Tag Archives: SD19

Energy Use

Energy is one of the things we use (and take for granted) every single day, but we never take a second thought on where it comes from or how it actually works. For the last two weeks of the sustainable development module I, through the lecture and workshops, was able to broaden my knowledge on energy and what it actually is. It is defined by the U.S. EIA (2019) as the ability to do work. Although I did National 5 physics in school for a year and learned about energy it really wasn’t my strong point and I didn’t think at the time it would’ve been useful for my future career – I was very wrong. Due to this, I don’t have a vast amount of information on this subject, but I found these inputs informative but also very enjoyable as I was able to discover and discuss new facts I would never have known before. Although I never found energy as a strong point I was surprised by the amount of my peers which I sat with and how much knowledge they had on the subject – some of them were interested in how renewable energy helps climate change while others had solar panels on their homes.

 

Only 20 years ago, the world relied massively on fossil fuels in order to power our countries, cities and towns but since scientists have discovered renewable sources and figured out how to utilise it, in the UK it now accounts for 20 percent of our total energy generated. (Biedron, 2019). We rely on fossil fuels for a lot of our daily tasks. For example, the petrol and diesel which runs our cars, coal or oil to generate electricity and natural gas for cooking and heating our homes. But thanks to these renewable sources we now have alternatives which are better for our planet and are ultimately one of the only ways we can help to fight against climate change – electric cars which reduces the use of petrol and diesel, wind power and solar power to generate electricity and biodegradable and food waste being burnt and turned into heat energy. If scientists never implemented the usage of renewable energy in 50 years we would have run out of oil and in 54 years we would have run out of gas (Business Standard, 2015). This portrays that we, as a planet, mainly within the past 2 centuries have used up almost all of the fossil fuel the earth has. This is why it was crucial for scientists to come up with new ways for energy which also didn’t damage the earth as much as fossil fuels have done.

 

One of the workshops I found extremely interesting and useful was Louise’s debate in week 1 of the topic. We discussed as a section alternative energy sources and what our opinions on them were. It sparked a heated debate between myself and my peers as we spoke about one main renewable energy type, wind turbines, and if we believed them to be a viable alternative to fossil fuels. It was interesting to hear many different perspectives in the idea of renewable energy and I wasn’t surprised at the amount of people who are for it and agree it is a much better solution. This workshop allowed me to build many skills needed for primary teaching including skills like debating, inquiring and incisiveness. In teaching you must be incisive as when in a classroom if a child asks you a question you must give a clear answer using any knowledge in that area you have. As a student teacher, I must also look at the GTCS Standards for Registration (2006) and a standard which relates to this debate topic is communicate the purpose of the learning and give explanations at the appropriate level(s) for all learners;

  • stimulate learner participation in debate and decision-making about issues which are open-ended, complex, controversial or emotional;
  • demonstrate effective questioning strategies;

This lesson, but also the whole module, has had many different ways of linking to other curriculum areas; science and art are just a few. For example, when in Andrews workshop about energy we created cars out of different materials to demonstrate how physics work and how our cars produce energy in order to move. This is an ideal lesson to do with children at the upper end of a primary school, it’s fun, interactive but also portrays clearly about the use of energy and physics. An example of a Curriculum for Excellence(n.d.) Experiences and Outcome which relates to this topic is: Through exploring properties and sources of materials, I can choose appropriate materials to solve practical challenges. SCN 1-15a

Now I have completed not only the topic of energy, but I have also finished the whole sustainable development module I can fully reflect on the benefits it has had on me. When this module began, I was sceptical about how much I would enjoy it as it has been something, I have never bothered with but when thinking back I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I am now much more knowledgeable on the subject and have broadened and built many skills i.e. my critical thinking has improved greatly and so has my confidence. I now am excited to be able to use all the theory and also lessons I learned from this module within a classroom.

 

 

Biedron, T. (24 April 2019) Renewable Energy in the United Kingdom[Blog, Online] Available:https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/03/renewable-energy-in-the-united-kingdom[Accessed: 18 November 2019]

 

Curriculum for Excellence. (n.d.) [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiencesoutcomes18.pdf[Accessed: 19 November 2019]

 

GTCS Professional Standards. (2006) Standard for Initial Teacher Education [Online] Available: http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/the-standards/the-standard-for-initial-teacher-education.pdf[Accessed: 19 November 2019]

 

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2019) What is energy?[Online] Available: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/what-is-energy/[Accessed: 18 November 2019.]

Disasters

Disasters

My last two weeks of Sustainable Development has had a viewpoint on natural disasters – how they are caused and how they affect humans and our environment. According to the ‘Guide to sanitation in natural disasters WHO(1971) A natural disaster is an act of nature of such magnitude as to create a catastrophic situation in which the day-to-day patterns of life are suddenly disrupted and people are plunged into helplessness and suffering, and, as a result, need food, clothing, shelter, medical and nursing care and other necessities of life, and protection against unfavourable environmental factors and conditions. Natural disasters can come in many forms for example, hurricanes, diseases, floods and tsunamis just to name a few. Disasters is probably the topic in which I know the most about from learning about them in school and also as they happen frequently it is on the news often where they describe the effects and causes of these natural disasters. Through discussion with my peers I discovered they also feel the same and apart from a select few, most of us felt that disasters are the topic we felt most confident about. Throughout these two weeks, I have managed to expand my previous knowledge of natural disasters but also improved many skills I have.

 

Disasters, in my opinion, is an extremely important topic to teach children about because unlike other sustainable development topics we have studied, disasters have the capability of destroying towns and killing humans in a matter of seconds. Children learning about these disasters gives them the knowledge of what disasters could occur where they live but also give them an insight into how to protect themselves if they are ever in the situation of a natural disaster. There are five different types of natural disasters: geophysical(earthquakes, tsunamis etc.), hydrological(avalanches and floods), climatological(extreme temperatures, droughts and wildfires), meteorological(cyclones and storm/wave surges) and biological(disease epidemics and insect/animal plagues). Each disaster is just as dangerous as another and all have the capability of killing thousands and destroying our environment. One of the worst natural disasters ever recorded happened in Haiti in 2010. A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12th, 2010 and approximately 3 million people were affected. Around 250 thousand lives were lost, and 300 thousand people were injured(Kathryn Reid, 2018). As Haiti is an underdeveloped, struggling country they are still trying to fix their country but thanks to aid from international agencies and private donors over $16 billion has been allocated to help them(Kathryn Reid, 2018)

We started to learn about all the different types of disasters and what affects they have. Andrew also discussed how to prepare, respond and recover from these disasters and spoke about how we would teach these aspects to children. This led to us being tasked with creating a power point in order for us to practise our teaching to small groups. My group created a power point on hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones which I extremely enjoyed, and it helped me to build up a lot of my personal skills which will help me in the classroom. We also had to include tasks suitable for children in first level and this gave me an insight into what it will be like creating tasks for a classroom. It firstly allowed me to be more digitally literate as I was in charge of creating the power point and although I have used it before, this was the first time I had created such an informative and long power point. This will be extremely handy when in the classroom as now a days almost everything is digital. I also, when presenting, managed to build up my confidence and I noticed that since the last presentation I did I am now much more able to speak in front of people and use a lot more eye contact and gestures when speaking. This is obviously some of the most crucial skills needed for teaching as if I am at ease and confident  when teaching the children, it allows them to learn better and as I have good body language the children will feel happy to approach me. According to the GTCS Professional Standards(2006), these skills I learned through the microteaching task relates to 2.1.2 Communicate effectively, using a variety of media, to stimulate pupils and achieve the objectives of lessons. The expected features of this point are:

  • Demonstrate that they are able to use appropriate strategies to motivate and sustain the interest of all pupils during a lesson.
  • Demonstrate that they can communicate with pupils clearly and offer explanations in a stimulating manner.
  • Demonstrate that they can question pupils effectively and respond to their questions and their contributions to discussions.

As for the children, when learning about natural disasters they can research previous disasters. This relates to SCN 1-20a – experiences and outcomes. I have contributed to discussions of current scientific news items to help develop my awareness of science. This will allow them to understand how frequent these disasters happen. Curriculum for Excellence (n.d.)

This blog has shown just how knowledgeable I now am towards the subject and also which crucial teaching skills it has helped me to improve.

This is a resource in which Andrew showed us which would be useful to use in a classroom setting.

Microteaching –

This is the powerpoint my group created for the micro teaching task.

