Overview

Student synopsis; "What is Stern all about?"

Brief notes on the summaries, full document and on Stern's presentation and speaking notes and links

Brief notes on the official "Background to Stern Review" and links

Wider general background: Kyoto, European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) etc and links

Counterviews and links

Overview

General background - market economy

General background - carbon trading

Brief notes on "comments on the Stern Review by leading economists" and links to them

Image: Pencil and Graph showing performance over time

Overview

Basic science of Carbon including the carbon cycle

Photosynthesis & Respiration

Combustion - Energy production from carbon based fuels - the science

Image: pollution from smoking chimney stacks

Overview

Energy production from carbon based fuels (technology)

Alternative sources

Innovation and development

Image: young boy and girl by wind turbine

Overview

Forest, Ice and Ocean

Land usage and impact on climate

Developing nations, including political aspects

Social change, population and industry

Image: interwoven global economy as a globe made of jigsaw pieces

Overview

Routes through the resource

Developing thinking skills with the resource

Critical thinking and reasoned argument

Using the Web - Internet literacy and Web 2.0 tools

National Strategy “Pedagogy Pack” and other teaching and learning links

Overview

Lesson plans, guides and pedagogy

Activities, tasks and assignments

Questions & Discussions

Software, Web 2.0 tools and data including images etc

Glossary of terms, acronyms etc

Links to relevant sections in main National curriculum, GCSE and GCE syllabuses

Image: pen on open pages of a dictionary

iTOP • HOME

Software, Web 2.0 tools and data including images etc

Image: female student with a laptop computer

There are clearly thousands of resources available under the above heading, so the links provided can only represent a small sample. However, they have been chosen against a number of criteria. Firstly they are predominantly free, and secondly they have some obvious or generally accepted relationship with the topics in this site, either in terms of content or approach. Being free may save a school or college money, but more importantly might make it possible for out of school or college use by students or indeed staff.

Image: magnifying glass on top of computer code.

Availability of a generic set of “useful” software ranging from image processing (to enable manipulation of say satellite images) to mind mapping to GIS software (relatively specific) enables different tasks to be set and different expectations to be made of students. This is well illustrated in the case of the Google Earth link which demonstrably offers insights at the click of a mouse which were hitherto unimaginable. However, today’s students are “digital natives” and what is sometimes missed, but more poignant, is that their expectations of staff, and the education system as a whole are also raised. These expectations make this sub-section and the free availability of the resources all the more important.

Image: male student working on a computer

Thus in terms of Web 2.0 tools, the anytime, anywhere, sharing and social networking dimension is important firstly to exploit, but secondly to challenge. The technology may exist to enable a student to produce e.g. a podcast, but the teacher’s and students’ expectations must align with fitness for purpose, efficiency and appropriateness. In other words we can be impressed with what is now possible but should not be dazzled by it. Conversely, if a student subscribes to bloglines in order to get up to date information on e.g. global warming fed directly to them, or shares useful sites with peers in a project group via del.icio.us, then that may illustrate fitness for purpose, efficiency and appropriateness.

Our uses and definitions of data have perhaps changed with the availability of broadband since the previously large files associated with images, sound and video are now quite practically shared and distributed. The same arguments about expectations and about appropriate use also apply, and the issues of intelligent use perhaps more so.

Having an impressive image e.g. from a satellite showing contrails is soon compromised when it is distorted to fit into a a crude frame in a presentation or essay. Equally the relevance is dubious if the topic is focused on Jordan, but the image shows most of the Middle East with little detail of Jordan. In these contexts, it may be the case that the student is more adept with the software to manipulate these, but the teacher role remains to advise how to use the skills sensibly to best effect.

The availability of data including images, audio and video is not only useful for the improved look and quality of presentation of student work, it should also be exemplified in that of the teacher. The opportunity to start a lesson with a video extract by a key speaker shown on a digital projector enables the teacher to meet the expectations of the “digital native” and can be efficient and appropriate e.g. the link to the Global Climate Change lectures. Similarly, the link to the Worldmapper resources, sets new standards for “representative diagrams”, and it would be difficult to better choosing e.g. “World Population in 2050” for dramatic effect and as an effective stimulus to some high quality thinking.

Software