This blog post if the second part of my work life blog for this week. There has been so many more events that have happened since the first blog post that I posted on Tuesday. I don't know how there have even been able to fitted into the busy schedule. Neither mind have time to write this...
Wednesday - The Fossil Workshop
In the morning of Wednesday, Ryan and I had the honour of helping a fossil workshop for the last group of year 6's. The main presenter was Derek, the geologist that we helped last week. Our role was to aid the children with the fossil making after the explanation. And yes, this should seem familiar for those who read my blog regularly. This would be because I helped Derek in another fossil workshop and posted about it last week. But, this workshop was different from before. It did run well however, there were issues...
... This time, the location for this workshop was the Student Union's Venue which is empty space that used to belong to a student bar at one time. Now, it just a hall to do functions within. This obviously isn't the best place for a Year 6 workshop. For one point, the hall is way too big in my opinion. It does give the children loads of room to sit in. But, it could also seem unfriendly. Plus, there are many practical problems that would affect science education;- The children not have a place to wash their hands
- There were no IT equipment
- The noise from the Student Union Lounge could be heard
- We didn't have cleaning equipment to tidy after one session (We had two session too)
Though it did give Ryan and I an experience of what to do when you don't have the aid of Microsoft PowerPoint and computers. Derek used a tablet instead. It did mean that his discussion about the Dudley bug, Mary Anning and other palaeontologists took longer to finish. But, it was effective for the job. Derek also handed out props to each table instead of using larger images of them.
Despite all of the problems, the children seems to really enjoy the event. The teachers ever personally thanked us! Which is a very good point - made me feel real proud hearing it. The practical still took place. Every ran like clockwork there. Though there were a few children were a bit confused. Nothing that Ryan and I couldn't solve.
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| Derek presenting his talk with the tablet. This part was on Mary Anning - the female palaeontologist who found some of the first fossils. |
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| Our table of tools. On the table are fossils and fossilised items to trick the children (Note the stone teddy bear) |
Wednesday - STEM Showcase and Networking Event
In the afternoon of Wednesday, I was invited by STEM and my own university to attend a STEM showcase and networking event which was hosted (Of cause) by my University - The University of Wolverhampton. It was so good. I meet so many people that I'll looking forward to hearing off again. Plus, I have some many reading material to keep me busy for a while.
The STEM team gave loads of great advice for what to read, do and how to access more events to help young people. They spoke about the CREST awards and about the props/materials that they provide. We even used one of their starter as a workshop. This workshop was called paper helicopters and could be used in multiple ways. This time we had to design the best helicopter from paper. Therefore, we had to keep the paper in the air for the longest time. So the blades had to be longer and the weight of the paper clips had to be minimised. But, this experiment could be flipped around and involve situations such as sycamore seeds.
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| Our Helicopters... As you can see, their blades are different sizes. So they moved at different speeds to the ground. |
My favourite parts of the showcase was Tom talk. Tom was the talker from Medical Maverick. He wanted to help young people know about healthcare science and the careers that come with it. Tom spoke about how children don't know about these careers which I know from my own experience is true. I was the first person to go to university in 40 years in my family and the first to go into Biomedical science. Only my Uncle John (The other family member who completed university) knew what it was. Due to this, I had some many questions thrown my way. Tom's goal is defiantly something that I can get behind. His way of teaching is fun! Tom uses videos and a entertaining outlook of the subject. That with his passion would win over most children. Plus, let it be known that I would love to be part of his events one time.
I took one of his magazines and noticed that he mentions using YouTube as a tool to educate. I too was thinking of using YouTube. The video streaming service have loads of educational channels such as Game Theory, Film Theory, Crash Course and SciShow. There are also educational channels for talks which could ignite discussions in the classroom, I talking of the channel TED-ed. I have a blog post coming which shows the new reports from YouTube themselves about this topic.
Thursday - The BIG Read
The University (of Wolverhampton) had the honour of having Gail Honeyman. She is the author of the book, Eleanor Oliphant is Fine, which is at the centre of the university's big read event. I have read the book with interest and posted my personal review of the book. Ryan and I main role was to welcome the members with tickets into the event, show them the refreshments and bathrooms along with checking their name of a sheet. To be honest, I was like nothing I've known before. I'm used to a public facing role, I did have a student job as a bar member at Wolverhampton F.C stadium. But, this was more high brow. Yes, I was expecting some change - just nothing like this.
Another part of our role was to post on the big read as well as faculty's twitter page of the event. This meant taking photos, writing status and being professional at all times. I was most confident with this side of the role. As part of my student life, I was the social representative at my Jitsu, Martial Arts, group. Having a consistent look on social media is something that I know already.
Personally, I thought Gail Honeyman was a very pleasant and engaging woman. I did expect that she would be Glaswegian due to where the book was settled. Gail read part of her book. The way she read it almost made me change my opinions of the book. I could tell that she knew the character of Eleanor and she had her own feelings towards the character. Plus, when Gail took part of the Q&A, I found most of her answers rather knowledgeable and what I was expecting. It certainly cleared some questions that I had about the writing.
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| Gail Honeyman answering a question for the floor. |
Got to say that the best part of the day was meeting the author myself and get my book signed! I thanked her for writing something that had changed my opinion on certain things.
Friday - 3D Laser Scanning at the Priory
On the morning of Friday, Ryan and I helped out the school of architecture and the built environment with outreach by using their social media platforms. The school of architecture and the built environment had travel to Priory park where their third year student's project would be based, the ruins of Dudley Priory. The third year project is to revitalise the priory ruins and the ground around it with a new building. This building must have a likeness of Dudley Priory because of the grade 1 listed building status. Meanwhile, the new building should also have services to the neighbour, a café as well as a nursery were some of the services that we were told.
For those not aware, the Dudley Priory was a place for Cluniac monks who would live here in accordance to the rules of St Benedict. It was founded in 1160. The monks wore black clothes and therefore, known as the black monks. Their way of life showed that the celebration of mass and other service must be done in the most elaborate way as possible. This priory was dissolved in 1395. Only to be refounded, and dissolved once more, in 1539. The remains of this priory are well preserved and is a public open space for Dudley. The walls of the destroyed building are marked by concrete. The Dudley Priory is a grade 1 listed building meaning that this building had the highest significances to British history. There are two other grades according to the National Heritance List for England, with these grades having a lower significance to British history. Most of the building in England, 92% are grade 2 listed.
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| Some of the photos that were taken that day. These two are just of the Priory. With the bottom one showing the remains of a cellar that no-one really knows what was built for. |
While the third years were busy with their project, Ryan and I used the Architecture and built environment's twitter, Instagram and snapchat accounts to post photos. Most of the photos were taken of the third year students whilst either working on their projects or David (one of the lecturers) talking to the students.
I really enjoyed the morning. at the priory. The priory is a peaceful place within Dudley and I can see why a building, that the third years are designing, is needed. It was rather interesting hearing the theory of the 3D laser scanner and seeing the machine work. It was also good to understand the history of a place that I would normally pass without much thought. Since Friday, I have driven by the Priory twice. Every time that I have, I wondered what Dudley would have looked like in the 1100's.
Also, it was nice getting to know other lecturers and schools within the university. I hope I get to experience more schools of the university. As an ex-school, it would be intriguing to see what goes on in the background.
Other Blogs to Read
I was shown a blog this week that I feel all new university students should read. Its great for the first years to read. The title is Surviving the First Few Week of University by Charlotte Lem. You should be able to simply click on the title. There is a hyperlink to take you to the blog post
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