Hi All
I have taught ESS for 4 years and am an examiner in the subject. My background is science all the way, inc. IB bio.
ESS is only at SL.
I love it. It is a wonderful group 3 and group 4 crossover. It has scientific rigor - to teach it you MUST be able to thoroughly understand the scientific method (controlled variables, research questions, data processing etc etc)
Basically it is a very data-led course, and the best students are those with strong higher order thinking skills.
Students can relatively easily understand the content, but the gulf between the content on the page and applying it in the exams is considerable. It is no good being passionate about environmental issues (although that helps), successful students should be able to - data and justify arguments and evaluations.
The kicker is that it is often not accepted as a science by many universities, but works as a brilliant foil for those kids who are going the business/economics route as it opens their eyes to the fact that environmental initiatives and legislation increasingly permeate the business world these days.
And yes, it can be a substitute science for those who are not science type - but be aware that it is NOT "easy." Weaker candidates will struggle in any subject and ESS is no different.
:)
IB Environmental Systems and Societies
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Cheery Littlebottom
- Posts: 207
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am
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panta_rhei
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 10:46 am
Hi Cheery,
Had the same problem once with the word "a.n.a.l.y.s.t". Don't know what's the problem. The forum doesn't seem to like the word :)
So with regards to ESS. Do you know other ESS teachers? What background do they mostly have? All sciences? As far as scientific method and statistics is concerned. I covered all that in my Econ degree, so that wouldn't be any issue for me.
Had the same problem once with the word "a.n.a.l.y.s.t". Don't know what's the problem. The forum doesn't seem to like the word :)
So with regards to ESS. Do you know other ESS teachers? What background do they mostly have? All sciences? As far as scientific method and statistics is concerned. I covered all that in my Econ degree, so that wouldn't be any issue for me.
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Cheery Littlebottom
- Posts: 207
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am
Hi!
All the ESS teachers I know tend to come from sciences.
You might join the ESS forum on the OCC and ask the question.
When you first get your training, a lot of us tut-tut about the perceived "lack of rigor" in the exams. But once you get under the skin of it you realise what a great course it is. Really, it's a thinking skills course, given a context of environmental studies - I think it should be compulsory, perhaps instead of ToK! (Waits for landslide of criticism......!)
Seriously, it's VERY useful, VERY practical and mainly students like it a lot.
X
All the ESS teachers I know tend to come from sciences.
You might join the ESS forum on the OCC and ask the question.
When you first get your training, a lot of us tut-tut about the perceived "lack of rigor" in the exams. But once you get under the skin of it you realise what a great course it is. Really, it's a thinking skills course, given a context of environmental studies - I think it should be compulsory, perhaps instead of ToK! (Waits for landslide of criticism......!)
Seriously, it's VERY useful, VERY practical and mainly students like it a lot.
X
The stats you do in Econ would be a good start, but not the scientific method. ESS is a lab-based (internal assessment) course. I have seen geography teachers teaching the course, but they always struggle with the science aspects. As I stated earlier, without good science experience by the teacher, it's doing a disservice to the kids. I have taught this course for several years (not currently), and I think it is an excellent science course that promotes critical thinking and making connections. It's only 'easier' than Chemistry and Physics if you are not a strong student in math and equations, and 'easier' tha Biology only because there is less scope of material to be covered. It is NOT easy.
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BookshelfAmy
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:21 pm
"Had the same problem once with the word "a.n.a.l.y.s.t". Don't know what's the problem. The forum doesn't seem to like the word :)"
My guess: because it says -.
Yep! Thank you prepubescent, giggly students, for priming my mind to see the dirtiness in any situation! The offending word is a.n.a.l. :D
My guess: because it says -.
Yep! Thank you prepubescent, giggly students, for priming my mind to see the dirtiness in any situation! The offending word is a.n.a.l. :D
Reply
@panta_rhei
Ive seen humanities teachers who teach ESS who dont do it well. ESS is a fun course and its popular in the schools that have it, but in many schools its the course they put students who are not math/science students. This is a way for those students to get their science course done without going past their capabilities. Its science for non science students.
