KBR One Ocean
Alongside our frequent collab partners, Wild Labs, we helped design & build an online learning platform & ocean plastics curriculum for global engineering firm, KBR.
The project began with a review of their current One Ocean program and an opportunity to re-imagine the work to create a more impactful & scalable curriculum for schools around the world.
KBR One Ocean is a global collaboration between KBR employees, local schools, youth and environmental networks and like-minded partner organisations. The program supports KBR’s sustainability commitments and represents our Zero Harm ethos.
The extra-curricular program is run by committed and passionate KBR employees who work alongside teachers and facilitators to mentor students in gaining a deep understanding of the ocean, its interconnection with the climate and planetary health and how to regenerate that health. KBR employees share industry expertise and knowledge to encourage young people to investigate and develop creative and practical solutions to environmental issues affecting the ocean, using ideas from design thinking, circular economy and biomimicry principles, among other innovative approaches.
Developed to be accessed online, the platform helps teachers deliver a flexible modular syllabus, with assistance from KBR employees, using detailed lesson plans, handouts and resources. Courses are modular and can be customised to suit the needs of the school or organisation and the materials can be used to facilitate online or in-person delivery. Courses can be in the form of one-off workshops, weekly or monthly lessons or in a format that most suits the school or organisation.
We designed the course materials to help students develop a baseline of understanding of ocean literacy including, the interdependence of humans and the sea; its influence on weather & climate and its provision of water, oxygen and nutrients to support life on earth. It teaches concepts such as the interconnected circulation system powered by wind, tides and the Earth’s rotation and how this large body of water is – One Ocean
Lesson plans focus on the threats to our ocean, with a particular focus on plastic pollution - how and why it enters waterways and the ocean and the subsequent causes and effects on marine life and society as a whole.
Finally, students look at developing solutions through the lens’ of systems thinking, circular economy principles and the cradle to cradle design principles. We specifically look at some of KBR's own technology solutions to some of these global issues.
The program has been developed and is continually updated in collaboration with KBR employees, local teachers, environmentalists and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, Arts and Maths) education specialists.
Other skills developed throughout the course include problem-solving; scientific literacy and reasoning; leadership and team-working; collaboration; analytical and critical thinking; global and social awareness; social responsibility; communication and creativity.