Abstract:

In 2015, UNESCO set out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2030 Agenda. As a key resource, it promotes Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). ESD is a lifelong learning process and seeks quality education with an approach based on the SDGs to transform society towards a sustainable future. To this end, it proposes four fundamental axes:
a) Transforming society: the quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for a more sustainable world.
b) Pedagogy and learning environment: using active learning and methodologies based on projects, community service and student-centred learning.
c) Learning content: integrate concepts such as sustainability, climate change, circular economy, among others.
d) Learning outcomes: to empower students in their present and future responsibility for the transformation of society.

The Education for Sustainable Development approach should be implemented at all educational stages. The current teaching model in the context of university classrooms must evolve towards the integration of active methodologies focused on projects and society. Service-Learning is a methodology that encompasses these two aspects.

Service-Learning is based on project-based learning as an experience and service to the community as a whole, not just as separate parts. It is an active methodology that is well suited for implementation in the classroom to achieve the acquisition and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals. On the other hand, the incorporation of the problem of the accumulation of End-of-Life Tyres (ELT) in cities allows the development of content linked to the circular economy, responsible production and consumption linked to the reuse, renewal and recycling of materials and products already manufactured and to give them one or several alternative uses. In this educational proposal, the main focus is on the recycling of tyres for use as civil furniture in rural communities. Students of the double degree in Building and Business Administration and Management will learn to use this methodology to serve rural communities and reuse this abundant and difficult to recycle material.

This paper shows an example of the application of service learning and the circular economy in university education. More specifically, it shows how it is possible to develop the syllabus of the subject Strategic Business Management in an active, project-based way and by committing to community service through the recycling of ELTs and their transformation into civilian furniture. To this end, a series of practical examples of application that have been used in rural communities are shown. The different phases of the use of service learning in the classroom based on Education for Sustainable Development are covered, as well as how to evaluate these contents. In this way, through a practical example, future teachers interested in the use of this methodology can take advantage of the learning derived from this experience.

Keywords:

Innovation, Building and Business Degree, Service-Learning, circular economy, tire recycling.