Keywords

FormalPara Key Message

Due to its holistic nature, assessing the implementation of Whole School Approaches is challenging. In this study, we combine quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of a WSA approach towards waste management and sustainability. Our results highlight that the introduction of data-driven assessment tools to assess the effectiveness of WSA is a valuable contribution to the field.

1 Introduction

How we live, work, and act has a significant impact on the health of our planet (UNEP, 2021). Increased human activity and exploitation of resources are pushing our planet towards, and beyond, its boundaries (Galaz et al., 2012; Rockström et al., 2009). Pollution, land degradation, and climate change are only some of the issues that are posing a significant threat to our present and future well-being (UNEP, 2021). To ensure that human activity does not exceed the aforementioned boundaries, we need to live in a sustainable manner. There is an increasing number of references in the literature that underscore the urgent need to integrate sustainability in our education and training systems if we want to be successful in the transition towards a fairer and greener society (Molderez & Ceulemans, 2018; Wals, 2015; Wals & Benavot, 2017). In Spain, sustainability is an interdisciplinary topic that has become more visible during the latest national curriculum renewal (Real Decreto 157/2022, 2022; Real Decreto 217/2022, 2022) and the proposal of the Green Competence framework by the European Union (Bianchi et al., 2022). The Whole School Approach (WSA) is a holistic approach that integrates sustainability in all aspects of the learning environment (Buckler & Creech, 2014; Hargreaves, 2018; Henderson & Tilbury, 2004; Rieckmann, 2017). The WSA approach is growing in popularity (Mathie & Wals, 2022 and references therein), and has made its way into policy discourse around education for sustainability (European Commission, 2022; UNECE, 2021; UNESCO, 2021). Despite the growing popularity, previous research alerts that the number of schools that can systematically follow a WSA is still scarce (Hargreaves, 2018; Holst, 2022; Wals, 2012). The holistic nature of the WSA makes its implementation and assessment more complex as education is integrated into the students’ everyday activities, not only at school but also in their community (Gericke, 2022). Initial teacher education, lack of resources and expertise, and working as a team across the school have been identified as the key challenges in WSA implementation (Tilbury & Galvin., 2022). In this study, we use different instruments to evaluate the impact of a WSA approach towards waste management and sustainability in Spanish schools. A WSA approach focused on waste management is not new; the most relevant example is the Waste Wise School program implemented in Australia and reported on by Cutter-Mackenzie (2007, 2010) and Armstrong et al. (2004). In the current study, we have used a program of the collective “Teachers for Future” Spain that focuses on reducing waste during break time (“Recreos Residuos Cero” RR0 program). We discuss the alignment of the program with the theoretical framework of the WSA, examples of how different schools implement the program, and the benefits and difficulties of quantifying the results of the RR0 program.

2 Teachers for Future and the RR0 Program

In the year 2019, in different parts of the world, a growing concern on the current climate crisis gave rise to several social movements, such as “Fridays for Future,” initiated by Greta Thunberg. Simultaneously, a network of teachers concerned with the climate crisis and environmental degradation created the organization “Teachers for Future”. Schools and/or individual teachers have joined the organization voluntarily because they want to stimulate their students and peers to live and act in a sustainable manner. The organization Teachers for Future Spain has launched several programs to incorporate issues related to the environment in the school, for example “Colecaminos” focuses on more sustainable ways of transport to the schools, “ecoadutiorias” aims to improve the energy efficiency in the schools. These programs aim to involve all members of the school community and try to bring sustainability closer to the life of the students.

In this study, we will analyze one of the most important programs of Teachers for Future Spain: “Recreos Residuos Cero” (zero waste break time) or RR0, as we will call it (Teachers for Future Spain, n.d.). The RR0 programme aims to reduce the full and avoidable waste produced during break time in the school, addressing not only the need to reduce but also to understand the links between food and waste and how our eating habits can protect our health and the health of our planet. This programme uses an everyday activity, break time, to teach sustainability. Even though the programme initially focuses on reducing solid waste, one of the aims of the programme is to link sustainability with healthy eating habits. This programme is well accepted among students and parents as the link between nutrition and health is profoundly embedded in society. Health and nutrition are important to all parents and the RR0 programme motivates families to be more aware of what their children eat at school.

