Case Study: Earth Cubs and Ocean Generation High School Pilot

Case Study: Earth Cubs and Ocean Generation High School Pilot

Earth Cubs and Ocean Generation have successfully completed the pilot phase of the Student Activator Programme at ACS International School. This program has empowered high school-aged young people to become confident facilitators in primary schools, delivering compelling lesson plans centred on ocean protection, inspiring the next generation of global citizens and ocean ambassadors.

Kelly, Kavina and Michelle, went to ACS to kick start the pilot, providing training for the students on becoming effective facilitators.

The training begins a youth-led cycle. Once training is complete, they can begin to train their peers. The programme provides students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills. These skills include oral literacy, collaboration, problem solving skills, emphasising  life skills and employability traits.

Prior to direct teaching, students were provided with a comprehensive pack of information focusing on sustainable development goals, along with insights into Earth Cubs and Ocean Generation.

Day 1, we engaged with students directly at their school. Our primary aim was for students to learn about the importance of ocean protection and the significance of education for sustainability. We emphasised the necessity of involving a young audience in such crucial topics to spearhead positive change. Additionally, we discussed with the students why their participation was vital, highlighting the acquisition of skills that could be applied in their future work life.

As part of the process, students were administered a pre-survey to gauge their understanding of sustainability topics, as well as their confidence and proficiency in presenting information.

Following this, students were given time to explore the Earth Cubs website to familiarise themselves with the plethora of resources available. In group settings, they were tasked with selecting resources they deemed relevant for building their lesson plans.

Subsequently, students collaborated to outline their lesson flows using a provided template. They assigned roles to group members, ensuring each section of the lesson was adequately covered by the team.

Through these preparatory steps, students gained valuable insights, honed their presentation skills, and developed a deeper understanding of sustainability issues and the resources available to address them.

Top tips!

Here are some top tips for presenting from a couple of the students!

Impact

Summary of the feedback from the secondary students experience:

·         There was a 30% increase in knowledge of SDG goals

·         45% increase in confidence in presenting to audiences (!!)

·         18% increase in hopefulness of the planet

A quote from a secondary student:

“A very positive experience overall, Kids showed great enthusiasm and insight in their questions. Engagement was very high, with no disciplinary troubles. I myself greatly enjoyed the feeling of making a difference and giving students information they may put to great use.”

A summary from the primary school children's secondary impact:

67% Felt happy or very happy after the presentation

75% Learned new facts

81% Felt more inspired to protect our Ocean

72% Would tell other people to watch the presentation

84% Rated the student's presentation at least 4 stars out of 5 (67% rated it 5 stars!)

Students emerged from the pilot not only more confident individuals with a new set of skills, but excited about educating the next generation of planet saving citizens!