Online resource bank for sustainability issues

The growing demand for high quality environmental information for training programs of all sorts has led to the development of a web-based search framework and resource.

The National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne University of Technology developed the Resource Bank website with support from the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage.

The resource bank will provide access for teachers and writers of educational material to well organised information on sustainability related to specific industry sectors.

"The site is a significant advance in the availability of up-to-date educational materials that teachers and trainers are increasingly in need of," said Linda Condon, Manager of the National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne University.

"Australia Government, which funded this work with $24,000 through the Department of the Environment and Heritage, wanted a truly interactive site. Users can access educational materials, but can also submit good quality information for inclusion on the website."

The Resource Bank provides access to over 200 different resources and this figure is expected to grow rapidly, as users who access the site can submit information, as well as view it. New resources can be added to the site via completion of a simple online form.

From the home page, a user can search within categories, or across categories.

For example, a teacher of business studies may select "retail trade' and "green purchasing' to conduct a search for resources that cover those topics. A more advanced search might specify "life cycle analysis' or "toxic materials'.

The user also has the option to search for specific educational levels such as operator, supervisor or manager.

The site has also been designed to provide material for the delivery of Units of Competency which require environmental content " many of these are industry specific " but can also be generic and relevant across many industries.

For further information please visit the Resource Bank