3 The RR0 Programme: A Whole School Approach to Sustainability

3.1 Theoretical Framework

RR0 was designed as a framework for teachers and schools to review and adapt their vision on solid-waste management at schools. In the framework used by Vare and Scott (2007), the RR0 programme could be classified as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) level 1 learning as it provides guidance in shifting behaviour-related waste and food and provides a framework to discuss with students about how we live has an impact on the planet. The pedagogical environment created through the RR0 programme encourages collaboration and participation between schools, students, and families and provides a route to ESD level 2 learning: It builds capacity in the community to think critically about their impact on the planet and the convenience and difficulties to create sustainable communal practices. The RR0 programme is an opportunity for schools to put into practice the WSA. Waste management is key in the ecological footprint of schools and how students and staff look at waste can make an enormous difference. There are several theoretical models (and adaptations) for implementing the WSA approach published in the literature (Chopin et al., 2018; Henderson & Tilbury, 2004; Hunt & King, 2015; Mathar, 2015; Mathie & Wals, 2022; Scott, 2005; Shallcross & Robinson, 2008). We have adopted the WSA flower model (Mathie & Wals, 2022) (Fig. 17.1) as the theoretical model to implement the RR0 programme from a Whole School perspective. The flower model is an adaptation of the basic model of WSA proposed by Henderson and Tilbury (2004). The reason why we adopted the flower model is because its centrepiece is the school’s vision, ethos, leadership, and coordination. Based on the experience of the teachers involved in the RR0 programme, school vision and coordination were put forward as crucial factors for a successful implementation of the RR0 programme. In the WSA flower model, the centrepiece is surrounded by 5 additional features that have been identified as key features for implementing the RR0 programme from a whole school perspective: the school curriculum, pedagogical environment, institutional practices, community connection, and professional development and capacity building. The school curriculum is a cornerstone of formal education and is important both to the teachers and parents. The national curriculum in Spain includes “education towards responsible consumption and sustainable development” as one of the six pedagogical principles (Real Decreto 157/2022, 2022; Real Decreto 217/2022, 2022). The RR0 programme can be used to complement the school curriculum. The programme offers an opportunity to connect items of the standardized curriculum (waste management, sustainability, and healthy eating) with an everyday activity. The RR0 programme draws the students’ attention to interdisciplinary themes such as sustainable waste management and sustainable eating habits. The WSA approach aims to create a pedagogical environment that allows participation, communication, reflection, and discussion about things that matter in the life of the students. The RR0 programme was created to open a conversation among the entire school community on how much waste is produced during break time and how this has a negative impact not only on the health of our planet but also on our own health.

Fig. 17.1
2 diagrams. The block diagram depicts 6 approaches such as school curriculum, institutional practices, community connection, and professional development and capacity building. The circular flower diagram on the left depicts the R R 0 program including reviewing waste management and complementing the curriculum, among others.

Adaptation of the Whole School Approach flower model (Mathie & Wals, 2022) for the RR0 programme

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3.2 The WSA Principles Put into Practice Through the RR0 Programme

The schools that have joined the programme have initiated an active collaboration between teachers, students, and parents to aim for a more sustainable attitude towards waste. Moreover, the RR0 programme takes sustainability outside the classroom and into everyday life. Based on the experiences of the participating teachers, we describe some examples of how the key principles of the WSA are put into action during the RR0 programme:

Vision, Ethos, Leadership, and Coordination

  • Certain schools have incorporated the RR0 programme in the overall vision and mission of the school. The RR0 programme is announced on their website and when new students or staff members join the school, they are informed about the RR0 programme and are urged to use reusable water bottles and bring rubbish-free lunches. The school provides information and ideas on how to prepare healthy and sustainable lunches.

