2. Welcome to the team!
• Natural Resources is…
dynamic
learning by doing ….
this means Projects
experience and
opportunities
following your passions
and interests
career connections
developing skills
working with experts
3. Communication
• Course work Questions?
• d2L private discussion
• Messaging when in the field or not at CTC?
• Your preferred communication (phone, text, email)
• For parents?
• email: casmith@cbe.ab.ca
4. The NAT program
• Learn within the real-world context…
this means doing your course project work
through:
• Field work experience
• Student practicums
• Accessing experts and industry
professionals
5. To begin…
You are here Hurray! You’ve joined the NAT
team!
~ Orientation! ~
Safety!
HCS3000
Workplace Safety first you have to look…
ENS1010 Intro to Stewardship: a look at the ‘big
conversations’ (making decisions about taking
care of the environment & using natural
resources)
ENS1020 Fostering stewardship: your action
project (tuning into current environmental
issues, and group problem solving: planning and
implementing an environmental action project)
NAT pathways : the journey is up to you…
6. NAT pathways
• Environmental Stewardship
• Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced levels
• Ecology and Conservation
• Introductory level only this year
• Oil and Gas Exploration in Alberta
• Introductory level only this year
• Other
• pathways in Forestry, Agriculture, and Wildlife can be
explored
* See pathway diagram in orientation package for names of courses offered
8. Online course content
What is the online course content about?
There are 3 important purposes for the online course content:
1. Anytime, anywhere learning
• “blended” learning, flexibility to bring your course work with you on
projects in the field or at your home school
2. Organization
• Main place to find info: class schedules, events, dates, and contact
info
• Hand in digital copies of your work
• On-going tracking of feedback, assessment, and grades
3. Communication
• Private discussions with teachers
• Class discussions, a place to chat, share info, photos, etc.
9. Expectations What is expectedfrom students?
• attend classes at the CT Centre Natural Resources suite unless
arrangements for completing work in other locations has been discussed
and agreed upon with your teachers
• complete the online course content for each course: this includes the
introductory and wrap-up reflection activities, tracking of your learning
progress, and may include online portions of project work
• track your own learning progress: this process is outlined in the online
course content and will be explained fully by your teachers at the CTC
• ask questions if you are not sure about any project work or activity
related to your course work
• work responsibly and safely in all learning spaces
• let your teacher know if you have any safety concerns about any
activity or work you do as part of the Natural Resources program in any
of the program learning spaces
• be prepared for our work: e.g., for field outings use your common sense
about footwear and warm clothing
• bring your game face to think critically, find out, be curious
• interact positively with others in a professional manner
• ask questions - We’re saying this twice because it’s important
• have fun
• Any others?..... Your input!
10. Expectations What is expectedfrom teachers?
The NAT teachers’ roles:
• facilitators, advisors, and experts, as well as liaisons with students
and the professional field experts working with students in project
work.
In addition to instructional and organizational roles, you can expect
your teachers to provide:
• on-going guidance to assist you in reaching your course goals
• regular, timely, and constructive feedback on project work and
course progress
• assessment that reflects your learning and quality of work
• guidelines for safety and clothing before each field outing so that
you can be prepared
• a safe learning experience in all learning spaces and situations
• positive interactions in a professional atmosphere
• an open and questioning environment, where it’s safe to take
intellectual risks
• a fun experience
• Are we missing something?..... Your input!
11. Other things to expect…
Visitors to CTC
Students can expect to talk with visitors who may be
curious about your experiences here.
• Feel welcome to talk to visitors…
- it’s an opportunity to hear about their stories!, and to share
yours
- be polite, respectful, professional
• Talking with visitors is not meant to disturb your work as a
student.
12. General outcomes
• Learning goals (outcomes):
• Found on the online course content for each course
• Start of each course – reading outcomes
Meant to help you:
• set meaningful directions for your learning
• Understand where you are headed with each course
Assessment• How you will be graded (rubrics):
• Found in the online course introduction for each course
• Be sure to read the assessment rubrics before and during your course
work!
• Teachers will be on hand to get you started, provide guidance and
direction
This presentation accompanies handouts:Student information sheetOrientation info sheetGeneral media releaseNAT pathway flow diagrams
Welcome to the team! The Natural Resources Program, at the Career and TechnologyCentre (CTC), is a dynamic place that is designed to give you experiential opportunities as you learn and acquire new skills in your areas of interest. Your teachers, school support staff, and fellow students, as well as experts in science, technology, and industry, are all part of the team… with YOU. We’re glad you have joined us and look forward to working with you!
