Action Reflection Anticipation – The OECD says that its Learning Compass 2030 defines the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that learners need to fulfil their potential and contribute to the well-being of their communities and the planet. You can access the concept notes and brief summaries underpinning the compass here.
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Only a vegetable patch from the DfE – A paper by Dr Lizzie Ruston and Dr Lynda Dunlop in BERJ is critical of the DfE Climate and Sustainability strategy. The paper’s Abstract says: “… We find that the strategy foregrounds economic concerns, with educational priorities driven by the ‘net zero’ policy agenda, and an over-reliance on increased science-focused knowledge and skills. The strategy suggests an absence of governmental responsibility and attention to the political dimensions of climate change. This is in contrast to stakeholder perspectives which see economic priorities as part of the problem and call for pro-environmental action at all levels, including from policymakers. … We argue that the strategy runs the risk of becoming a placebo for policy, with the appearance of ‘doing something’ whilst failing to address the fundamental policy problem.” In a reference to the DfE’s nature park, the paper quotes one disappointed student: “we got a vegetable patch when we asked for large systemic change”.
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Outdoor Learning – Successful approaches to learning outdoors is a report from HM Inspectors of Education in Scotland (Foghlam Alba) about effective practice in outdoor learning.
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Outdoor Teaching – Teaching the Primary Curriculum Outdoors is a new book from Learning through Landscapes. CEO Carley Sefton, says: “I hope this book will support you on your outdoor learning journey, enabling you to enjoy daily time outside with your class throughout every season of the year. By using this book to connect yourself and your pupils to the natural environment, you will discover those magical moments of awe and wonder that only time in nature can provide.”
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For 16-25 Year Olds – The Field Studies Council is celebrating 10 years of the Young Darwin Scholarship scheme. They say it’s “nature-tastic”.
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Elephant Times 2.5 is now published. This offers an overview of key Tide~ matters and focuses on Commonwealth Debates. It can be accessed here. You can also read Tide~’s Connecting Dialogues here.
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#NatStart22 – This Nature-Based Early Learning Conference runs from July 27th to 30th with real and virtual sessions. Organisers say that this is the largest national gathering of nature-based early education professionals. You can learn more and register here.
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A Day out with Ava – Over 10,000 children have already taken part in Generation Wild and your pupils could join them. Generation Wild is a nature connection programme for schools in economically disadvantaged areas. Children follow the magical story of Ava the bird girl, a character who is brought to life during a visit to one of the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust’s wetland centres. They then complete activities back at school and at home to connect with nature and receive their certificates and membership badges as they become ‘Guardians of the Wild’. The project includes free school visits (including free transport) as well as free return visits for children and their families. More detail here.
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Entomology – This week is Insect Week. This encourages people of all ages to learn more about insects. The Royal Entomological Society organises the week, with support from a large number of organisations with interests in the science, natural history and conservation of insects. Click here to see the educational resources they produce.
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A Great Buzz – Bees for development provides an international perspective on the role and value of bees. And here is information on August’s Monmouth Bee Festival.
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Round the Table – The Edge is a campaigning built-environment think tank and is multi-disciplinary in a landscape that is remarkable for the high number of single-discipline institutions it contains. An educational round table it is running asks: Are new entrants to built environment courses adequately informed and prepared for the climate and ecological challenges? Do new entrants to built environment courses need to be better prepared for the key issues that they will be dealing with in both their training and careers? The event is on zoom on 30th June: 4.30-6.00/6.30pm. More details here.
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Black-veined White – Butterffly Conservation says that 50% of the remaining butterfly species in Britain are now listed as threatened or near threatened on the Red List. While some species have been brought back from the brink of extinction by successful, long-term conservation work, it’s clear more needs to be done. Using data gathered by volunteers through the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Butterflies for the New Millennium recording scheme, scientists from Butterfly Conservation have put together the new Red List which assesses all the butterfly species that have bred regularly in Great Britain against the rigorous criteria of extinction risk set out by the IUCN. The new Red List is published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity. Click here to read the full article. Clearly the DfE’s nature park cannot come too soon.
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Between Jungle and Desert – Aberystwyth University ecologist, Gareth Griffith, writes in The Conversation about keeping your lawn (whether at home or school) wildlife-friendly throughout the year. He says: “You may not be convinced of the beauty of a wild and unruly garden, but there is a sweet spot to be found between a rewilded jungle and a sterile green desert which not only looks good but provides a haven for wildlife. This is especially important in the UK, where 97% of semi-natural grassland has been destroyed over the last 80 years.”
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The World of ESD – The Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development: Learn for our planet: act for sustainability summarises the Declaration on ESD, adopted by stakeholders from 161 countries at the 2021 Berlin World Conference.