School Curriculum

  • Some teachers have included the RR0 programme in their art classes: students organize exhibitions that visualize the waste generated during break time.

  • Math teachers use the waste collected at the school grounds to teach students about volume, weight, and how to make graphs.

  • Music teachers have used the programme to record a song on waste management and recycling.

Pedagogical Environment

  • Many schools have introduced the figure of “ecodelegados” to implement the RR0 programme. The “ecodelegados” are students that are responsible for informing about the programme and they also collect data on how much and which type of waste is produced during break time. This strategy enables students to actively participate in the programme.

Institutional Practices

  • Some schools have decided to remove the bins from the playground to encourage students to produce less waste. One of the schools drove this even further as they told their students that they had to take their waste back home.

  • Some schools have installed a composting container on the school grounds to dispose of and recycle the organic waste produced during break time. Some teachers commented that they had trouble convincing the direction of the school as composting containers often are perceived as “dirty”. Teachers that were able to install a composting unit confirm that this has been beneficial for waste management at school and that students from all educational levels show great interest in the process of composting.

  • Many participating schools have organized different types of competitions on who is able to produce less waste during a certain period. Teachers confirm that this “healthy” competition is very motivating for the students. Most schools opt to award students with an outdoor experience. Other schools have partnered with local businesses that provide reusable water bottles or sandwich boxes as a reward. One school has organized a healthy breakfast for the winning class.

Community Connections

  • One school has connected with local farmers. Students that have not produced any waste during the whole week get rewarded on Friday with fresh fruit donated by local farmers.

  • Some schools have contacted the local health care center and invited health professionals to talk to students about the importance and benefits of healthy eating.

  • Some schools have teamed up with parents to organize workshops where they make reusable sandwich bags for the kids.

  • One school collaborates with a non-profit organization that makes reusable sandwich bags that are sold at the school. The money raised goes entirely to the non-profit organization. Students and parents are more inclined to buy these bags knowing that the money is used for a good cause.

Professional Development and Capacity Building

  • Currently, the programme does not offer specific training for teachers, but the regular meetings connect all participating and interested teachers and staff, creating a network where experiences are shared and suggestions on improvement are made.

4 Evaluation of the RR0 Programme

In this study, we propose two complementary strategies to evaluate the WSA principles. This approach aims to respond to the challenge of evaluating several aspects of a holistic approach simultaneously.

4.1 Web App

The first strategy is based on an app that was designed by our group to track the waste generated in different classrooms (Lozano Murciego et al., 2021), informing us on the efficiency of the programme in terms of waste reduction. The app divides the waste of each participating student into three categories: full waste, avoidable waste, and zero waste. Every day the teacher or “ecodelegado” collects data on the type of waste produced in the class. The app was launched in 2020, and this study includes data collected during the school terms 2020–21 and 2021–22. The data collected with the app are stored in a database that includes the name of the school, the name of the classroom, the age of the students, and the number of students in each category per day. The database has been used to determine the amount of waste generated and to verify if participation in the programme translates in a reduction of waste. The latter one is an indication of the overall performance of the programme; it allows us to demonstrate if the goal of the programme (to reduce waste) is met. Statistical analysis reveals a weak negative correlation (r = −0.11; p < 0.05; N = 1058) between the amount of waste (full waste + avoidable waste) and the date, indicating that there has been an overall reduction of waste in schools in 2021. In 2022, no significant correlation was found (r = − 0.04; p > 0.05; N = 323).

In addition, the information about educational level and the age of the students allows correlation between age and the type and amount of waste generated. Our data reveal that the RR0 programme is more popular in primary education (63.6% of the students). Data show that participation of classrooms in the highest levels is low (22.5% for secondary education and 0.5% for baccalaureate) (Table 17.1).

