1. The GA Fieldwork and Outdoor Learning Special Interest Group are conducting a survey to help determine how best to help teachers plan, deliver and develop fieldwork. You can take part here. The GA is publishing a guide for A level students that is structured around the enquiry cycle and includes a range of the qualitative and quantitative skills that they will need to use in their independent investigation. You can pre-order now. Finally (for now), completing a critical thinking course gives you the opportunity to apply for £3000 funding from the British Council to complete a study visit to schools in Africa, Asia or the Middle East. You can see more from teachers who have participated and learn more about the Connecting Classrooms programme online.
2. The Field Studies Council has developed a fold-out guide to help secondary geography teachers use GIS in geographical enquiries. A free copy of the guide will be sent to schools in September and in the meantime more resources for using GIS are available c/o the FSC here.
3. Bore Place has announced its programme of activities for children this summer, with new outdoor sessions. Activities available for the first time include Tracking and Trailing, Got the Bug and Crafting By the Campfire. Then there’s …
- Teddy Bears’ Picnic on Mon 31 Jul and Tue 8 Aug 10am -1pm
- Den Building on Wed 2 Aug, Fri 11 Aug and Thur 17 Aug 10am -1pm
- Campfire Cook Up on Tues 22 Aug 10am-1pm
4. This is the latest from Project Dirt. You will find details of volunteering opportunities here, and information about jobs, here. Dirt says that the Offline Festival is quickly taking shape into an inspirational patchwork of incredible speakers, business skill-building sessions and hands-on workshops. We are unbelievably excited to confirm that the social change leaders at The Eden Project will be joining the Offline family! The Eden Project Communities Allotment will host three branding and storytelling workshopsto support businesses to connect with customers and attract funders or volunteers.
5. The International Crane Foundation has a feature on Australia. This begins: “The habitat that first comes to mind when we refer to cranes is wetlands. We immediately think of an expansive amount of water dotted with lilies and lotus, bordered by swaying reeds in which a heron or two skulks, accompanied by the symphony of frogs. … The habitat of breeding cranes in Australia is rather different. The Sarus shares their breeding areas with Brolgas in the region of northern Australia bordering the Gulf of Carpentaria. Here, they breed in woodlands!
6. Here are some of the recent features from the Environmental NewsNetwork:
Dragonflies reveal how biodiversity changes in time and space
The Black Forest and Climate Change
To Buzz or to Scrabble? To Foraging Bees, That’s the Question
New Study of U.S. Residents Over 65 Underscores Link Between Air Pollution and Premature Death
Black carbon persists in snow and ice around the world
Reptile Skin Grown in Lab for First Time, Helps Study Endangered Turtle Disease
7. The International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning is now free to read and write for – there are no author processing charges. There will be two issues per year. Based at the UCL Institute of Education, this internationally peer-reviewed journal publishes the outcomes of research and current debates on development education and related concepts such as global learning, global education and global citizenship. It is an academic response to the increased public and educational interest in learning and understanding about the wider world. The journal offers critical perspectives from around the world about research on educational initiatives seeking to develop greater understanding of the reasons for global inequality and how global issues affect everyday lives. It is edited by Dr Clare Bentall, Associate Director of the Development Education Research Centre at UCL Institute of Education