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Home
> Education & Careers
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> teg
> Issue 24
> TEG Issue 24: LifeScience 2000, University of Warwick
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Electronic TEGPublished in TEG news issue 24, Summer 1998, by the British Ecological Society. LifeScience 2000, University of Warwickby Susan Barker
The workshop choice (over 80!) was completely varied with the ever so familiar complaint that there was too much choice and that people wanted to go to everything. We wish to extend a great big thank you to all the providers who gave up their time to put on a workshop or exhibition. Two of the numerous highlights of this years conference was the artist in residence and BIOCAMP. Our artist in residence, Judy Evans, joined in some of the workshops and sketched some of the ad hoc participants such as Mayfly and Dragonfly larvae. She ran workshops for participants to realise the artistic side of LifeSciences (the compilation of this workshop was beautifully presented in a collage - see front cover). Judy also ran an interactive exhibition and was an overwhelming success. Those who participated went home clutching a multi-coloured leaf print on hand-made paper, a smile on their face and a feeling of real achievement. BIOCAMP was coordinated by Nigel Collins of King Charles school in Kidderminster. He brought along ten lower sixth students who set up camp by one of the lakes on campus. Their aim was to monitor aquatic organisms over a 24h period. The students were enthusiastic and responded well to the challenge- a bulletin board at the camp gave us an update on shrimp and mollusc catches by the hour. Peak catches were at two in the morning - a full report on the data and its significance will appear in the next newsletter. Prof Chris Baines gave a keynote lecture on reconnecting people and nature. What a lecture! It was absolutely superb and certainly reconnected me! The content varied from discussion about importing pesticide laden carnations from impoverished Columbia, to sewage reed beds in Dussledorf to trees being damaged by cable companies in Walsall. Chris gave us plenty to think about and certainly made us appreciate the desperate need to encourage valuing of the environment within our teaching. Thanks Chris for a great talk. Prof. Anthony Campbell gave his usual 500%. The only way to describe this man is as a star! His talk on molecules and life raised many questions and gave some answers. It certainly helped us think about strategies for moving forwards particularly with scientific accuracy and an appreciation of whole organisms and molecules. One can simply not leave one of Prof. Campbell's lectures without a lovely warm feeling of intellectual satisfaction of learning something new but also of great optimism for the future and a smile! Prof. Campbell also ran an after dark activity which involved education of the local constabulary. 'What's going on 'ere mate - a likely story...' - they now know more about bioluminescence than any other police force in the country- what an achievement!! Fortunately as a result of the impromptu workshop to police officers by Anthony Campbell on the side of the road in rural Warwickshire he saved the group from arrest on grounds of suspicious behaviour. The other after dark activities were equally as exciting, Linda Barnett and Craig Emms had set up light traps and mammal traps on campus, Paul Elliott ran a bat-walk , Noel Jackson introduced us to goose-poo eating slugs amongst other things and Cory Jones did some hands-on fun activities in the woodlands! Needless to say the after dark activities were a key feature of the conference! I hope this account does justice to the our weekend in Warwick. It certainly was great fun and extremely useful. It did have a more serious side too. Des Dunne from QCA led us through some of the key developments at QCA with regard to the science curriculum. We had a lively discussion and Des fielded questions extremely well. Unfortunately he had to take a barrage of frustration that we all felt about 'the system', it made us feel a lot better and we appreciated the presence of a QCA representative who took the time to listen to them. In organising such a conference, at the time of the conference we always say - 'never again!', mainly due to the work involved. However when its over and we are recuperating and reflecting on what we have achieved we start to think 'well maybe...?' - watch this space!! | ||||||
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teg
Issue 27
The purpose of LifeScience 2000 was to bring together all those involved in LifeScience education, teachers, advisers, learned organisations, curriculum developers and researchers at all levels. It was jointly organised by the British Ecological Society, Institute of Biology, and the Field Studies Council. David and I were joined by Anne Jordan (IOB) and Andy Simms (FSC) and Anthony Campbell as the organising committee. We came together to celebrate the teaching of LifeSciences to share ideas and to share enthusiasm for our beloved discipline. This is indeed what we did; it hardly seemed two years since the last LifeScience 2000 when we met in Warwick for LifeScience 2000 returns in July but we had a grand reunion of old friends and we formed new friendships. We left full of new ideas and reinvigorated for the new teaching term. 
