Computing · Year 6 · The Impact of Technology on Society · Summer Term

Sustainable Technology Practices

Students investigate ways to make technology more sustainable, including recycling, repairing, and responsible consumption.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Computing - Digital Literacy
• KS2: Computing - Information Technology

About This Topic

Sustainable Technology Practices guides Year 6 students to examine the environmental footprint of digital devices from production to disposal. They explore recycling electronic waste, repairing faulty gadgets, and adopting habits like extending device lifespans through careful use. Students justify why these actions matter by linking them to resource scarcity, pollution from mining rare earth metals, and overflowing landfills filled with e-waste.

This topic anchors the Impact of Technology on Society unit, aligning with KS2 digital literacy and information technology standards. Students compare manufacturer strategies, such as using recyclable materials or designing modular components for easy upgrades. They culminate by planning school campaigns with posters, videos, or assemblies to promote responsible consumption. These tasks build justification skills, comparative analysis, and creative advocacy.

Active learning excels for this topic because students handle real devices in audits or repair simulations, making abstract sustainability concepts concrete and relevant. Collaborative campaign design sparks ownership, while data from class e-waste surveys reveals collective impact, encouraging informed choices that extend beyond the classroom.

Key Questions

1. Justify the importance of recycling and repairing electronic devices.
2. Compare different approaches manufacturers can take to design more sustainable products.
3. Design a campaign to encourage responsible technology consumption in the school community.

Learning Objectives

• Evaluate the environmental impact of electronic waste by comparing landfill data with resource extraction impacts.
• Compare the sustainability features of different electronic products, such as modular design versus integrated components.
• Design a public awareness campaign plan, including target audience, key messages, and chosen media, to promote responsible technology use within the school.
• Justify the importance of repairing electronic devices over immediate replacement, citing cost and resource conservation benefits.

Before You Start

Introduction to Digital Devices

Why: Students need a basic understanding of what digital devices are and how they are used before investigating their lifecycle and sustainability.

Environmental Awareness

Why: A foundational understanding of environmental issues like pollution and waste is necessary to grasp the impact of technology.

Key Vocabulary

E-waste	Discarded electronic devices, such as old phones, computers, and televisions, which can contain hazardous materials and valuable resources.
Circular Economy	An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources, contrasting with the traditional linear model of take, make, dispose.
Planned Obsolescence	The practice of designing products with a limited useful life, encouraging consumers to buy replacements sooner.
Repairability	The ease with which a product can be repaired, often influenced by its design, availability of parts, and manufacturer support.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Recycling solves all e-waste problems.

What to Teach Instead

Recycling recovers materials but does not address overconsumption; reduce and reuse come first. Active sorting activities help students prioritize the full hierarchy by physically categorizing items, revealing that repair often saves more resources than recycling alone.

Common Misconception

Repairing devices is always more expensive than buying new.

What to Teach Instead

Repairs frequently cost less long-term and reduce waste; initial perceptions ignore hidden fees like shipping new items. Hands-on repair stations let students compare part costs versus new devices, shifting views through direct evidence and peer calculation.

Common Misconception

All technology has the same environmental impact.

What to Teach Instead

Impact varies by design, materials, and lifecycle; not all devices are equal. Comparative audits of school tech expose differences, with discussions helping students articulate why sustainable designs matter more.

Active Learning Ideas

E-Waste Audit: School Device Survey

Students inventory classroom and school devices, noting age, condition, and disposal history. They tally data on a shared spreadsheet and calculate potential waste avoided through repair. Groups present findings with charts.

40 min·Small Groups

Repair Challenge: Gadget Teardown

Provide broken toys or old keyboards for pairs to disassemble safely. Students identify reusable parts and discuss repair steps versus replacement costs. They reassemble one item to demonstrate feasibility.

45 min·Pairs

Campaign Workshop: Persuasive Posters

In small groups, students research sustainable tips and design posters or digital infographics using school software. They incorporate slogans, stats, and calls to action. Groups pitch campaigns to the class for feedback.

50 min·Small Groups

Design Debate: Manufacturer Strategies

Divide class into teams to debate eco-design approaches like modular phones versus planned obsolescence. Teams prepare evidence from provided case studies and vote on best practices.

35 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Companies like Fairphone design smartphones with modular components, allowing users to easily replace parts like the screen or battery, extending the device's lifespan and reducing e-waste.
• Local council recycling centres in the UK accept a wide range of electronic items for safe disposal and material recovery, employing specialized processes to handle hazardous components.
• Repair cafes, community initiatives found in towns across the UK, offer volunteer support for fixing broken household items, including electronics, promoting a culture of repair and reuse.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with images of two different phone designs: one with easily replaceable parts and one with integrated components. Ask them to write one sentence explaining which design is more sustainable and why, referencing concepts like repairability or modularity.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you have a tablet that is no longer working. What are the first three steps you should take before considering buying a new one?' Guide students to discuss options like checking warranties, seeking repair services, or exploring recycling programs.

Exit Ticket

On a slip of paper, ask students to list one action they can take to reduce their personal technology consumption and one reason why this action is important for the environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I teach Year 6 sustainable technology practices?

Start with real e-waste examples to show impacts like toxic leaks from landfills. Guide students through key questions: justify recycling benefits, compare manufacturer designs, and create school campaigns. Use digital tools for data visualization to meet KS2 standards. Hands-on audits and debates make lessons engaging and relevant to daily tech use.

What active learning strategies work best for sustainable tech?

Station rotations with device teardowns, repair simulations, and campaign prototyping immerse students in practices. School e-waste surveys collect class data for analysis, fostering collaboration. These methods connect abstract ideas to tangible actions, boosting retention and motivating real-world application through peer feedback and visible results.

How does this topic link to UK Computing curriculum?

It fulfills KS2 digital literacy by promoting ethical tech use and information technology through campaign design with software. Students justify practices, compare designs, and create persuasive content, developing critical thinking and societal awareness essential for the Impact of Technology unit.

What are common student misconceptions about e-waste?

Many believe recycling fixes everything or that repairs cost more than replacements. Address these with teardowns showing part reusability and audits revealing consumption patterns. Peer debates clarify the reduce-reuse-recycle order, helping students build accurate mental models grounded in evidence.