Most teachers come from a life science/biology background, or a "hard science" environmental science course. Its very lab/field intensive when done right and just being "interested" in the environment is not enough.
Technically the IBO doesnt mandate a teacher be certified in what they teach, they leave it up to the school determine what background qualifications a teacher needs to teacha subject. The IBO only requires a certain portion of a schools staff be "trained". A humanities teacher or science teacher or any teacher could teach ESS. There isnt a specific background or qualification that anyone can say would "make you qualified" to teach ESS. Honestly, though without a science background, experience or certification a school isnt going to hire you to teach ESS.
Your statistical background from econ isnt going to be as helpful, measures of central tendency and distribution will be useful but tests like the Chi^2 are more common then the social science statistics.
@Cheery Littlebottom
HOW can you possibly suggest taking out TOK, its the cornerstone and foundation of the DIP program??? Thats blasphemy!!!
I cant do it with a straight face, I really hate TOK. Its just a glorified philosophy component in most schools. Combining ESS with TOK would be much more valuable. Wont happen though, TOK has too much name recognition and branding for the IB, even though TOK is often described as far more glorious then it really is.
@BookshelfAmy
Yes its because the clean/safe text algorithms see it: as an-al
Ive seen humanities teachers who teach ESS who dont do it well. ESS is a fun course and its popular in the schools that have it, but in many schools its the course they put students who are not math/science students. This is a way for those students to get their science course done without going past their capabilities. Its science for non science students.
Most teachers come from a life science/biology background, or a "hard science" environmental science course. Its very lab/field intensive when done right and just being "interested" in the environment is not enough.
Technically the IBO doesnt mandate a teacher be certified in what they teach, they leave it up to the school determine what background qualifications a teacher needs to teacha subject. The IBO only requires a certain portion of a schools staff be "trained". A humanities teacher or science teacher or any teacher could teach ESS. There isnt a specific background or qualification that anyone can say would "make you qualified" to teach ESS. Honestly, though without a science background, experience or certification a school isnt going to hire you to teach ESS.
Your statistical background from econ isnt going to be as helpful, measures of central tendency and distribution will be useful but tests like the Chi^2 are more common then the social science statistics.
@Cheery Littlebottom
HOW can you possibly suggest taking out TOK, its the cornerstone and foundation of the DIP program??? Thats blasphemy!!!
I cant do it with a straight face, I really hate TOK. Its just a glorified philosophy component in most schools. Combining ESS with TOK would be much more valuable. Wont happen though, TOK has too much name recognition and branding for the IB, even though TOK is often described as far more glorious then it really is.
@BookshelfAmy
Yes its because the clean/safe text algorithms see it: as an-al
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Cheery Littlebottom
- Posts: 207
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am
@psyguy
Yup, I couldn't agree more. I must admit, in the past I have put my name forward to say I would be open to teaching ToK. Never had it offered my way. They tend to give it to folks who don't teach much like tech leaders and admin cos they're too tight to let science teachers teach anything but science. ;-)
Personally, my current opinion is never to teach anything that might take you ANYWHERE near religion in any classroom discussion or activity.
After all, we have recently seen where even talking about Islam gets us when students choose to misunderstand and exercise their spiteful little fundamentalist egos.
Nah, I wouldn't touch ToK with a bargepole unless I was in liberal Western Europe. It's an open invitation to get locked up in SOME regions I won't mention......... :wink:
Yup, I couldn't agree more. I must admit, in the past I have put my name forward to say I would be open to teaching ToK. Never had it offered my way. They tend to give it to folks who don't teach much like tech leaders and admin cos they're too tight to let science teachers teach anything but science. ;-)
Personally, my current opinion is never to teach anything that might take you ANYWHERE near religion in any classroom discussion or activity.
After all, we have recently seen where even talking about Islam gets us when students choose to misunderstand and exercise their spiteful little fundamentalist egos.
Nah, I wouldn't touch ToK with a bargepole unless I was in liberal Western Europe. It's an open invitation to get locked up in SOME regions I won't mention......... :wink: