Donna Cleveland
@aut.ac.nz
Associate Head of Learning and Teaching, School of Future Environments
Auckland University of Technology
Dr Donna Cleveland is currently the Head of Learning and Teaching for the School of Future Environments. Donna is also the Programme Director for the Bachelor of Creative Technologies and a Senior Lecturer on the Bachelor of Creative Technologies Programme within the School of Future Environments at Auckland University of Technology. Donna teaches design theory and practice across a multitude of disciplinary subjects. Donna is passionate about student-led learning and excited to be involved in the education of emerging designers. Donna practices interactive strategies for learning, demonstrates critical thinking in design education, engages culture in learning and is committed to developing innovative and engaging styles of learning and teaching.
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Donna Cleveland, Rajkishore Nayak, Frances Joseph, and Tuan-Anh Nguyen
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Peter Cleveland, Donna Cleveland, Ann Morrison, Khoi Hoang Dinh, An Nguyen Pham Hai, Luca Freitas Ribeiro, and Khanh Tran Duy
MDPI AG
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental and social concern, particularly in Southeast Asia, where urban rivers serve as key pathways for transporting waste to marine environments. This scoping review examines 110 peer-reviewed studies to understand how plastic pollution in waterways is being researched, addressed, and reconceptualized. Drawing from the literature across environmental science, technology, and social studies, we identify four interconnected areas of focus: urban pollution pathways, innovations in monitoring and methods, community-based interventions, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our analysis combines qualitative synthesis with visual mapping techniques, including keyword co-occurrence networks, to explore how real-time tools, such as IoT sensors, multi-sensor systems, and geospatial technologies, are transforming the ways plastic waste is tracked and analyzed. The review also considers the growing use of novel theoretical frameworks, such as post-phenomenology and ecological materialism, to better understand the role of plastics as both pollutants and ecological agents. Despite progress, the literature reveals persistent gaps in longitudinal studies, regional representation, and policy translation, particularly across the Global South. We emphasize the value of participatory models and community-led research in bridging these gaps and advancing more inclusive and responsive solutions. These insights inform the development of plastic tracker technologies currently being piloted in Vietnam and contribute to broader sustainability goals, including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
Mitali Nautiyal, Donna Cleveland, Amabel Hunting, and Amanda Smith
MDPI AG
Accurate and transparent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) datasets are essential for reliable sustainability evaluations, particularly in the complex and varied textile industry. Historically, the ecoinvent database has been a foundational source for LCA studies in the textile sector. This paper critically examines the limitations of the ecoinvent v3.7 dataset, which is widely used in academic research, industry tools, and policymaking. While newer versions, such as v3.11, released in 2024, have addressed many issues, including enhanced geographical representation and updated emission profiles for chemicals, this study emphasises the historical implications of earlier data versions. By comparing the cradle-to-gate Global Warming Potential (GWP) of wool and polyester jumpers, this research reveals how aggregated and outdated data underestimated the polyester’s environmental impact while overestimating that of wool. These discrepancies have shaped fibre certification, eco-labelling, and consumer perceptions for years. Understanding the legacy of these datasets is vital for re-evaluating past LCA-based decisions and guiding future assessments toward greater regional relevance and transparency.
Rajkishore Nayak, Donna Cleveland, and Frances Joseph
Elsevier BV
Lan Lam and Donna Cleveland
Firenze University Press
This study examines the opportunities and challenges that local fashion Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) face as they contribute to Vietnam’s creative economy. A key strength of these enterprises is their commitment to sustainability, reflected in their localised production processes and strong community engagement. This approach sets them apart from international competitors and provides a model for how fashion can foster a broader, more holistic notion of prosperity, one that goes beyond economic growth to encompass social and environmental well-being. The research is grounded in semi-structured interviews with local designers and an observational analysis of these MSEs’ digital presence. Through this exploration, the paper contributes to the discourse on “Prosperity Fashion”, demonstrating how localised, sustainable fashion practices can support a more inclusive and culturally rich economy.
Donna Cleveland, Frances Joseph, Vicki Little, and Rajkishore Nayak
Springer Nature Switzerland
Long Thang Van Nguyen, Donna Cleveland, Chi Tran Mai Nguyen, and Corinna Erken Joyce
Emerald
Purpose The study aims to identify current faculty practices, examine how different levels of higher education (HE) management empower and implement sustainability integration and explore the challenges of integrating sustainability into HE curriculum in emerging countries. Design/methodology/approach This study sampled Vietnamese universities and international HE institutions (HEIs) operating in Vietnam to represent the emerging context. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 faculty leaders from 8 universities, with major themes identified through double coding and thematic analysis. Findings The study identified three major themes of practice by management and faculty to integrate sustainability into the curriculum: structural empowerment, psychological empowerment and practical implementation, and such practices primarily came from the meso and micro levels of management. Prominent challenges for lecturers to strategize and deliver better curricula on sustainability knowledge resulted from the macro-level management, particularly in the lack of supportive frameworks, empowerment and resources. Practical implications HE management can empower institutions’ sustainability education strategies and practices through building networking and stakeholder engagement, enriching case studies and work-integrated learning projects, facilitating transformation with champions, providing direction through orientation and training, monitoring transformation and rewarding excellence and facilitating research collaborations. Originality/value Research on the extent to which HEIs have initiated efforts to incorporate sustainability into their curricula and programs remains limited. Moreover, recent literature on sustainability in HE primarily focuses on practices in developed countries. This study conceptualizes a management framework for HE and identifies key challenges, offering insights grounded in the under-researched context of emerging countries.
