Andrew Young

Impact Narrative

Andrew’s proposal:

“I am a high school Social Studies and Geography teacher as well as a Geography Methods Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. A major component of the curricula for high school social studies includes the study of human geography (specifically demographics, development, standards of living and environmental issues). For the high school geography class assessing the various considerations involved in resource management and the environmental impact of human activities are two essential components of the course.

For the past six years I have worked with 45 new teachers every year in the Faculty of Education at UBC, discussing innovative ways to engage high school students in the study of physical and human geography. Since Geography is “graphic”, I have my student teachers use the work of Edward Burtynsky (Manufactured Landscapes), Peter Menzel (Hungry Planet & Material World) and Yann Arthus Bertrand (Home & Planet Ocean) to discover innovative ways to teach the subject. I would like to use Overdevelopment, Overpopulate and Overshoot as another resource of powerful imagery that speaks to emotions and influences young minds with the next generation of teachers. These teachers, however, will not be restricted to British Columbia as they work all around the world.

Any media extension will be done through the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia and potentially through Canadian Geographic Education in Ottawa. I will have information, photos and activities housed on my classroom blog (https://edcp432.wordpress.com/). It would be amazing to get enough copies for every student however as many as you can award would be greatly appreciated (as I can direct them to the campaign and website so they may join themselves).”