This Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) scenario on water and human health focuses on enhancing the knowledge around the water resources insisting in the living territory as long as providing to the community members on one hand awareness on the technological solutions available nowadays to make water drinkable and on the other a sound information on the nutritional properties of water, to be considered the main food for human health. By engaging VET students in interdisciplinary teams, the project aims to address all the pressing issues about drinking water from a multifaceted point of view (environmental, technological, nutritional, societal, etc…). Collaborating with local government and municipalities, bottling industries, students will conduct in-depth research, develop innovative solutions, and create digital knowledge tools to improve the drinking water issue. The project emphasizes real-world problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration while aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Linked to SDGs:
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
SDG 13: Climate Action

General Information about the Proyect

⦁ Institutions Involved:

- VET providers: Leading the project and providing academic support.
- Local Government: Partnering to provide real-world challenges and data.
- Municipalities in charge of managing drinking water treatment and distribution.
- Sanitary authorities
- Medical doctors (infection disease specialist, urologists, etc…).
- Nutritionists

⦁ Challenge Providers: Local Government and Municipalities.

⦁ Number of Learners: At least 20 per VET team.

⦁ Learners: VET students from various disciplines including biology, medicine, engineering, food technology, environmental science.

⦁ Duration: 6-12 months

Defined Task of the Project/Challenge

The project’s aim is to shed light into the implications that water has on human health.

Objectives of the Project

The task of the project involves following objectives:

Understand the role of water in human physiology and the difference between potable and mineral water.
Discover the origins of water-borne diseases.
Understand how to prevent the spreading of water-transmitted infective diseases through advanced and harmless water treatment technologies.
Get to know how to clean-up water by keeping the fundamental nutritional characteristics and what is the best water that one should drink.
Comprehend the danger of water overtreatment.
Getting to know unknown truth and false myths about water.

Challenge Description

Structure of the Challenging Case:

Can I afford to drink the water that I can find in the territory where I live?

Guiding Questions:

What are the key factors contributing to the pollution of water?
How to prevent the spreading of water-borne diseases?
How to choose the right water to drink? Tap or bottled water?

Connections between Challenge-Institution-Environment

Problems to be Solved:

Mapping the availability of compliant drinking water sources in the territory (e.g. quality of groundwater resources, compliance of sparse water wells).

Statement of Local Issues:

Involving the communities by giving awareness of the importance of water as a homeostatic physiological factor, a potential vehicle of infective agents and harmful substances and as a major nutrient.

Strategies of Problem Solving

Problem-Solving Strategies:

- Conducting literature and territorial evaluations on local water resources.
- Engaging with stakeholders including local government, municipalities, sanitary authorities.
- Eco-Digitalisation – Developing innovative solutions for water quality assessment.
- Testing and refining solutions through pilot projects and feedback.

Data-Driven Analysis: To effectively address the complex challenges of water quality assessment learners will employ a multifaceted approach. Initially, a deep dive into data is essential. By meticulously collecting and analyzing geological, hydrogeological, GIS-references data, data-base relative to water quality, including those concerning industrial water bottles, students will establish a robust foundation for understanding the system. Visualizing this data will illuminate trends and correlations, providing a clearer picture of the problem landscape. Benchmarking local water quality will offer valuable insights into best practices and potential solutions.

Stakeholder Engagement: Parallel to data analysis, fostering strong connections with the community is paramount. Engaging with citizens, businesses, regulatory authorities, professional associations and community groups through interviews and surveys will provide firsthand perspectives on the situation concerning water quality. Building partnerships with local government and other public stakeholders will create a collaborative environment for idea sharing and solution development. Moreover, incorporating citizen feedback into the solution development process ensures that the final outcomes are aligned with the community’s aspirations.

Innovative Solution Development: The heart of the project lies in innovation. Learners will engage in brainstorming sessions and design thinking exercises to generate a wealth of creative ideas. These concepts will be transformed into tangible solutions through prototyping and small-scale testing. A keen focus on technology will drive the exploration of smart solutions for appropriately assessing water quality and health requirements. Different water sources (underground, surface, bottled water, etc…) will be taken into account. To bridge the gap between technology and the public, learners will develop user-friendly mobile applications that promote sustainable drinking water supply.

Technology Integration and Eco-Digitalisation: Students will delve into the development of innovative digital platforms and applications to address the problem of water quality and supply. This includes the generating of GIS-based territorial maps reporting the location of water sources linked with the quality of water determined through chemical analysis. A digital tool can be envisaged that relates the characteristics of a certain type of water to the individual nutritional and health requirements.