Table 17.1 Percentage of participating students according to the school level and age
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Moreover, there is a significant correlation between the type of waste and the age. Our data show a positive correlation between the age of the students and the amount of full waste (r = 0.29; p < 0.05; N = 2149) and a negative correlation with the amount of avoidable and zero waste (r = −0.20 and r = −0.21, respectively; p < 0.05; N = 2149).

While this approach provides quantitative data on the amount of waste, it falls short of assessing other elements that are important for the programme such as the involvement of the community, institutional practices, school curriculum, and the attitude and behaviour of the students. To assess these additional elements, we used an additional instrument of assessment. We surveyed participating teachers on how they implement the programme and the perceived benefits for the school and students.

4.2 Teachers Survey

To assess the implementation of the RR0 programme, a questionnaire was made available to participating teachers. The questionnaire was elaborated with the platform of Google Forms and was distributed among teachers by the organization Teachers for Future. To evaluate the implementation of the WSA principles, we have used 10 of the 25 items (Table 17.2). The questionnaire was answered by 81 teachers.

Table 17.2 Listing of the items of the questionnaire and their relation with the WSA principles
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Data from our survey reveal that 94% of the teachers believe that schools and families should work together to achieve improvement in the eating habits of the students (item 9) and 73% of the teachers consider that the family is very important in determining the eating habits of the students (item 14). Moreover, 21% of the teachers think that there will be a reduction in food packaging at the homes of the participating students, while 47% think that there will be a general reduction of waste at home (items 17 and 25).

Three items of the questionnaire are related to the pedagogical environment created through the RR0 programme. About 97% of the teachers consider the learning experience associated with the programme beneficial for students (Item 10). Interestingly, 38% of teachers answered yes and 41% answered in most cases to the question of whether the RR0 offers a better approach to waste management compared to the current contents of the school curriculum (item 21). Teachers believe that through the programme, students learn about a number of interdisciplinary topics such as: reducing contamination, healthy eating, recycling, and responsible consumption (item 16).

The last three items included in this study are related to the school curriculum. Our data reveal that 99% of the teachers use the RR0 programme to complement the curriculum (item 22). Moreover, 90% of the teachers surveyed consider that the school curriculum should include more items related to waste management and healthy eating (item 23). When asked what teachers would like to see included, 64% think it is very important to include more practical content, 44% would like to include more complementary activities, and 40% would like to include more transversal content (item 24).

5 Critical Discussion: Strengths and Challenges

A whole school approach is a holistic, systemic, and reflexive approach that involves all members from and around schools. Different key aspects of the education system need to be addressed simultaneously, creating difficulties for evaluation and assessment. We have proposed two complementary instruments as indicators of the results of the RR0 programme. The applied methodology allows us to assess the WSA principles proposed by Wals and Mathie (2020): The web app tracks the amount of waste that was created to evaluate institutional practices, and teachers were surveyed to evaluate the community connection, the pedagogical environments, and the school curriculum. In addition, we use the experiences of the participating schools and teachers to reflect upon the WSA principles applied during the RR0 programme. We have identified the strengths and challenges for each of the WSA principles.

5.1 Vision, Ethos, Leadership and Coordination

Strengths

Schools that have incorporated the RR0 programme into their school project and have involved the whole educative community have been able to change the habits of their staff and students. Some of the schools that have joined the RR0 programme report that the programme has provided a springboard to other sustainability initiatives. This is a positive outcome that also has been described by Cutter-Mackenzie et al. (2010) during the Australian Waste-Wise School project, another example of applying a Whole School approach towards waste management at school.

Challenges

The RR0 programme is offered to individual teachers and schools. There are many individual teachers that join the programme individually with their classes. These teachers comment that they are struggling to integrate the whole community and in many cases are not able to put into practice all aspects of the theoretically proposed WSA model. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the programme could be used to create a bridge between the isolated effort of one teacher to a group of teachers that can steer the school in the right direction. As the school’s leadership is so important for the WSA, this programme provides an opportunity to forge such leadership.

