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TEACHING EARTH SCIENCES ● Volume 31 ● Number 4, 2006 Farewell and Thank You It has been a good summer, with another visit to the Big Green Gathering – fieldtrips and camping trips are so much more fun if it doesn’t rain, and this year, although there were a few wet moments, there was no flooding which meant plenty of time sitting round the camp fire, star gazing and sampling the occasional bottle of red amongst friends. Then back to work. The conference in Bristol was a good way to start the new term, getting back into the work routine. I don’t know how we managed to drink a pub dry – maybe they were running down stocks before the return of the ‘real students’. There was a range of talks and workshops, covering all interests from primary to HE. As in previous years, I found it difficult to choose between them and ended up moving from room to room. Speakers, workshop and fieldwork leaders and delegates have been invited to submit their write-ups for publication in this and future issues of Teaching Earth Sciences. Keep a look out for them. Curriculum development and discussions continue at all levels, from the staff room to the ‘corridors of power’ in Westminster. Over the last few years, I have been involved in working groups looking at primary science, KS3 Science Strategy, KS4 and now Geology A level. Opinions vary, but the future looks bright. Coursework, assessment and content continue to excite and frustrate and new ideas abound. I was interested to hear more about the International Baccalaureate from Tony Grindrod, particularly as one of my local schools in St Albans is introducing this next year. Whether it turns out to be a success or not, it has already had the effect of involving parents and getting them discussing their children’s school work and future education. It is also motivating staff with the excitement of something new and different, rather than just more administration and yet more changes to their lessons. So, the debate continues. GCSE work at home is banned At the Labour conference in Manchester, the Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, said that GCSE maths coursework would be scrapped. Projects in other subjects would have to be completed in school under supervision. This is to avoid cheating; the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) said that it has identified persistent evidence of abuse. One in 20 parents admits doing their children’s coursework, which may account for 20-60% of the marks. So, less work for teachers in setting and marking coursework (unless they find themselves having to supervise coursework in school), less work for those parents who will no longer have coursework to do (unless they choose to attend adult classes) – but maybe more revision and exam nerves for those who rely on doing their best under exam conditions? Pink Diamonds As a gemmologist and author of books on gemstones, my eye is often caught by articles on gemstones and particularly the unusual, the biggest or the best. I was interested to read that the largest collection of pink diamonds in the world went on sale in London on 28 September. 65 gems were shown to potential buyers at a secret location in Mayfair. The pink diamonds are selling for more than £200,000 per carat (carat = 0.2g). The diamond collection is from the Argyle Mine in Western Australia. I also mention gemstones as a reminder about careers, so that when you hear an occasional student, friend or colleague mistakenly associating geology or mining with ‘boring grey rocks’ or ‘only oil rigs and things’ remind them that mineralogy and gemmology are also worthwhile and often well-paid careers and they could be handling some of the most attractive and valuable rocks on Earth! Graduate Skills and Recruitment Report It seems that the wide range of Earth science careers are seldom, if ever, mentioned at schools as worthwhile or well-paid careers. This lack of awareness is often duplicated in HE/FE. The Earth Science Education Forum for England and Wales (ESEF(EW)) is particularly concerned about the lack of Earth science teachers and the lack of qualified Earth scientists. Following on from the conference report ‘Improving the Effectiveness of Education Resources for Earth Science and Industry’, ESEF(EW) has set up a working group to look at workforce issues (www.esef.org.uk or contact me for further details). The lack of graduate skills and recruitment issues has also been highlighted in other areas. The City of London Corporation and the Financial Services Skills Council surveyed 25 banking, insurance, asset management and legal, accounting and maritime services firms (but not geological firms). Results indicated that British graduates are missing out on top City jobs because they do not have the skills of their overseas counterparts. Employers recruit up to one in five foreign youngsters, because they are more mature and better prepared for the workplace, speak more languages and have greater working experience. In some companies, the figure is as much as 50%. Earth scientists are a global workforce and these figures should be heeded as a warning, but also as an incentive to train more Earth scientists for the global market. And so it is farewell I was pleased to report to the AGM at Conference: www.esta-uk.org 4
TEACHING EARTH SCIENCES ● Volume 31 ● Number 4, 2006 ‘With time spent on commissioning articles and promoting the magazine there has been plenty of good copy and there is no longer the need to accept ‘anything that is offered’ for publication. This also means that the magazine can be better tailored to the readers’ interests. Research has been carried out to identify options for introducing colour printing while retaining the good reputation and quality of TES, but finances have been such that no action has been taken. Now that the backlog is cleared, and in order to continue to publish four issues a year, it is essential that copy deadlines (printed inside the front cover of each issue) are adhered to. I would like Council to note its vote of thanks to Denis Bates for his work with book reviews. I would also ask Council to give its thanks to Ian Ray who has handled advertising and inserts and Maggie Williams for providing diary information.’ And finally, I would also like to thank everyone who has helped me over the last three years; contributing articles, proof reading and giving valuable feedback. I have enjoyed doing the job as editor although it has been time consuming and on occasions quite frustrating, but it has also been an honour and at times a pleasure. And so after 16 issues of TES, it is farewell from me as Adrian Pickles takes over the reins. Cally Oldershaw Email: cally.oldershaw@btopenworld.com Welcome Adrian Pickles, Head of Centre at Malham Tarn, is an Earth scientist, orienteer and educationalist with 30 years’ experience of helping people navigate their way in the world. Contact details: Adrian Pickles Head of Centre, Malham Tarn Field Centre Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 9PU Tel: 01729 830331 Email: adrian.mt@field-studies-council.org Letters to the Editor Dear Editor There is a potential shortage of professional geologists. This is a recurring theme when talking to practising geoscientists and Earth science academics, and occasionally it is backed up by concrete figures. In July of this year a report by the British Geophysical Association warns of a chronic shortage of geophysics graduates (Education Guardian; 25/07/06). Geophysicists are required in a wide range of Earth science disciplines such as climate change, radioactive waste disposal, energy supply and global water resources. “The population in the industry is ageing while the number of students entering university to read geophysical science is falling and courses are being discontinued. If current rates of decline continue there will be no geophysics undergraduates by 2030. The problem is global.” This is not a new situation. In 2004 the Institute of Physics bemoaned the relentless decline in A level physics students, and this affects not only Earth science, also engineering and a host of scientific disciplines, many of them in hospitals. Dr Julia King, the chief executive of the Institute said that, “Physics is in decline and other subjects, such as media studies and art, are increasingly popular despite the poor career prospects they offer. It’s a crazy situation.” Last year, Lord May of Oxford, the President of the Royal Society commented, “We are still facing a crisis in physics, maths and chemistry at A level. Compared to 1991, the overall numbers of A level entries in 2005 were 12.1% higher. But entries in physics were 35.2% lower, entries in mathematics were 21.5% lower, and entries in chemistry were 12.6% lower. We will not be able to meet the needs of employers and enjoy a strong economy in the UK in the future if we do not have sufficient numbers of people trained and qualified in science and mathematics,” This is being written one week before the 2006 A level results are announced, but I would be surprised if this trend is not continuing. In 2004 there were 28,698 A level entries for physics, 37,254 for chemistry and 58,508 for maths, all declining. For comparison the entries for psychology were 46,933; media studies 26,894 and sociology 25,571 and all increasing. The total entries in all subjects in 2004 were 766,247. The solutions offered are that the ‘at-risk’ subjects must be made more attractive to students in the market place, then more 16 year olds will choose them. It is time the whole question of the free market and complete freedom of choice in 16-19 education is appraised. A level courses are increasingly taught in Continued on page 6 5 www.esta-uk.org
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