To answer this question, students in the Grande Ecole program at the Angers campus carried out asecond-yeareducational project.
Taking greenhouse gas emissions and teaching quality into account
The aim of this study was to quantify and compare greenhouse gas emissions from distance learning and on-campus courses. The challenge: to provide answers and a decision-making tool to inform campus management on whether or not to implement changes to teaching methods. All while keeping in mind the need to maintain teaching quality and reduce CO2 emissions.
"Beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the study also focused on teaching quality to ensure that courses remain attractive and interesting for students,"explains Adrien Salomé, a teacher who led this project with Guillaume Grampeix.
Four possible scenarios
To determine which teaching model (face-to-face or distance learning) appears to be the most environmentally friendly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions for the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers , an initial study focused on the main sources of CO2 emissionsforeach model. This study took into account the commute between home and campus for staff and students (car, public transport, bicycle, etc.) as well as the campus's heating and lighting requirements for four categories of rooms: lectures, tutorials, practical work, and practical work in workshops.
The same was done for student housing with the creation of a typical student residence."Attending classes remotely often leads to overconsumption of heating and electricity in student housing, which often has less efficient boilers than those on campus, which are connected to the city of Angers' heating network,"explains Adrien Salomé. Finally, the study also assesses the digital consumption of digital tools (computers and Teams flows) for both face-to-face and distance learning courses.
At the same time, a second study conducted through a survey distributed to students and teachers on campus highlights the educational value and relevance of courses according to the teaching model (face-to-face or distance learning) and course category."For each model, whether on campus or distance learning, we made assumptions about the ability to adjust the heating and lighting according to the summer or winter season. We also created a typical week in the timetable, taking into account the educational model,"explains Adrien.
Four scenarios were evaluated: 100% distance learning, 100% on-campus learning, ½ day per week distance learning, or 1 day per week distance learning, for each model and teaching format.
Results that defy preconceived notions
We have seen that in winter, students consume more heating when taking remote classes than when on campus. It is therefore more environmentally friendly to come to campus to attend classes than to stay at home, and it is also more beneficial from an educational standpoint, as classes are much more interactive than remote learning!
For the example of 100% remote learning, this scenario involves lower greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, but heating consumption skyrockets during the winter season. Furthermore, taking courses exclusively online is not appealing.
Regarding the scenario of four days on campus and one day remote learning, it could be beneficial in the summer because one day of transportation is eliminated. However, in the winter, there is a tendency to emit more greenhouse gases because students use more heating in their homes than on campus.
Finally, taking into account emissions from students and on campus, the best scenario for the Angers campus would be to strongly encourage face-to-face classes during the winter period and to establish remote solutions during the spring/summer period. This would limit GHG emissions from educational activities without achieving the massive reduction targets set out in the Paris Agreement for 2050. However, this is only one of several possible courses of action. This model addresses both energy issues and the educational value of the courses.
This educational project was presented to the senior management ofArts et Métiers ESSCA,Arts et Métiers the University of Angers, which are grappling with the same issues and wish to adopt this methodology. In 2023, other educational projects related to sustainable development issues will be carried out on the subject of low-tech to devise simpler solutions that emit less CO₂.