Why do we really need student questions posted on d2L? It is important for us to be able to keep track of our on-going conversations. Multiple teachers within the program and busy teacher email accounts mean that keeping track of on-going conversations by email can be difficult! Your teachers need your help in keeping communication organized by posting all questions and concerns in the d2L private discussion forum. Your private discussion forum can only be seen by you and your teachers – it is private. Posting all questions in the d2L private discussion forum will help track our on-going conversation threads. Answering questions posted in d2L are a high priority, so you can expect a prompt reply!
An integral part of the Natural Resources program is to learn within the real-world context. This can take place in a variety of ways within the program, including field work experience, student practicums, and accessing field experts and industry professionals to support your project work.
Through introductory project work, learners will gain an understanding of basic concepts about environmental stewardship, conservation, and ecology, and will develop critical skills such as: making decisions about environmental issues, in the face of diverse, complex, and often contradictory points of view;problem solving in a group-based setting;planning and implementing fieldwork; andcommunicating findings of project work through multimedia, digital, printed interpretive displaysImportant skills developed at the introductory levels will support student projects with increasing complexity and depth at more advanced levels.After completing ENS1010 and ENS1020, students will meet with NAT teachers to determine course path based on student interests. NAT pathways offered in 2013-2014 are in Environmental Stewardship and Oil and Gas Exploration in Alberta
Being a student at the CTC means you can expect learning to take place in many places. Our work will often require us to be in the field, collaborating with specialists, and in other locations within the CTC. The diagram here shows the various learning spaces you may use.
What is the online course content about?There are three important purposes for the online course content:1. Anytime, anywhere learning. The online course content is a tool to enable you to bring your course with you anywhere. The program is not tied to a bricks-and-mortar school; rather, the program’s learning environment is blended. That is, all courses are offered on-site and through digital courseware to allow you the flexibility to work on off-site projects whether they are in the field, or at your home school while continuing your course work. 2. Organization. The online course content is the main organizational space. It is a central tool to: find information on class schedules, events, due dates, and contact information for your teachershand in digital copies of your project worktrack your progress – including on-going tracking of goals, assessments for projects, and course grades 3. Communication. The online course discussion forums are main places to communicate with other students and your teachers when you are not at the CT Centre. The course private discussion forum is the place to communicate with your teachers when you are not at the CT Centre. Other class discussion forums are collaborative spaces for on-going chats with all students and NAT teachers.The NAT teachers will be available to get you started on d2L and answer any questions.
Requirements and expectationsWhat is expected from students?Students are required to:attend classesat the CT Centre Natural Resources suite unless arrangements for completing work in other locations has been discussed and agreed upon with your teacherswork responsibly and safely in all learning spacescomplete the online course content for each course: this includes the introductory and wrap-up reflection activities, tracking of your learning progress, and may include online portions of project worktrack your own learning progress: this process is outlined in the online course content and will be explained fully by your teachers at the CTC Centreask questions if you are not sure about any project work or activity related to your course worklet your teacher know if you have any safety concerns about any activity or work you do as part of the Natural Resources program in any of the program learning spacescreate and present interpretive displays about your work for the school and the wider communitybe prepared for our work: e.g., for field outings use your common sense about footwear and warm clothinginteract positively with others in a professional manneracquire skills to think critically, plan and implement project work in groups and individuallyask questions - We’re saying this twice because it’s importanthave fun
What is expected from teachers?The NATteachers act as facilitators, advisors, and experts, as well as liaisons with students and the professional field experts working with students in project work. In addition to instructional and organizational roles, you can expect your teachers to provide:on-going guidance to assist you in reaching your course goalsregular, timely, and constructive feedback on project work and course progressassessment that reflects your learning and quality of work guidelines for safety and clothing before each field outing so that you can be prepareda safe learning experience in all learning spaces and situationspositive interactions in a professional atmospherean open and questioning environment, where it’s safe to take intellectual risksa fun experience
Other things to expect:Visitors. As a students and staff at the CTC, we are all part of a new and different educational experience. We expect to have many visitors this year who are interested in seeing what goes on at the CTC. Students can expect to talk with visitors who may be curious about your experiences here. Talking with visitors is not meant to disturb your work as a student. Big equipment arriving. As the CT Centre continues to be equipped throughout the fall, you can expect to see deliveries of large equipment. Please help by letting the delivery people have the room they need to manoeuvre through the school during the short time they are there.
General outcomes and assessmentThe learning goals (outcomes) for each course are found on the online course content for each course. It is required as part of the introduction to each course to read the learning outcomes for each course. This is meant to help you set meaningful directions for your learning within the scope of each course, and understand where you are headed with each course.All assessment information is found in the online course content introduction. Please be sure to read the assessment rubrics for each project before you begin any work. Through all stages of the course your teachers will be at hand to get you started, and provide guidance and direction. We’re all on the journey together!