 

Curriculum for Excellence. (n.d.) [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiencesoutcomes18.pdf[Accessed: 4 November 2019]

GTCS Professional Standards. (2006) Standard for Initial Teacher Education [Online] Available: http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/the-standards/the-standard-for-initial-teacher-education.pdf[Accessed: 4 November 2019]

Guide to sanitation in natural disasters WHO. (1971) Guide to sanitation in natural disasters WHO. [Online] Available: https://www.who.int/environmental_health_emergencies/natural_events/en/[Accessed: 1November 2019]

Reid, K. (2018) 2010 Haiti earthquakes: Facts, FAQs, and how to help. [Online] Available: https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2010-haiti-earthquake-facts[Accessed: 3 November 2019]

Interdependence

For the previous two weeks, the focus of my lectures and workshops for sustainable development has been interdependence. Interdependence can be described as the way in which two or more living things depend on each other to grow and remain healthy. Our main focal point in my opinion was environmental interdependence – which also led to an enjoyable but very educational trip to two farms which I will discuss later. As my previous two blogs have shown, I don’t know very much around the idea of sustainable development and what it contains but I had a slight knowledge towards interdependence after studying biology at secondary school. However, these past two weeks have broadened my knowledge and I now have built up not only knowledge but also skills which I would never have imagined to be brought on by learning about interdependence.

 

Early humans understood their reliance on their environment for resources i.e. native Americans, aboriginals and Maoris – which led to the respect of the things which they relied on, which is where interdependence came from. There are three main components of interdependence; economic, social and environmental. Economic interdependence is things like global marketing and trading but also multinational financial regulations and legislation within certain areas. Economic interdependence has also come to include many other aspects of economic life and since the beginnings of the age of computerization, telecommunications, low-cost travel and shipping, economic interdependence has taken new forms including the worldwide structural integration of production and marketing.(Pahelke, R. 2009). Social interdependence exists when the accomplishment of each individual’s goals is affected by the actions of other. (Deutsch, 1949, 1962; Johnson, 1970; D. W. Johnson & Johnson, 1989). They also state that there are two types of social interdependence; positive(cooperation) and negative(competition). Positive social interdependence only exists when both individuals reach their goal whereas negative social interdependence is when only one individual from the pair manage to complete their goals while the other fails. Finally, environmental interdependence is related to the ‘web of life’. This is connected to food chains and how it is apparent that every species has a function to fulfil in sustaining this ‘web of life’.

In week 2, I had a group task which. Discussed sustainable fishing and how it impacts the three areas of interdependence. I have linked the poster at the bottom of my blog.

I gained a much larger knowledge of environmental interdependence when my cohort visited Mossgeil( a small, organic farm) and Strandhead( a large, technically advance farm) a few weeks ago. I, along with several others, were very apprehensive to go to the farms as we did not know what conditions the cows would be living in. I was happy to see that both farms shad great living conditions for their animals and even though Strandhead farm did not allow. Their cows to. Graze outside, the farmer mentioned that they are still happy as they have never experienced this and even if they had the choice they would stay inside. It was extremely eye opening to see the differences between each farm as Mossgeil farms ethos was keeping the cows healthy and  happy and producing organic milk whereas Strandhead had production targets to hit, so their highest priority was that there were cows constantly producing milk. Even though Strandhead was a more about the milk than the cows, the cows still seemed happy apart from the fact that their calves were removed from them at birth whilst at Mossgeil the calves and the mothers were never separated against their own will. All the farmers we met were so positive and enthusiastic about their profession and were able to answer any question that were thrown at them. In Mossgeil farm the cows were all put into the one area away from their living space to get milked once a day and the machines they used has to be connected to the cow’s udders by hand. However, as Strandhead is a more technically advanced farm, the cows just walked into a chain of machines whenever they wanted too, and the machine done all the  work. It was extremely impressive to watch and it’s an experience which I feel would be great to take younger children to witness when learning about farms and their goings on. It made me realise as well how important it is for children to know where their food and other produce comes from.

Mossgeil Farm:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strandhead:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When reflecting upon my trip to the farm, I became much more ethically minded and even though I believe both sets of cows are treated well, it has made me realise that I would rather support organic farms. However, in my life at the moment I cannot financially afford to buy organic food and milk but when the time comes, I am financially stable I will try my. best too. In relation to GTCS Standards for Registration I

have improved on ‘critically. examining personal and professional attitudes and beliefs and challenging assumptions and professional practice’. I also, as shown throughout this blog,  have become much more knowledgeable about this subject.

Refrences:

(Deutsch, 1949, 1962; Johnson, 1970; D. W. Johnson & Johnson, 1989) Social Interdependence Theory [Online] Available: http://www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/events/archive/aligningcollaborativelearning/Johnson_Johnson.pdf[Accessed: 18 October 2019].

