Proposal:

International Summer School on Climate

organisation by COPERNICUS and ESPERE

The following proposal is open for discussion:

Goal:

You cannot explain to others, what you did not understand yourself.
The CESS aims to combine the processes of learning and teaching of young scientists with the development of an electronic textbook on the important climate phenomenon appropriate for the use in schools.
Young researchers, who are often very specialised in their fields should get a broader overview of climate related research, learn how to explain the basics of their own field and discuss the results of research with pupils.
Students improve their understanding, learn how to give talks and experience the questions of a non-scientific audience. Pupils get an insight into science, come into touch with scientists and contribute to a product which is useful in science teaching for other pupils.

Frame:

2 days preparation, material collection before the school begins
2 weeks Summer School at an appropriate place in United Kingdom (e.g. Reading)
40 PhD students or young PostDocs as participants
10 thematic fields devided into 4 sections each
10 lecturers from the respective fields give overview talks
20 invited pupils (upper classes Grammar school), who join the project one afternoon and evening per week
20 assisting senior scientists, who are connected via e-mail / internet

Thematic fields (suggestions):

1) Basic processes in tropospheric chemistry
2) Urban emissions and their impact on the local climate
3) Aerosol formation and their impact on cloud formation
4) The solar cycle and the earth radiation budget
5) Water vapour, cloud processes and their possible impact on the climate
6) Stratospheric chemistry and the ozone hole
7) The ocean currents and their impact on climate
8) Global flux, wind systems around the world
9) Biomass burning and vegetation fires
10) The history of the climate

Equipment:

Computer / Laptop for every participant
access to standard textbooks
conference room
video beamer
separate room(s) appropriate for working groups of 4-8 people
10 places with internet access

Time table:

before the school begins:
Four participants are invited from every field – if possible mixed from field work, laboratory work and modelling. They contact each other and put together material and a rough overview for an introducing talk.

Sunday evening

Welcome reception + dinner

Monday

One participant of each group gives a 15 min overview talk about the respective field. Everybody notes suggestions and questions concerning 3 other fields. This collections from about 12 people per field are put together and handed over to the group caring about this field.

9:30 – 10:45 Overview talks field 1-5
break
11:15-12:30 Overview talks field 6-10
lunch break
14:00-16:00 working groups: discussion of the questions in the 10 working groups, preparation of an plan
afternoon break
17:30-19:30 working groups: separation of the field in 4 sections, key notes, arrangement of material, pictures, publications etc.

For the following 5 days:
Every day focuses on 2 thematic fields
morning sessions: 2 x 60 min lecture + 15min discussion about one field by an invited scientist
group work: the students working on the respective fields discuss the contents with 2 pupils and the lecturer. The pupils got the basic information from the overview talk in beforehand and one of them (decision by random) has to give a 15min summary of the field in the plenum.
The other groups work on an overview about their field in 4 sections, consisting of several texts + graphs/pictures appropriate for the use in schools. Recommended software: Powerpoint, pictures separate as jpgs/gifs for the further use in the internet.
The material should be brought along by the students (text books, publications) or be taken from the internet (al least one internet connection per group). At least one senior scientist should be in touch via e-mail or forum/chatroom for further questions during this time.
plenum: 2 working groups from the respective field, (each 1 lecturer, 4 students, 2 pupils) discuss the fields with the audience (other students, perhaps also other pupils). The plenum is opened with a 15min summary given by pupils, which has been prepared in the working groups. Problems, questions and ways, how to explain the phenomenon are discussed in the plenum.
The 4 pupils join the summer school group during the lunch break and stay until dinner, in order to become familiar with the environment.

Tuesday
9:30-10:45 Lecture field 1 + 15min discussion
break
11:15-12:30 Lecture field 2 + 15min discussion
lunch break
14:00-16:00 group work (with pupils for field 1+2)
break
17:30-19:30 plenum
19:30 dinner

Wednesday
field 3+4
Thursday
field 5+6
Friday
field 7+8

Weekend: free time and organised programme depending on local possibilities. Pupils are invited to take part in one organised event.

Monday
field 9+10

Tuesday
9:30-12:30 final preparation of the work group presentations (breaks depending on needs); one section of the thematic fields will be presented in a 30min lecture.
14:00 – 16:00 cross over work groups (part 1)
2 students from every group change to another group. The two remaining students explain to them their work and discuss the necessity of improvements, make changes, etc.
17:30 – 19:30 cross over work groups (part 2) The other two students change the group.
19:30 dinner

Wednesday

9:30-10:45 lectures about special topics of field 1+2 given by a student of the work group (incl. 5 min discussion)
break
11:15-12:30 lectures special topics field 3+4
lunch break
14:00-16:00 cross over workgroup with pupils, 2 students change again to an different group. But 2 pupil join the presentation, they are asked about their understanding and can ask questions themselves.
break
17:30-19:30 cross over workgroups with pupils part 2, the other 2 students change and the pupils, too.

Thursday

9:30-10:45 lectures about special topics of field 5+6 given by a student of the work group (incl. 5 min discussion)
break
11:15-12:30 lectures special topics field 7+8
lunch break
14:00-15:15 lectures about special topics field 9+10
break
15:45-17:00 final changes in the work group presentations. Preparation for the Internet
break
18:00-19:00 Final plenum – exchange of experiences and opinions.
19:00 special summer school dinner for all participants – open end

Friday
departure

back to newsletter No2 december 2001