RCE-EM: from ‘Citizen to Civic Science’ Linking our activities to quality education for all. How we are developing ‘SDG 4.7’ across sectors and phases Margaret Fleming RCE-East Midlands (RCE-EM) August 2018 RCE Europe meeting Vannes
RCE-EM - Recent Activity • Re-launched March 2017 • Lots of support from the UK RCE community – particular thanks go to RCE London • Our aim was to • Link our activities to ’quality education for all’ • To develop ‘SDG 4.7’ across sectors and phases • Steering group planned and organised a conference for March 2018 ‘ RCE Young Leaders in Sustainable Development’ Led by Lee Jowett, Environmental Education Coordinator, Leicester City Council
RCE Young Leaders in Sustainable Development Introducing the RCE concept Lee Jowett is the Environmental Education Coordinator at Leicester City Council He is based in the Environment Team
Junk Food Lunch
Market stalls RCE-East Midlands Water Explorers - Global Action Plan Environmental Education Project (South Derbyshire District Council) University of Leicester FACE Practical Action Global Learning Library & Leicester Masaya Link Group John Muir Award Sustrans Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots Programme Big Stop Oral Health, Leicester City Council De Montfort University – Edi-net and POWER Projects NYA Buglife Ashden Less CO2 University of Leicester - Botanical Gardens Kids Country – East of England Agricultural Society Polli:Nation Schools Project Sustainability and Environmental Education (SEEd) Leicester City Council – Environmental Education
Key note - Professor Justin Dillon ‘From Citizen to Civic Science’
Teaching Numeracy Outdoors – Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Getting inspired to teach outdoors using their numeracy lessons plan from their Wild About Learning pack for KS1 and KS2. Lesson plans have been designed to work in any schools grounds, using commonly found natural material and the need for minimum preparation time. During the session, activities in the pack were sampled , covering key areas of study.
STEM and Sustainability – Sarah Eames, Primary Science Teaching Trust Sarah introduced participants to the Wellcome Trust’s free Explorify resources. They also looked at the free downloadable STEM Learning’s Polar Explorer Programme resources which promotes interest in sustainability and the launch of the RSS David Attenborough.
Fab Food: Ideas for Reducing Your School’s Food Waste -Environmental Education Project (South Derbyshire District Council) - This workshop described a five step process that can be implemented to help reduce food waste in schools. It begins with an audit that allows the children to measure the amount of food that is being wasted and then come up with an action plan to tackle it. Participants tried out the many activities and resources
How do people become sustainability activists? Exploring transformative collective experiences in early adulthood and at university – Andrew Reeves, DMU - This workshop will explore how people end up becoming sustainability activists, whether professionally, personally or very often both. Drawing upon research and practice-based evidence and the experiences of those present in the session, we will look at the factors that help build awareness of and personal commitment to sustainability issues. Drawing upon these insights, we will discuss what, if anything, educational institutions can do to help more young people to have these kinds of experience and to become future sustainability leaders.
Eco-Schools- the largest education programme on the planet! In this workshop delegates had an opportunity to understand the Eco-schools model, share their own experiences and ask questions
Citizen Science and the Global Goals - Earthwatch How Citizen Science projects, which address global issues via local hands on action, support the understanding of the global goals, outdoor learning and work across the curriculum, including STEM subjects. Using the SDGs as a framework, Earthwatch’s Teach Earth and Discover Earth programmes encouraged teachers and schools how to take learning outside and think about science from a wider curriculum perspective, whilst empowering personal and school-based actions.
Global Challenges - Sustainable Solutions - Leicester Masaya Link Group (LMLG) This workshop used an interactive game to raise awareness of the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development in a local context and from a global perspective. Participants worked in teams using photographs from Masaya, Leicester’s twin-town in Nicaragua, to explore 6 key issues (energy, water, biodiversity, food, climate change, shelter). They reflected on the challenges facing people in both cities and came up with a set of appropriate solutions. They examined the benefits of real case projects for sustainable development in Nicaragua and considered how the issues in question connect with the SDGs and impact on their lives locally.
The John Muir Award and Youth Social Action: Hand, Heart and Head learning - John Muir Award - The workshop gave an overview of the John Muir Award with the Hand, Heart, Head model of learning of Patrick Geddes at its core. Their was a focus on how those working with young people in formal and non-formal settings are using the ethos of the Award to support youth social action initiatives, build confidence and achievement and encourage behavioural change.
Local to the Global: The Power of Collaboration - University of Leicester - • In this workshop they demonstrated the power of collaboration to show that every effort no matter how small makes a difference in the larger picture. We described the University’s role in projects around Leicester and gave local examples of sustainability issues that have been solved using a collaborative approach. They then invited the attendees to think about an unsolved sustainability problem in the East Midlands and discussed the various ways in which it could be solved as well as the different parties that could help.
Food, Farming and the Future - FACE & Food for Life • ‘Every mouthful we eat connects us to people and places, near and far and is loaded with personal and social values’. To sustainably feed a population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, we are going to need bright people and collective will-power to solve the scientific, political and social challenges ahead. There are also no simple answers but many deeply interwoven issues. Today’s children are tomorrow’s decision-makers and we want to empower them to make bold, brave and intelligent decisions that will secure the planet’s future • This workshop guided participants through a series of activities to support their teaching of this complex topic
Global Learning with Water Explorer - The workshop introduced attendees to the ‘Water Explorer programme’, highlighted how it can be used to help students to engage with the Global Goals and sustainability more widely, and included a variety of activity ideas and resources that can be taken back to the classroom for students aged 8-14.
The Environment Now – Tackling environmental issues using digital technology - NYA The Environment Now has awarded 50 young people aged 17-24 across the UK with a grant of £10,000 to tackle environmental issues using digital technology. This workshop discussed their projects, addressed lessons learnt from engaging young people in environmental issues and the future pathways for their projects. The workshop included group discussion and a spider web flipchart work on Leicester’s environmental and social issues and how digital could help tackle these.
Understanding Air Quality Around your School - University of Leicester In this workshop delegates had the opportunity to think about air quality around their schools, and how they might investigate this and take action in their own community.
Plenary session We were pleased to welcome Cllr Adam Clarke Deputy City Mayor with responsibility for Environment, Public Health and Health Integration, Sarah Staunton-Lamb, Senior Engagement and Learning Manager at Earthwatch, Lee Wray Davies, Eco-Schools Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, Professor Justin Dillon, Professor at the University of Exeter & Dr Andrew Reeves, Lecturer at De Montfort University to a plenary panel discussion to round up the day.
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