Pahelke, R. (2009) Introduction to Sustainable Development: Globalization, Interdependence and Sustainability. UNESCO ELOSS [online] Available: http://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C13/E1-45-03-16.pdf

 

My groups poster:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climate Change and Global Warming

During weeks three and four, I have been learning more about climate change and global warming. This is a topic which is prevalent in today’s society as it has become a massive issue for our world. Climate change is often just thought of as how the weather changes on a day to day basis for example sunshine one day and snow the next but according to the Met Office (n.d.) Climate change is the long-term shift in average weather patterns across the world. Since the mid-1800s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. This causes global temperatures to rise, resulting in long-term changes to the climate. Due to climate change and global warming there has been a large impact on the UK’s seasons and weather. Our summers are getting drier and our winters wetter, the UKs growing season has increased due to there being less rain but sometimes there is extreme weather in the wrong season for example, the extreme rainfall in the UK during the summer of 2007. Before this topic myself and I could also say for some of my peers were only aware of this topic due to the mass media coverage it has had over the past few years however we still did not know a lot about the extent of it. Having this lecture and also the online Moodle tasks has made me much more aware of how much of a damaging issue climate change is and I have also noticed myself being more cautious with things that can affect my carbon footprint. I noticed myself improving my creative and imaginative skills throughout these weeks as in week three we had a workshop in the science lab where we looked at experiments relating to weather which could be used in a primary school setting. We created a tornado, illustrated using shaving foam and food colouring how rain falls through clouds and also did some craft activities. These two skills are crucial to have when becoming a primary school teacher because you need to be able to keep the children in your classroom excited to learn so they will stay engaged and the only way to do this is if my lessons are interactive and fun. In a professional manner I have started to become more research minded as I have been researching climate change and. Global warming and have learned additional information due to this. For example, I have been researching Greta Thunberg as she is a young climate change activist who recently has become highly influential in this area. She is only sixteen years old but has made me realise more about climate change than I have ever known before. Recently Greta tweeted ‘ Over 7,5 million people in over 180 countries joined the #climate strike!We told world leaders to unite behind the science and take action now. They didn’t listen. So, we go on, every Friday. The next global climate strike is Nov 29, and we need everyone to join! #fridaysforfuture’. This just shows how much power this young girl has, she has managed to open more people’s eyes around global warming and climate change than any world leaders ever have. Knowing this kind of information is key when studying too become a primary teacher because when you have your own class you could be teaching a topic on climate change and even the amount of knowledge, I have gained will make it easier when trying to plan lessons and activities. It can also be connected to other parts of primary education for example science and technologies.

 

@GretaThunberg (2019) Greta Thunberg. 13 October. [Tweet] Available: https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1183452505600077826?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet[Accessed: 7 October 2019].

 

Met Office (n.d.) [Online] Available: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/climate-and-climate-change/climate-change/index[Accessed: 5 October 2019]

 

 

Diversity

Week 1 and 2 – Diversity

 

For the last two weeks within lectures and workshops I have been learning about diversity and biodiversity. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect.  It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences.  These can be along
the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.  It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

Sheets (2009) stated that in order to be an effective teacher it is crucial to understand and acknowledge the critical role culture plays in the teaching-learning process. There is a theory called Diversity Pedagogy Theory which is a set of principles that point out the natural and inseperable connection between culture and cognition. This shows that if a teacher has a clear understanding of diversity between cultures along with other things it allows them to evolve into a culturally competent educator.

 

When I first began learning about diversity I knew what it was but I also knew that I needed to broaden my knowledge as it was very small. It has made me improve other skills aswell i.e. my problem solving skills. In the first weeks workshops I was learning about primary science and experiments which I can use within the classroom. We made groups and in these groups we went into the universities grounds and gathered different leaves and made rubbings of them. It was a really fun activity which I think younger children would enjoy.

I also had a very interesting talk from Kim and Caroline from WOSDEC which is a global learning centre that works to promote social justice through education. This was a very informative talk and allowed me to discover what it is WOSDEC do. They also showed how this topic links in with the curriculum –

“Curriculum for Excellence challenges schools and communities to develop children and young people as responsible citizens who show respect for others; who understand different beliefs and cultures; and who are developing informed, ethical views of complex issues. Children and young people need to know why discrimination is unacceptable and how to challenge it. They need to understand the importance of celebrating diversity and promoting equality.” (Scottish Government, 2012)

 

In week 2, Andrew taught a lecture on Cultural diversity which I felt I already knew a fair bit about as I find it very interesting but Andrew added extra knowledge which I didn’t know. I learned about different stereotypes and how crucial it is as a primary teaching to not stereotype anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheet, R. (2009) Diversity Pedagogy Theory [online] Available: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ847137[Accessed: 23 September 2019].

šScottish Government (2012) Promoting Diversity and Equality: Developing Responsible Citizens for the 21stCentury. [Online] Available: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/Promoting_DE080313_tcm4-747988.pdf[Accessed: 22 September 2019]