Dancing on the Shifting Carpet - Natural Hazards & Resilient Communities

Over the last two days I have attended the Natural Hazards Research Forum. Although quite a departure from my professional educational focus, there is still a lot in common with my blog themes 'Dancing on the Shifting Carpet' and dealing with uncertain futures.

I would say i attended, rather than participated. I would have liked to raise some questions during panel discussion, or in the case of many, make some statements that weren't really questions, but i felt very out of my depth professionally. So i left it to the scientists in the room and listened, took notes, will be following up on research links, and had quiet conversations with many people during the breaks.

I attended as an 'end user'. Though the terminology 'end user' was bandied about a lot over the two days, i felt the meaning was pretty fuzzy. I thought for many, the end user could be the organisation who had commissioned and funded their research, with specific purposes in mind. I felt qualified to identify as an end user, as the research and issues being discussed significantly affect me as someone living with Natural Hazards at Awatarariki Matatā.

So i was there to listen to what the best and brightest in Natural Hazards Research had to share about their work and what the implications could be to support our community at our time of need.
At the moment our community is being asked to consider managed retreat with an acquisition strategy that will be on the table for a short while (if at all - where is the money?) at the same time we are subject to a regional plan change request instigated through the Whakatane District Council that could result in our property rights being extinguished. This is 14 years since the debris flow event of 2005.

I was heartened to hear from many of the researchers that they are engaged in participatory research with high levels of community involvement and co-construction with affected communities. This was also quite sad to hear personally, because why hasn't this process happened for us?!
One of my hopes in attending was to extend my networks and identify potential experts who would be willing to look at our situation and work with us when we get to the Environment Court (i can't see where else this will go to achieve resolution). However, i wasn't brave enough to solicit this during my time there, as early responses were cagey, most worked for organisations that were already captured by our councils (meaning they had already worked with our Council, and therefore had a conflict of interest so they couldn't work with us), and some of the panel discussion about political risk highlighted the reluctance of some scientists to be bold and work with the hard issues 'this decision could be career ending.'

It was really interesting to hear of all the work going on, and be in a completely different professional space. How useful was it for me? It doesn't feel like it has been very useful at the moment, but perhaps in my notes are some gems that will make a difference when the time comes, or a connection made that will step up and be useful to us in the future.

Iain White, University of Waikato raises the points that it just isn't the hard science - social science is really important too. It's time that the hard conversations were had, instead of continuing to kick the can down the road. Iain is supervisor to PHD student Christina Hanna. Her work about Retreat should be available in September and we are looking forward to reading the chapter about Matatā.

There is a lot more work being done in this are $100 million in the Budget for this Research Stream. I will be definitely watching this space. Here is the twitter stream from conference, much more coherent than my notes.

May the Force be With You!

Are you a student who is interested in Science?
 - in the world around you, and why things work as they do? 

Why is it harder to stay up on a snowboard than on a ski?
Did you know that the G forces at work on a NZ falcon’s brain are over twice as many as those at work on an astronaut’s brain just before he blacks out?

Welcome to the exciting world of “Forces.” This 8 week course will help answer some of the above questions, and similar questions or wonderings you might have had to do with the topic of Forces. This area is part of Physics, and is part of the Physical World Strand of Science.

We will also be thinking about the “Nature of Science” strand of science as we progress through the 8 weeks. The Nature of Science is to do with “what is Science”; “scientists – past, present , future, and what they do”; and “how we can be like scientists – thinking and acting like scientists by predicting, investigating, gathering data, making observations by using our senses and by measuring, inferring, and looking for patterns.”

The 8 week course is very hands on. You will be expected to do investigations and trials in between sessions, and to report back the following week. (In other words there will be “hands on” based homework every week). It would be good to email me photos or short video clips of your investigations between sessions as well.

By the end of the 8 weeks you will be able to think and act like a scientist by gathering and interpreting data. You will have designed your own investigations and trials. I will give you suggestions and ideas to help with this. From designing and doing trials with balloon powered racers to using pulleys and ropes to lift objects, you are in for an exciting 8 week ride!
Fasten your seat belts and get ready for take-off…..oh, and may the Force be with you. (Please excuse the mixed metaphors – Literacy is my other area of interest besides Science!)

Enrolments & queries to primary@vln.school.nz
New schools please check Protocols of Participation first.
Resources students will need access to.

Contributed by:

Kathy Forster

Ngamatea School

Primary Science

You don't need to be a Scientist to DO Science! 

Don't think you need to leave it to the experts for your students to learn about Science, there are lots of great PD opportunities & resources to support you in providing Science learning opportunities for our kids.

Check out this online PD from the Open Polytech - no fees! Register now for July's intake.

"The Graduate Certificate in Primary Science Teaching (Curriculum) takes the perspective that science can be fun. It encourages the learning of science by doing science and discusses the effectiveness with which science concepts and principles are embedded into learning experiences. Through the programme practising teachers will become more confident in their science knowledge, and their ability to design and deliver learning experiences that support and inspire students to investigate and understand science knowledge and concepts."

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Science Alive provides outreach programmes in the Christchurch area, they also have some great open source resources. 

Follow them on twitter @sciencealive

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Science in a Van also run outreach programmes, anywhere in NZ.

They have a fantastic blog site, and you can also follow them on twitter @Science_ina_Van 

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'The Science Learning Hub is developed by educators and teachers in collaboration with New Zealand scientists to provide resources for teachers of students up to year 10.'

Hear what teachers have to say about how they use the Science Learning Hub to support them in the classroom. Twitter @NZScienceLearn 

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There are a number of Science groups in the VLN Groups area. The following three seem to be the most subscribed, open and active:

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Not forgetting Science Online @TKI. Linked from TKI are a series of papers developed from the questions raised here:

"The Chief Science Adviser raised some challenging questions in his  2011 report. The Ministry of Education responded by funding three new science education projects. His questions were:

• How can we “engage and enthuse” more young New Zealanders in science?
• Is the science we teach getting students ready to address serious questions we will all face in the future?
• How might science education help New Zealand's development as a smart, innovative, knowledge-oriented country? "

Some interesting professional reading.

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Lastly not forgetting the VLN Primary School as a way to collaborate and extend Science learning opportunities across our schools. Currently we are running a Day Time Astronomy class - we welcome schools and teachers who have expertise to share across our network.

VLN Primary School - Semester 2 call for participation.

Schools are invited to enrol students in online learning programmes beginning in Term 3. Te Reo Maori (beginners to fluent), Mandarin, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Afrikaans, Te Reo Maori Cook, & Maths Extension.

Teachers are warmly welcomed to participate alongside their students in our language classes, this is a great PLD opportunity for Learning Languages & teaching online.

Expressions of interest are invited to participate in ‘Over the Back Fence’ Health Project & DayTime Astronomy. Small schools with very low numbers of Y7 & 8 students are invited to cluster and join our Rural & Remote schools Project.Enquiries to primary@vln.school.nz