Marketing for Sustainability:Academic Infusion and Service Learning

Martin Figueroa and John Haner

CHESC 2014, Best Practices

Project Overview: Perfect Partnership

Writing Program Perspective: Designed as a project to advance a holistic range of professional communication skills applicable to multiple courses within the Merritt Writing Program of UCM.

Promotes professional writing curricula at UCM, with a project that capable of

● Getting outside the classroom for project-based service learning● Making contributions to the campus community● Advancing student competencies with a resume worthy project

Powersave Campus Program Perspective: PowerSave Campus Programs focuses on four pillars: Energy Efficiency, Green Workforce Development, Academic Infusion and Water Conservation. The programs goal is to educate, and involve students in Energy Efficiency and introduce students to the Green Workforce Development.

Rooted in Institutional ObjectivesInculcates UCM’s Guiding Principles of General Education:

● Ethics and Responsibility: To follow ethical practices in their professions and communities, and care for future generations through sustainable living and environmental and societal responsibility

Participates in the goal of the UC as a Living Laboratory in Sustainability

Expands sustainability-related curricula supporting AASHE STARS reporting and Sierra Cool Schools.

UC Merced Water Battle

•Annual month long water conservation competition•Involves 13 student residence halls•Reduces 6-14% of residents water use, every year•Uses Real Time Water Monitoring technology •Online Dashboard

Metrics

# of Buildings

# of Students

% Decrease

Gallons Conserve

d

2011 9 Bldgs.

565 Students

14% 89,000

2012 13 Bldgs.

1103 8% 36,458

201314 Bldgs

1250 10% 43,979

Building Academic Infusion of Sustainability

• Partnership with Academic Professor to integrate Sustainability into two writing courses

• Introductory presentation on Sustainability Concepts (Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Green Jobs, Energy Auditing, IDSM)

• Pre and Post Surveys • Focus Groups • 1 on 1 support (Intern pairing with Students) • Materials produced by students would be used to market

conservation competitions and campaigns on campus.

Academic Infusion• Learning Outcomes

– Students will be introduced to sustainability concepts– Students will learn basic energy auditing, energy and water

calculations and conversions. – Students will learn and understand IDSM. – Students will be introduced to Green Careers – Students will produce a marketing material that includes

any concept learned

Resources and Needs

Research Advice and Resources: Set up a library research guide on market research with UCM Library that is used for several classes

Readings: Provided students with several useful readings on: marketing research, psychological and behavioral motivations, and layout and design

Assignment Resources: Prepared assignment descriptions, editing guides, and grading rubrics for all assignments

1. Fliers and 1-page goals and rationale2. Market Research Report 3. Presentations

External Partnerships

Powersave Campus Interns: Served as client, offered support, implemented sustainability training

S.A.T.A.L. (Students Assessing Teaching and Learning): SATAL Interns helped implement focus group research

Pedagogical Background: The Marketing the Writing Minor Competition

The Marketing the Minor Competition was a competition between three classes to produce marketing materials to promote professional writing at UCM.

● Students served as marketing consulting teams, with the Writing Program as the client● Students conducted surveys of WRI-10 (Sophomore Composition) on attitudes toward

professional writing● Teams wrote and presented market research reports, and produced marketing materials● Winners received commendations and small bookstore gift cards

Marketing for Sustainability, with Powersave Campus projects as the “client”, added more motivation for students

The Mini-Version

The smallest version of the marketing project

Time estimate: 2-3 weeks

Assignments: 1. 1-2 marketing fliers by each student2. 1-2 page explanation of flier strategies3. 1-2 stages of drafting and peer review per

assignment

Benefits: ● Can be inculcated into various courses easily● Can be a low stakes assignment● Favors rapid, instinctive creative processes ● Easily an individual assignment

Courses Offered: Intro to Professional Writing, and Management Communication

The Medi-VersionFor projects inculcating primary or secondary market research

Time Estimate: 3-4 weeks

Assignments: 1. 1-2 marketing fliers2. 1-2 page explanation of flier strategies3. 1-2 stages of drafting and peer review4. Market Research Report5. Presentation of Findings

Additional Content:

● Literature review of market research OR Primary market research via surveys or focus groups

● Market research report● Presentation of findings

Benefits:● Promotes a holistic range of skills (research, writing,

speaking, and working in teams)● Analyzes primary or secondary research as a basis for

strategic communication● Advances investment and reward via team-based learning

The Maxi-Version

For projects inculcating both primary and secondary market research

Time Estimate: 4 weeks

Assignments: 1. 1-3 marketing fliers (2 individual, 1 team)2. 1-2 page explanation of flier strategies 3. 1-2 stages of drafting and peer review

Additional Content:● Literature review of market research ● Primary market research via surveys or

focus groups● Market research report● Presentation of findings

Additional Benefits:Students utilize both primary and secondary research

Academic Infusion Results

Survey Data

Pre-Survey Data

Post-Survey Data

Accomplishments• Integrated sustainability into the writing department• Created funny and catchy marketing materials that were used

for conservation competitions• Educated students about sustainability whose major was not

related to science• Inspired students to get involved with Sustainability, by joining

student clubs and organizations or considering applying for Green Jobs

• Initiated efforts to expand this project to involve many other courses

Variations and Future Options

Crowdsourcing Competitions: many easy opportunities for campus wide competitions for “best marketing”, “best meme,” or etc. Could be hosted on Facebook.

Partnerships with Artists: There is an interesting possibility of partnering with an art, design, or photography class to produce artwork for the advertisements. Positive: original artwork, mitigates IP concerns. Negative: Separates art from copy, scheduling challenges.

Integration into Other Courses: Could fit a range of courses, as the project meets various course learning outcomes for a range of courses.

Multiple, Independent Team Projects: Could have teams choose their projects independently, with sustainability as a default project or an option.

Thank You from UC Merced

John Haner UC Merced Merritt Writing Program – Faculty

jhaner@ucmerced.edu

Martin Figueroa• UC Merced-Power Save Campus Intern

mrtnfigueroa2@gmail.com

Contact Information