Testing and Refining Through Action: Once promising solutions emerge, the project transitions from concept to reality through pilot projects. These small-scale implementations allow students to test the functionality, usability, and effectiveness of their ideas in a real-world setting. Gathering feedback from stakeholders, including citizens, municipalities, sanitary authorities, medical consultants, is crucial during this phase. This feedback loop enables students to refine their solutions, addressing unforeseen issues and optimizing functionalities. By iteratively testing and refining through pilot projects, students can ensure the final solutions are practical, user-friendly, and have a significant impact on the definition of an integrated human-health driven water quality assessment tool.

By combining these strategic approaches, learners will not only develop innovative solutions but also cultivate the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders in drinking water quality.

Simultaneously, community engagement and education initiatives will be undertaken to raise awareness, promote behavior change, and build a supportive environment for drinking water quality.

Phases of problem solving

Timeframes of Activities by months:

- Month 1-4: Research and data collection.
- Month 5-6: Development of solutions and prototypes.
- Month 7-9: Testing and refinement of solutions.
- Month 10-12: Presentation and implementation of final solutions.

Outcomes

Immediate Outcomes:

- A comprehensive report on the current state of territorial water quality.
- Increased awareness, empowerment and engagement from the community regarding water quality for drinking purpose.

Long-Term Outcomes:

- Enhanced respect from the citizens towards the ecosystems being aware of their fragility and the way they are threatened by human-led activities.
- Strengthened collaboration between academic institutions, local government, municipalities, and the community to address future water quality and health challenges.

Innovative Aspects:

- Use of smart technology for water quality assessment.
- Community engagement and awareness campaigns.

Impact of the Project

Owners of the Result:

- Local Government of the city
- Municipalities
- VET providers

Related Outcomes:

- Improved awareness of the importance of water resources.
- Better use of water as a nourishment.
- Enhanced collaboration between academic institutions, government, and the community.

Behavioural Changes:

- Increased awareness of the natural local resources as well as the potential of being disrupted by anthropogenic activities.
- Better use of water as fundamental nutritional factor being able to promote health and well-being.

By fostering innovation, collaboration, and community engagement, the project aims to create a lasting impact on community empowerment paving the way for a sustainable future.

Competences Gained Through the Sustainable Transportation Project

This CBL project is designed to equip students with a valuable set of competencies that will benefit them in their academic and professional careers. Here’s a breakdown of the key competencies students can expect to develop:

Technical Skills:

Data Analysis and Visualization: Students will hone their skills in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data on water quality-related issues from the chemical, hydrogeological and biological standpoint. They will learn to use data visualization tools to effectively communicate findings.
Digital Literacy: Project activities will involve utilizing various digital tools and platforms, including social media, educational software, and potentially ready-to-use mobile app development. Students will gain proficiency in navigating the digital landscape and applying these tools for sustainable drinking water quality solutions.
Project Management: Participating in a collaborative project fosters project management skills such as planning, organization, task delegation, and meeting deadlines. Students will learn to manage their time effectively and collaborate productively within a team.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:

Systems Thinking: The project requires analysis of the ecosystems as a whole, considering the interaction between different components (hydrosphere, soil system, atmosphere, technological water treatment plants, human physiology and pathology). This fosters systems thinking and the ability to identify root causes of problems.
Creative Problem-Solving: Students will be challenged to develop innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges. Brainstorming techniques, design thinking methodologies, and user-centered approaches will be employed to encourage creative thinking and the generation of effective solutions.
Critical Evaluation: Throughout the project, students will be required to critically evaluate proposed solutions, consider their feasibility, and assess their potential impact on sustainability water management and nutritional issues.

Communication and Collaboration:

Effective Communication: Students will need to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including peers, stakeholders (local government, public transport companies), and the general public. They will hone their written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
Teamwork and Collaboration: The project emphasizes collaborative learning, requiring students to work effectively within a team. They will learn to share ideas, manage conflict, and contribute to achieving common goals.
Stakeholder Engagement: The success of the project hinges on productive relationships with stakeholders. Students will develop skills in stakeholder identification, communication, and collaboration, understanding the importance of involving various players in the solution development process.

This comprehensive set of competencies will empower students to become future leaders in sustainable water management with drinking purposes. They will be equipped to tackle complex problems, innovate solutions, collaborate effectively, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Open Educational Resources (OERs)

References

Barbuti S., Bellelli E., Fara G.M. e Giammanco G. , Igiene, Monduzzi, Editore, Bologna u.e.
Meloni C. e Pelissero G. – Igiene – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano 2007.

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