and experience were enjoyable and memorable.
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| The planning of a piece of 'land' is expected to be green and friendly to the neighbouring 'lands'. All pieces of land are combined together to make a "green city". Photo: Blogger |
Environmental education based on life experiences should begin during the very earliest years of life. Such experiences play a critical role in shaping life-long attitudes, values, and patterns of behaviour toward natural environments.
Getting involved in volunteering work myself (as a board member of Malaysia Green Building Confederation) makes me proud to see my former student doing the same thing because volunteering is an honourable job!
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| Wefie with Susanne (behind in dark blue) after the event has ended. Photo: Blogger |
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