Environmental Short Course
About this course
What is it?
The Environmental Short Course helps learners develop an awareness and understanding of a range of environmental issues through a variety of activities and projects.
The flexibility of ASDAN’s Short Courses means they can be delivered in a variety of settings, over a time frame that suits the needs of the individual learner and the coordinating centre. Challenge descriptions can be interpreted and adapted according to the learning context.
This Short Course can be completed using the student book or through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform.
Find out more about the differences between Short Course student books and Equitas in this information leaflet.
Join ASDAN
To teach this course you must have one of these membership types:
- Qualifications
- Programmes
- Programmes Plus
Already a member? Sign in
Helpful resources for getting started
Who is it for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
Facts and figures
- Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
- Internally moderated
- Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
- Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
- Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Please note that there are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Environmental Short Course Student Book and the version now available on Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges. For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
Course content on Equitas
The Environmental Short Course on Equitas comprises eight modules:
- Understanding climate change
- Climate impacts and global connections
- Climate, emotions and justice
- Green skills and careers
- Climate action
- Green skills
- Influencing others
- Sustainable communities
Each learner requires their own login to access the course on Equitas. This gives them access to all challenges and provides a space to record evidence of completed activities. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can also be downloaded for use with learners.
Course content - student book
The Environmental Short Course book comprises six modules:
- My environment – Review and awareness raising
- The atmospheric experiment
- The built environment
- The natural environment
- The wider environment
- My environment – managing and monitoring
Each learner will need their own copy of the student book, which contains the challenge content and recording documents.
Requirements
Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio or e-portfolio. This should include:
- a record of completed challenges, with supporting evidence for each
- recording documents showing how learners have planned and reviewed their activities
- a summary of achievement, highlighting skills development
- a personal statement
- feedback from the tutor
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training events are delivered by experts to help your centre run our courses successfully. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on delivery, assessment, and moderation processes.
All costs shown below are per learner, unless otherwise stated. Each learner will require their own copy of the student book or a login and registration on Equitas. Books and registrations purchased for Short Courses are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Environmental Short Course student book | £12 |
| Environmental Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login | £12 |
| Environmental Short Course PDF certificate | Free |
| Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) | £3.75 |
Products can be purchased below.
Our expert team can guide you through the process and advise on the most appropriate format for your learners. Please complete this expression of interest form, and an ASDAN expert will be in touch.
Products
Course resources
Environmental Short Course - 1A2: Environmental review template
This resource provides a template for an environmental review of your centre. This resource links to challenge 1A2 of the Environmental Short Course.
Environmental Short Course - 2B1: Weather diary
This resource provides a template for a one-week weather diary. This resource links to challenge 2B1 of the Environmental Short Course.
Environmental Short Course: Map templates
This resource contains blank map templates (with country lines) for: the world; Asia; Africa; North (and Central) America; South America; Europe; Australia and Oceania; The United Kingdom. This resource links to a number of challenges in the Environmental Short Course.
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Self-evaluation template
This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)