Place: In the schools of Rimouski.
Target Groups:primary and secondary school students.
Introduction: The pan-Canadian Innovateurs à l'école (Innovators in schools) network was launched in 1993. In Québec, this network is managed by the SPST (Society for the Promotion of Science & Technology) and proposes a wide variety of science & technology discovery workshops to schools. The workshops take place in the class with audio-visual presentations, experiments and demonstrations. Chosen by teachers, they are managed by volunteers and so cost nothing. The SPST is progressively expanding its network throughout Québec and its implantation in Rimouski, a small town with a school going population of 9,000, has been entrusted to us. With the help of local expertise, we present EE workshops. As pollution and wastage threaten both salt and fresh water resources in Québec we have made water the central theme of the workshops, which seek to sensitise the youth to the importance of the conservation this precious resource.
Objectives:1. The overall objective of the programme is to attract the youth to careers in science and the new technologies through workshops which allow them to get in direct touch with scientists and engineers who transmit their love for the subject. 2. The specific objective of the EE workshops is to spread awareness among school children of the major environmental problems through concrete examples and by acquainting them with environment related career possibilities.
Resources:As Rimouski is located by the St Laurent estuary where the greater part of Québec's marine industry is concentrated, human and technical resources related to the marine environment abound.
Methodology:An overall picture of the subject is at first presented to the students with the help of audio-visual materials in order to spark off a discussion or queries. This is followed by demonstrations and explanations of fundamental notions. Finally students are asked to perform simple experiments to find solutions themselves. E.g. in the workshop on Water they discover the physical and chemical properties of water through the use of crucibles, sand, salt, colouring agents etc., followed by a discussion which gives them the basic notions of the water cycle and its usefulness. In the workshop on Oil Spills they learn the properties of non-miscible liquids and the effects of oil spills in the ocean through a reconstitution of the seashore ecosystem by using shells, sand, rocks, wood, algae, feathers etc. Then, by using a detergent they discover for themselves one of the most efficient ways of attacking this problem.
Evaluation/Results:Following each workshop the teacher asks the students to write out - or draw - what they understood, what they liked and what they didn't. In this way it is possible to estimate the message that has been passed as well as eventual alterations to be made in the pedagogy. E.g. the first workshop showed that the students were shocked to find the material used in the workshop was thrown away. Consequently, in the following workshops only recuperable material was used thus getting the message of environmental conservation and education through more effectively.
| Sent by:Robert Siron, Oceanographer and Consultant in science popularisation, Consultants RIVES, 310 allèe des Ursulines, bur. 2-93, Rimouski (Qc) G5L 3A1, Canada. |
Place:Keta (Volta Region) and Shangri-La Hotel (Accra).
Target Group:Fisherfolk, opinion leaders, NGOs and public servants.
Introduction: Three species of marine turtles nest in the flat, sandy beaches of the Central and Volta Regions: Leatherback, Olive Ridley and Green Turtle. The peak season is usually between November and March. Turtles and their eggs are protected by law - not only as endangered species but also to promote ecotourism as well as for other social and ecological reasons. However, and in spite of continuous public education and dialogue, there is intensive killing of the turtles and their eggs for consumption.
Objectives:To develop a strategy for the conservation of the marine turtles in Ghana and to increase awareness of the fact that marine turtles are a wholly protected species.
Resources:Lectures by specialized personnel from the NGO Ghana Wildlife Society who also provide audio-visual equipment, posters and funds together with the RSPB (U.K.).
Methodology: A video show was organised for the participants on the handling and behaviour of turtles in some parts of the world A lecture was delivered on marine turtle research in Ghana Four working groups were then formed to thoroughly examine the following sub-topics: - Value of marine turtles - Threats - Protection measures - Involving communities for their protection The leader of each group - a trained person - was asked to present a report to the whole house.
Evaluation:Continuous reporting of the programme by the press represented the beginning of the success of the programme. Opinion leaders from most communities pledged to use their own means to check the ever-exploitation of turtles. Lastly, the number of enquiries about marine turtles received at the Keta office of the Ghana Wildlife Society was a sign of enhanced public awareness.
Results:Opinion leaders in several communities formed Watchdog committees for the protection of turtles. In addition, cases of turtle killing have reduced considerably after the last workshop in September 1996.
| Sent by:Delali B.K. Dovie, Conservation Education Officer, Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), PO Box 212, Keta, Volta Region, Ghana. |
Place:The Center of Environmental Education (CEE) and the urban forest of Argyroupolis, a suburb of Athens..
Target Group:Primary school pupils.
Introduction:Nowadays it is a commonplace that the urbanization which took place during the last decades in Greece is responsible for the diminution as well as the degradation of the "urban" forest in the region of Attica where Argyroupolis is located. These phenomena are mainly due to a change in the land use, after extensive destruction of the forest, resulting in air pollution, soil erosion and flooding - the major problems of the region today.
Objectives:To strengthen love for nature and increase awareness of the ill-effects of deforestation To increase understanding of bio-geo-chemical interrelationships and functions in nature To encourage teachers to get involved in similar environmental projects To offer pupils an experience in field and group work :
Resources:The programme requires three teachers - one per ten children, the usual materials used in the classroom as well as equipped laboratories, a library, seminar hall etc. which are provided by the CEE.
Methodology:The duration of the programme is 5 hours. To begin with, the children are stimulated by being shown the work of other children. This is followed by a discussion on ecological concepts and relations among the various elements of the forest ecosystem as well as the effects of human intervention. The next step is field work to allow the children a sensory approach to the forest. This is done through a game in which they follow instructions along a route doing research activities to discover a treasure - which is in fact the exploration itself. Back at the CEE, they play another game aimed at developing positive attitudes towards the forest. Finally, they are asked to express their feelings on the field work. The drawings they do are put together in a collage called the "Tree of Impressions". At the end of the programme children are given stickers and become "Protectors of the forest".