5.2 School Curriculum

Strengths

Teachers that participate in the RR0 programme use the programme to complement contents from their curriculum. The programme creates a space to address interdisciplinary challenges such as waste management and responsible consumption and allows teachers to connect items of the curriculum with an everyday activity outside the classroom. Teachers use this “new” space to put into practice alternative forms of learning. The programme puts into practice what has been described as essential for Education for Sustainable Development: cross-curricular teaching (Gericke, 2022; MCKeown & Hopkins, 2007; Sund et al., 2020).

Challenges

Teachers use the programme to teach items related to waste management and sustainability but consider that sustainability should be more embedded in the curriculum. The survey reveals that teachers would like to see more complementary activities and transversal content as part of the school curriculum.

5.3 Pedagogical Environment

Strengths

Learning about waste management and sustainability is transferred from the classroom to the school grounds and the homes of the students. This educational innovation is perceived by teachers as beneficial for learning. Moreover, teachers can teach interdisciplinary items such as recycling and responsible consumption through the activities of the programme. The teachers survey reveals that the RR0 programme facilitates interdisciplinary learning. Moreover, including the students in the management and implementation of the programme through the figure of “ecodelegado” has proven to be very effective. Students take ownership of the programme and receive a sense of empowerment.

Challenges

The data collected through the web app reveal that participation is lower in the higher educational levels. The quantitative data agree with the perception of the teachers; it remains difficult to engage the older students and teachers are looking for new strategies to motivate the older students.

5.4 Institutional Practices

Strengths

A strategy that, according to the participating schools, has had a positive impact is a healthy competition between classes where students are rewarded when they reduce the amount of waste. It gives the students a common purpose. Another approach that is well received by the school community and has a positive impact in reducing the waste produced on the playground is the installation of a composting container.

Challenges

Data from the web application is a quantitative measure of how many and which types of waste are produced by the students. Our data reveal a small reduction in waste in 2021 and no significant reduction in 2022. These results call for reflection as the goal of the programme is to reduce waste. Participating teachers comment that most schools start the programme with a short but intense campaign on waste reduction. This in most cases has positive results but after some time, students fall back into their old habits. Moreover, our data highlight something that is often discussed in meetings of the programme: it remains difficult to engage teachers and students from higher educational levels. The unequal participation forms a barrier to making a systemic change in the waste management of schools.

5.5 Community Connection

Strengths

In the WSA, the school is seen as part of a broader community that can enhance learning. Our survey confirms the importance of families in this learning experience. The RR0 creates a connection between schools, students, and families. This connection improves the relationship with the parents and the result of our survey suggests that the RR0 has the potential to promote sustainability in the homes of the students. This form of intergenerational learning was also observed as a result of previous studies (Armstrong et al., 2004; Cutter-Mackenzie, 2010).

Challenges

The participating teachers agree that families readily get involved in the programme, this is not the case for organizations or businesses surrounding the school. Establishing links with the community is one of the aspects of the WSA flower model that can, and should, be improved in the RR0 programme. As already mentioned, the holistic nature of the WSA challenges its implementation and based on empirical studies, combining the internal and external organization is problematic (Gericke, 2022).

5.6 Professional Development and Capacity Building

Strengths

The organization of Teachers for Future has different ways to support the participating schools and teachers. Their website offers numerous resources and ideas on how to implement the programme and involve the entire community. They have a blog where they publish experiences and share ideas. Moreover, they host regular meetings where teachers share their personal experiences and discuss ways to improve the implementation and success of the programme.

Challenges

Despite the resources and support offered by the organization Teachers for Future, some students have commented that they want their school to join the programme but are insecure about where to start. A more well-defined action plan for the programme would be beneficial for a more widespread implementation of the programme.

6 Conclusions

In conclusion, the RR0 programme is an opportunity to put into action the WSA approach and for many schools the programme is a first step towards a more sustainable school. The usage of the web app helps teachers to evaluate their progress and enables them to visualize the state of waste management at their school. The teachers survey exposes the perceived benefits and shortcomings of the programme and allows the direction to evaluate and redesign the structure and functioning of their school.