Rajkishore Nayak, Donna Cleveland, Giang Tran, Frances Joseph, and Vicki Little
Springer Nature Switzerland
Long Thang Van Nguyen, Donna Cleveland, Chi Tran Mai Nguyen, and Corinna Joyce
Emerald
PurposeThis study explores how problem-based learning (PBL) programs can address Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via the higher education (HE) curriculum, teaching materials and relevant assessments, supporting learning at scale for HE institutions.Design/methodology/approachEmploying SDGs and their indicators as the coding framework, our two-phase study evaluates the curriculum and teaching materials of seven PBL programs at a leading higher education institution (HEI). The first phase involved a content analysis to assess the degree of sustainability integration in 156 relevant courses. The second phase applied a semi-automated mapping protocol to analyze learning and teaching materials in 120 relevant courses.FindingsThe school aligns with 17 SDGs (100%), covering 94 indicators (55.62%). On average, each program within the school addresses over ten of these goals and incorporates more than 24 associated indicators. However, the study reveals an imbalance in the incorporation of SDGs, with some goals not yet deeply and comprehensively embedded in the curriculum. While there is a substantial focus on sustainability theories, the practical implications of SDGs in emerging countries, particularly through case studies and assessments, require significant enhancement.Practical implicationsMapping SDGs allows HEIs to identify strengths and gaps in SDG integration, thereby improving the PBL approach to enhance student work readiness in sustainability-focused careers.Originality/valueThrough the lens of transformative learning theory, this study provides evidence of SDG integration into PBL curricula. It highlights a mapping methodology that enables HEIs to evaluate their sustainability readiness in curriculum, teaching materials and relevant assessments.
Rajkishore Nayak, Donna Cleveland, Giang Tran, and Frances Joseph
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractThe fashion and textile manufacturing sectors are increasingly focusing on innovative raw materials that are renewable and biodegradable. Such materials not only mitigate environmental impacts but also prevent resource depletion. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a prime candidate, derivable from a variety of natural ingredients such as tea and coffee in addition to a sugar source in presence of the bacterial microorganisms. Numerous studies have established the potential of BC in future fashion, and some brands have already started to utilise BC as a sustainable raw material. The applications of BC ranges from basic clothing and accessories to wearable electronics. This paper discusses the scope of BC in fashion and textiles, positioning it as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials. We present a comprehensive scoping review, covering the unique properties of BC, the factors influencing its production, and its applications in textile, clothing, and footwear over the past decade. The advantages of BC in fashion are manifold: zero-waste manufacturing, reliance on renewable sources, diminished environmental pollution, and biodegradability. Furthermore, the use of BC aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 12, 13 and 15. However, there exist challenges pertaining to production costs, scalability, and quality, in addition to the imperative of harnessing food waste streams instead of contending for human food resources. Addressing these challenges is vital to cement BC’s position as a pivotal sustainable material in future fashion.
Hong Lan Lam and Donna Cleveland
Firenze University Press
This paper highlights the transformation of pre-owned fashion into sustainable consumption in Vietnam. It contrasts generational perceptions: older consumers often view pre-owned fashion negatively as reminiscent of overseas charity donations, while younger consumers value these items for their uniqueness, affordability, and as symbols of ‘eco-awareness’, based on observations of local media, two prominent pre-owned fashion platforms, and an online survey of young Vietnamese consumers. The study reveals that online media endorsements by celebrities and the role of social commerce, serving both as a selling platform and e-community, are key factors in transforming pre-owned fashion into sustainable consumption among young Vietnamese consumers. This research enhances the limited English-language literature on Vietnam’s pre-owned fashion industry, illustrating how e-communities can transform responsible consumption among young Vietnamese consumers.
Aleksandra Novikova, Frances Joseph, and Donna Cleveland
Informa UK Limited
Mitali Nautiyal, Frances Joseph, Amabel Hunting, and Donna Cleveland
Informa UK Limited
Mitali Nautiyal, Amabel Hunting, Frances Joseph, and Donna Cleveland
MDPI AG
Throughout a garment’s life cycle, the use and end-of-life phases are crucial in determining its environmental impact, due to the resources that would be utilised and waste produced during maintenance and disposal. Consumption patterns differ among countries and cultures; however, in New Zealand, there is limited published information to date. To address this gap, an anonymous online poll was conducted examining laundry practices, lifetime wear events and disposal practices for woollen and synthetic-blend knitted jumpers, which are predominantly used as winter clothing in New Zealand. The survey revealed considerable differences in the ways woollen and synthetic garments were worn, maintained and discarded. Over its lifetime, although woollen garments were worn a greater number of times, they were washed less. At the end of life, both types of jumpers showed significant reuse percentages. This information is useful for accurately modelling the inventory needed for assessing the environmental implication of apparel, using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. By comparing New Zealand’s washing and disposal practises to those of other countries, this study found significant differences, highlighting the need for country-specific data for future LCAs.
Donna Cleveland, Long Nguyen Van Thang, and Chi Nguyen Tran Mai Chi
Open Access Publishing Association
The theme of Education for Sustainable Development necessitates Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to integrate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their operations and program/course offerings. Drawing upon transformative learning theory and brand social responsibility theory, the research analyzes the teaching materials of 156 courses from seven programs within the School of Communication & Design at RMIT Vietnam, a prestigious Australian university. The findings reveal that the School currently aligns with 14 out of the 17 SDGs, encompassing a total of 60 indicators. On average, each program within the School addresses more than 10 goals and 24 indicators via collaborative partnership projects, case studies, and assessments. However, the study highlights that the incorporation of SDGs has yet to be deeply and comprehensively embedded within the curriculum. The research contributes to the theoretical framework of sustainability by offering recommendations on how to evaluate the integration of SDGs in teaching materials.