Evaluation:Beside the subjective evaluation by the CEE trainers/teachers, the programme was watched by EE experts whose qualitative evaluation was taken into account to make suitable changes.
Results:The teachers accompanying the pupils have expressed great interest in the programme and have asked for instructions to continue with similar projects at school. The children themselves are very enthusiastic about the whole programme.
| Sent by:G. Farangitakis, R.Paleopoulou, A.Trikalitis, F. Vrettou, N.Stefanopoulos, Educational team of Argyroupolis CEE, Bouboulinas 3, 16451 Greece. |
Place:Koyaki Group Ranch in the wildlife dispersal zones of the Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok District.
Target Group:Masai pastoralists living in the areas adjacent to the Reserve whose main economic activity is livestock rearing.
Introduction:Communities living adjacent to protected areas have frequently been considered of little or no importance in the conservation and management of the biological diversity. Time and events have proved this notion wrong and outdated. Revising objectives and reassessing approaches to conservation is imperative. Researcher/conservationists meetings with these communities; provide an opportunity for giving and receiving information, identifying problems and solutions, validating data collected from them and negotiating conflicts and matters pertaining to nature conservation. These forums provided an opportunity to share the findings and validate the data from a study conducted here on: "A cost benefit analysis of livestock predation".
Objectives:To share the findings of the study through participatory seminars/workshops: - To procure a forum for the community members to identify, analyze and propose alternatives to alleviate livestock predation and associated problems - To establish the community's conservation and development priorities with respect to their socio-economic needs.
Resources:Resource persons were drawn from Friends of Conservation Extension staff; teachers and headmasters of the host schools. Flip charts, wall papers as well as close-up photographs taken during the study were used. Financial assistance was provided by WWF-US and WWF-EARPO in collaboration with Moi University, Department of Wildlife Management, Eldoret, Kenya.
Methodology:Two 1-day seminars/workshops were organised in two localities in Koyaki group ranch. The workshops were purely participatory with two types of discussions: facilitators-participants and participant-participant. Participants were divided into groups of five and each of the groups was given a set of guidelines for discussion with the help of an interpreter. The answers were then discussed collectively by all the participants together with the facilitators.
Evaluation:There was no formal/systematic evaluation done but the final remarks of the community spokesman, an official in the Koyaki Group Ranch committee and other participants it was clear that the seminars had a positive impact.
Results:Pastoralists unanimously concluded that due to the high density of grazing wildlife and predators in the ranch during most of the year, predation on livestock and competition for resources are inevitable. In compensation, the participants suggested that they could benefit more from revenue generated from wildlife-based tourism through improvement of local educational facilities, provision of more water points for livestock and people, improved veterinary services, medical assistance for injuries caused by wildlife and compensation for destroyed property. This would encourage pastoralists to feel as partners in conservation of biodiversity.
| Sent by:Mwangi Solomon Ngari, Post-graduate Community Conservation Student, c/o WWF-EARPO, PO Box 62440, Nairobi, Kenya. |
Place:Beawar (Dist. Ajmer), Rajasthan State.
Target Group:About 1,500 secondary school children and the general public.
Introduction:Beawar, with a population of 150,000 has problems of waste and sanitation common to big cities in the third world. These problems lead to epidemics and loss of human lives. The Environment Conservation Society, within the framework of the "Clean up the World" programme sponsored by Australia in conjunction with UNEP, trained and informed students, teachers and social service organisations in ways to deal with the problems of waste and sanitation.
Objectives:- Informing the common man of the problems caused by waste and ways and methods of successfully tackling these problems; - Inciting students to act as vectors for spreading information about these issues; - Spreading awareness of the role of environmental conservation and education.
Resources:J.M.D. Trust and Shri Cement Private Ltd (Beawar) provided help for the EE and Training Competition by providing posters, pamphlets, exhibition newspapers, a T.V. and video recorder.
Methodology:The programme was carried out in three phases: 1. A massive information campaign was carried out through rallies, posters, newspapers and audio-visual aids. 2. Meetings, symposia and training sessions were organised for students - the future citizens - and teachers. An essay competition was organised with 13 prizes worth Rs 10,000. 4. Games, an exhibition and a tour were organised mainly as a means of providing vivid knowledge on a variety of animals.
Evaluation/Results: The massive participation of the general public is the best testimony of the success of the project. Besides, the change in their attitudes regarding waste disposal was an indication of the positive impact of the programme. The enthusiasm of the students, who learnt a lot, was notable. Administrative services too cooperated greatly in this programme and it is hoped that they will continue to do so.
| Sent by:O. P. Verma, Environment Conservation Society, 83 Adarsh Nagar, Ajmer Road, Beawar - 305 901, India. |
Readers are invited to send us their FIELD experiences inScience, Technology, Environmental Education (STEE) activities involving the teaching/learning process - but not necessarily limited to students and teachers. They should be as brief as possible and set under the following headings: Place: Locality where the activity was carried out Target Groups: For whom the activity was intended Introduction: Background information - reasons for initiating the activity Objectives: What was the activity expected to achieve? Resources: Materials/funds needed for the activity Methodology: The way in which the activity was carried out Evaluation: How was the activity judged? By whom? Results: Did the activity produce any concrete changes in the target group(s)? Selected experiences will be published together with the name and address of the author. Please address your contributions to: Doing it and Telling it |