20 Nov 1997
This is only part of the Prime Minister's speech but it raises some important questions. How can we address this problem in a home or school situation? Should this have an impact on how we live, go to school and work?
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Quest(ion)/Task
Your question is: What should Australia do about its greenhouse gas emissions?
The question looks at the "BIG PICTURE" however the task wants you to "Think Globally, Act Locally". Specifically, the task is to make a list of recommendations for houses or schools of the future.
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Process
1. You will work in groups of 4.
2. You will all need some general background information about how electricity is generated, climate change and how do we contribute to the problem.
Now that everyone in your class or group has reviewed the background information, it's time to develop expertise. Each member of the group must adopt a different role. The roles are scientist, sceptic, environmentalist and architect. The roles are explained below.
- Scientist
- You are a scientist who is believes in the danger of global warming and the greenhouse gas effect. You believe that science created the problem and science can fix the problem. Your area of expertise is alternative methods of generating electricity.
- Sceptic
- You are a sceptic and you can't understand what all the fuss is about. You believe that global warming is natural, otherwise we would still be living in the iceage and is caused by such things as volcanic eruptions and forest fires.
- Environmentalist
- You are an environmentalist and you believe that global warming is a result of the damaging way in which most of us live. You believe in drastically changing how we live, work and play.
- Engineer
- You are an Engineer who works for Tarong Power Station - a coal burning power station. You believe that homes can be made more energy efficient without having to drastically change our lifestyles.
Getting Started
Use the instructions below as a suggestion. Reflect on your local situation and goals to guide your final decisions. Again, each role can be adopted by anything from one person or a pair of students, right up to an entire classroom.
- Decide how you will tackle groups, as one class working collaborative with other classrooms of students or as groups of 5-12 students working as one group (you then may have 2-6 of these groups within one class).
- Choose, negotiate, accept a particular role to adopt.
Now go to it! Go to the role you're going to become an expert in and get started.
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Roles
- Scientist
- Renewable Energy and Cogeneration: Wind energy
- Generating new ideas for meeting future energy needs
- The Solar Goldmine
- Sceptic
- Greenhouse gas or just hot air?
- Greenhouse and the Science of Uncertainty
- Still waiting for the Greenhouse
- Fires add fuel to a warming planet
- Global Warming: Bad Science
- Environmentalist
- Immersion in Sustainable Lifestyles
- What is Permaculture
- Sustainable Homes and Buildings
- Engineer
- Solectrogen Solar Home Tour
- Energy-Wise Home
- Barry's Country Guesthouse and Restaurant
3. Now that each member of your team has become an expert from one perspective, you have to come together with as a team and see what you all believe.
Use guidelines for consensus decision makingto help your team reach a shared decision. Because the topic is so complex with different sides basically calling the other liars, you will have to examine the details of the passages your underlined or copied, the source of the information, and whether any other file gives better evidence on the same issue.
4. Finally, share your recommendations with others (eg classmates, school principal, parent groups etc). You may choose do present the information orally, in a written report or multimedia format.
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Assessment
You will be assessed based on the following:
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Conclusion
Now that you have finished this webquest, you can email your recommendations to the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) asking for feedback. A list of ATA Branch Contacts can be found at the following website:
Alternative Technology Association Branch Contacts
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