Inquiry based learning for sustainability

ACTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS
An inquiry-based learning approach to sustainability.
The sustainability focused units contained in this series encourage students to become actively involved in their world. Based on problem-based and inquiry-based learning pedagogy, the units of work are student-focused, promote active and deep learning, and motivate students to want to learn more about, and help them develop a sense of moral ownership for the natural environment.
Each unit contains detailed teacher information on planning and implementing the unit of work, and supporting reproducible student worksheets. It is hoped that by presenting this instructional model to teachers in a clear and sequenced way, they will go on to plan and build further problem-based and inquiry-based units of work with a sustainability focus.
http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/main/goproduct/12636

Learning for Sustainablilty website

Guide to on-line resources for government agency staff, NGOs and other community leaders working to support social learning and collective action around ICM and other resource management issues. A central section of this site links the reader to a range of guides, tools and checklists that can be drawn upon for guidance in this area to address issues such as participation and engagement. Other pages here highlight the lessons that have emerged from researchers and practitioners in different sectors.
New pages link to resources on underpinning social research methods including systems thinking and action research. One page lists on-line resources for both post-graduate research students and their supervisors.
Topics include thinking about the supervisory team, as well as tips for structuring and writing a thesis or dissertation.
The site also manages additional pages on finding volunteering and job opportunities in the sustainability sector. These are directly accessible from the main site indexing system. As with the rest of the site these
sections bring links to lot of on-line resources together in one easy to access site, each link is annotated to provide a guide to its contents.
www.learningforsustainability.net

Re-Thinking Waste in Schools Workshop

Eight teachers from 5 Central Australian schools and 7 environmental experts from Alice Springs all met at the Desert Park today for the Re-Thinking Waste in Schools workshop.

The workshop was run through a wikispace which the teachers will continue to use to collaborate, share and plan both their units of work and the Big Waste Day Out celebration in August 2008. At the same time a group of Top End schools met in Darwin and were using the same wikispace to plan their own units of work and the Darwin Big Waste Day Out. To find out more and to see what the teachers are planning visit their re-thinking waste challenge wikispace


Teachers are planning all sorts of programs to create fun learning opportunities for their students that are purposeful and contextualised in the areas of reducing water, energy, litter and resource use, and increasing recycling and creative ways to deal with our waste.

If you want to join in with the Re-Thinking Waste Challenge, please contact emma.bliss@nt.gov.au (or louise.fogg@nt.gov.au if you are in the Top End)

The Re-Thinking Waste in Schools Central Australia Project is a collaborative initiative of Keep Australia Beautiful, DEET (Teaching Learning and Standard Division), NRETA (Waterwise and Alice Springs Desert Park) Gardens for Wildlife, DKA COOLmob, The Bowerbird Tip Shop and the Arid Lands Environment Centre.

Learning with the brain in mind- an opportunity with John Joseph

A Professional Learning Opportunity for Students, Teachers, and Parents

John Joseph author of Learning with the Brain in Mind is coming to Alice Springs to run a set of 3 workshops on Monday 5th November.

If you have never seen John Joseph before get yourself along to one of these sessions, if you have seen him before, I am betting you will be coming back for more!

John Joseph, the Brain Man, will present

One day workshop for Year Six students (limited places available and booking essential)
A Brain Day – Exploring our Brain – modelling, dissecting, learning
Anzac Hill High School Hall, 9.00 am – 2.30 pm, Monday 5th November

90 Minute Information Session for Teachers
The Araluen Centre, 3.30 – 5.00 pm, Monday 5th November
Presentation - an overview of Learning with the Brain in Mind
Bar Available. Snack provided.

2 Hour Session for Parents
The Araluen Centre 7.00 – 9.00 pm, Monday 5th November
Presentation – Parenting with the Brain in Mind
Bar Available. Snack provided.

For more information contact John Cooper at ANZAC Hill High School 8951 3800 or Stewart Moyses at Larapinta Primary School 89550811

Learning for Sustainability website

Learning for Sustainability - supporting dialogue, collective action and reflection:

The Learning for Sustainability website focuses on sustainability issues such as natural resource management, and provides an online guide for government agency staff, NGOs and other community leaders working to support multi-stakeholder learning processes.

It may also be of use for professional development purposes by teachers delivering the Sustainable Futures SSABSA courses.

The site provides links to key information sources on topics including networking, dialogue, adaptive management, knowledge management and evaluation. A new section highlights resources on social research methods, systems thinking, and action research.