The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the schoolyard ecology (SYE) workshop recently hosted for 50 Corentyne Coast environmental club members aims to equip learners with the skills needed to become “schoolyard scientists”.
According to a press release, students from nine Berbice schools prepared the proposal for the SYE training and submitted same to the EPA for sponsorship from the Green Fund. The EPA manages the Fund which supports small projects that improve the environment and can be accessed by established community or environmental groups. The SYE is a simple and enjoyable method of learning science that uses minimal technical jargon and “no fancy equipment” the release said.
The techniques promote a hands-on approach to learning science that allows learners to think critically about their findings. “A major value of SYE lies in its ability to transform learners into confident “schoolyard scientists” who can frame exciting but answerable questions about their environment.” The EPA said the technique has the potential to improve performance in science as learners develop the skills to observe, measure, record and analyse the activities in the schoolyard, “a living laboratory”.
The workshop was held at the Tagore Memorial High School at No 63 Village and over the three days teachers and students abandoned the classroom for the outdoors. “They explored interesting ecological themes and concepts as they waded in ponds, scrutinised garbage sites, observed a variety of organisms, and probed under soil in the school yard.” The students were given less supervision and more creative space to design their own question and methodology; collect and analyse data through semi-guided inquiries. The EPA said by the third day the group realised their potential as “active citizen-scientists.”
The release said the first SYE training in Guyana was conducted in 2001 and today boasts a cadre of trained school yard ecologists. As environmental clubs on the Corentyne Coast join this group, the EPA encourages the National Network of Environmental Clubs to host SYE training sessions. The EPA said the SYE offers a means towards sustaining the activities and interests of clubs and to build their capacity to influence better decision-making within communities.
The workshop was held from January 19-21.
