With you all the way on this one – I was rather hoping to book a video game exhibition for 2012 and get it branded part of the Olympic Cultural programme as geek revenge. Didn’t quite come off though.

 

IAN

 



Ian Simmons

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From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Waldock
Sent: 19 October 2011 12:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Nuffield cross-curricular resources for London 2012

 

Perhaps this will come across as a silly question, but...

 

Why would you WANT to bring London 2012 in to the classroom?

 

Granted I think the Olympics a (semi-)professional sports in general is a load of commercialised buzzcocks which promotes unattainable standards for children and unrealistic expectations of reality (whilst simultaneously sending some very odd messages about social values: drugs get you a ban for life whilst physical violence gets you a short ban; people who run/kick/chuck well are paid massively more than people who, oh, I don't know, save lives and benefit society), and my childhood was ruined (RUINED I tell you) by Star Trek: The Next Generation being constantly cancelled for some sporting event or another (you don't see a race meets or football or cricket matches being cancelled for geek-approved TV shows do you?), but even given my preformed cynicism, what the hecking flip has the Olympics got to do with, well, anything? And why does the fact it's in London change the fact that a bunch of athletes who claim to be amateur but actually couldn't begin to compete unless they were paid full time to train and pretend not to use performance-enhancing drugs and sound shocked and horrified when someone fails a urine test but actually that muscle definition and body shape doesn't happen without massive amounts of steroids are going to run faster, jump higher and throw further than anyone before build up a standard which maybe two or three school children in all of Britain might achieve? And when do you get to discuss that this celebritises people who have contributed nothing meaningful to society?

 

If this had been brought into my classroom, it would have excluded me from the lessons, and frankly I suspect that it will have the same effect on young people today.

 

So where's the value, both of an athletics meet, and in acting as the Olympic's PR team by bringing it into the classroom?

 

Yours bitterly

 

David

On 19 October 2011 10:55, Sarah Botting <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear all,

If you are encouraging schools to bring London 2012 into the classroom, you may be interested in Nuffield's cross curricular STEM project 'Games'. Our two STEM projects encourage pupils to explore problems in depth through science, mathematics and design & technology. Games is suitable for year 7/8, and develops learning skills in addition to STEM content in the context of fitness, fairness, and the design of games and sports equipment. It comprises 16 hours of activities that can be used flexibly within the timetable, or run as an off-timetable project culminating in individual pupil projects. Freely available at http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-stem-games

Nuffield STEM Futures is a more extensive project, more suitable for years 8/9. It has been piloted, revised and evaluated in schools, with enthusiastic reception. Based on designing for the future using what we know about the closed loop economy used in natural systems, it represents 28 hours of teaching time culminating in pupil inquiry projects.

The website provides some video case studies of how schools have used this resource. The materials are also free from http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-stem-futures or email [log in to unmask] for a free disk with a SCORM compatible version to upload to schools' virtual learning environments.

There are some CPD units to use with STEM departments in preparation for running this project at http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/futures-teacher-support-cpd

Best wishes

Angela

Angela Hall,
Director,
Nuffield Foundation Science and Mathematics Education,
28, Bedford Square,
London WC1B 3JS

Sarah Botting
Senior Administrator 
Science Bursaries & Oliver Bird Rheumatism Programme
The Nuffield Foundation
Tel: 020 7681 9626
28 Bedford Square
London  WC1B 3JS
Find us on Facebook!
facebook.com/NuffieldUndergraduateResearchBursaries
facebook.com/NuffieldScienceBursaries
 

 

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