Last night I attended the touring presentation of the Rutherford Lecture. This is an annual lecture by the winner of the previous years winner of the Rutherford Medal, the top prize given out by Royal Societ Te Apārangi "to recognise eminent research or technological practice by a person in any field of science, mathematics, social science, or technology." The 2017 medal went to volcanologist Professor Colin Wilson FRS FRSNZ of Victoria University of Wellington for the work he has done on Supervolcanoes.
The lecture covered and introduction to what determines a supervolcano, Comparitive supereruptions of the Quaternary Period, and the history of the supereruptions of the Taūpo volcanic field, the most active supervolcano globally, with 4/10 of the geologically recent eruptions, geologically recent meaning the last 2.6 million years.
I find attending these sorts of events very useful in the classroom to help broaden and maintain my knowledge on a range of subjects, and this allows me to help students make connections between the content in the my classroom and their own interests.
Showing posts with label PD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PD. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 August 2018
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
School PD to Waitangi
The school trip to Waitangi was an interesting day. I have been to Waitangi a number of time, but not since the museum opened. I felt that the time in the museum was spoiled by the 'homework' we had been assigned as it prevented me fully immersing myself in the information on offer, but instead driving me down the path that had been set. I had hoped to have the time to look around for things that I could incorporate into my classroom practice, but I didn't have the time to do so.
How do we get kids to see that school is in their long term interest when they are only interested in leaving school now to earn money. They do not think longer term as to how the jobs that seem like big money now don't pay enough for a comfortable life when they have dependent or injuries.
Talking to Vinnie who had left school at 13/14 to work in forestry, and bought houses age 17 and 18, brought that home. Vinnie seems happy with his life, but not everyone will have his success, and Vinnie himself says it was at the cost of not seeing his family grow up. I don't know how to compete with that when students have come from a background where "earnings now" are valued over learning or even "earnings later".
How do we get kids to see that school is in their long term interest when they are only interested in leaving school now to earn money. They do not think longer term as to how the jobs that seem like big money now don't pay enough for a comfortable life when they have dependent or injuries.
Talking to Vinnie who had left school at 13/14 to work in forestry, and bought houses age 17 and 18, brought that home. Vinnie seems happy with his life, but not everyone will have his success, and Vinnie himself says it was at the cost of not seeing his family grow up. I don't know how to compete with that when students have come from a background where "earnings now" are valued over learning or even "earnings later".
Friday, 9 December 2016
The importance of developing Critical Thinking in our students
In keeping up to date with Science news I came across an article talking about a study done by Stanford University. When shown a bunch of news sites, up to 80% of students could not distinguish between fake 'news' and real 'news'.
The study has yet to be replicated, but as an initial finding it is disturbing. I take it for granted that some items presented as news is not. I take it for granted that 'sponsored content' may not be accurate and will likely be very biased. This makes it more pressing that students be able to evaluate sources and recognise bias.
https://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/V3LessonPlans/Executive%20Summary%2011.21.16.pdf
It is especially important to inculculate this into students in the junior school as so little time is available to teach anything other than the content they need to pass achievement standards in the senior school. In addition, the ability to critically review the places they are getting their information from is a skill that will be much more valuable to many than the knowledge on how to safely light a bunsen. Although that skill is transferable to lighting gas hobs and barbecues.
The study has yet to be replicated, but as an initial finding it is disturbing. I take it for granted that some items presented as news is not. I take it for granted that 'sponsored content' may not be accurate and will likely be very biased. This makes it more pressing that students be able to evaluate sources and recognise bias.
https://sheg.stanford.edu/upload/V3LessonPlans/Executive%20Summary%2011.21.16.pdf
It is especially important to inculculate this into students in the junior school as so little time is available to teach anything other than the content they need to pass achievement standards in the senior school. In addition, the ability to critically review the places they are getting their information from is a skill that will be much more valuable to many than the knowledge on how to safely light a bunsen. Although that skill is transferable to lighting gas hobs and barbecues.
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