Soil Education in Ireland Veronica Nyhan

1
Soil Education in Ireland

• Veronica Nyhan

2
Soil Education

• Background of the project
• Soil Science in the Irish education system-
  primary
• Soil Science in the Irish education system-
  post-primary
• Junior Cycle
• Senior Cycle
• Where to begin?

3
Background of the project

• Introduction
• B.Sc (Ed.)
• Kildalton College

4
Objectives of this study

• to determine the extent of soil science
  (specifically soil management in agricultural
  environments) training taking place within the
  Irish education system up to Level 8
• to compare the level of this training and the
  support materials available with that of other EU
  countries and the USA
• to identify areas of skill/resource shortages
  within soil education in Ireland up to level 8
• to develop strategies for Teagasc to support soil
  management training so as to improve the quality
  of soil education in Ireland
• to enhance an awareness and understanding of the
  importance of soil education within agricultural
  and environmental sciences.

5
Geography in the Infant Classes

• Natural environments
• to develop analysing skills- use soils

6
Geography in First and Second Class

• Natural environments
• As before
• soils and rocks are habitats
• Environmental awareness and care
• awareness of interrelationships in nature

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Geography in Third and Fourth class

• Natural environments
• begin to explore influence of soils and rocks on
  animal and plant life
• Environmental awareness and care
• soil in habitats
• Teacher guidelines
• introduce farming

8
Geography in Fifth and Sixth class

• Human environment
• farming in different regions- impact of soils on
  farming
• Natural environments- Rocks and soils
• basic geology
• collect and examine soil samples and their
  constituents from different parts of the
  locality- compare constituent parts, colour,
  water retention,
• relationship of plants and farming to soil types-
  ways of changing and/or improving soil structure.
• Environmental awareness and care
• human activities and environments deforestation
  or desertification

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Geography in Fifth and Sixth class

• Teacher guidelines
• Include as part of an environmental audit
• Model building, using rock samples with weak acid
  and compost hills to show weathering, erosion and
  deposition- link to desertification
• Rock experiments- eternal analysis of texture,
  colour, hardness examination of soil
  constituents- texture by feel sedimentation
  test different textural classes as a growing
  medium- watercress in sandy vs peaty vs clay
  soil Soil water- loss of weight in air drying
  soil infiltration test

10
Science in the Infant Classes

• Living things
• habitats- soil included
• Processes of life
• conditions for growth

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Science in Third and Fourth class

• Processes of life
• factors that affect plant growth
• Environmental awareness and care
• soil in habitats
• Science and the environment
• human activities on environments- school garden

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Science in Fifth and Sixth class

• Living things
• habitat study- soil
• Processes of life
• practical work
• Materials
• soil containing clay, silt, sand and/or gravel
• Science and the environment
• human activities
• Teacher guidelines
• include as part of habitat study

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Soil science at primary level

• Evident from infant level- organisational skills
  etc
• Repetition
• Science founded in nature study and environmental
  studies

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Junior Cert Geography

• Unit A1- The earths surface shaping the crust
• Unit A3. The workings of our life support system
• What is soil?
• Soil forming processes
• Soil profiles, soil groups- local, national and
  international
• Relationship between climate, vegetation and soil
  conditions- local study, natural vegetation in
  (a) a hot climate (b) a temperate climate (c) a
  cold climate
• Unit B3 Settlement changing patterns in where
  we live villages and towns
• Unit C1. Primary economic activities the earth
  as a resource

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Junior Cert Geography

• Emphasis- connectivity
• Non-Linear
• Local Studies
• Contemporary Social, Economic and Environmental
  Issues
• Recommended case study example A Farm
  Study-encompasses Unit C1 and A3

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Junior Cert Science

• Biology- Microbiology and biotechnology-
  investigate the presence of micro-organisms in
  air and soil (practical)
• Chemistry- no direct mention in curriculum
• Teacher guidelines under acids and bases
• Lime treatment of garden soil- pH of different
  soil types- plant growth
• Physics- no mention

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Transition year

• Stress pupil activity- practical applications of
  scientific principles and theories
• Science Studies- food and agricultural
• Environmental and Social Studies

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Leaving Cert Geography

• Core unit 1 Patterns and processes in physical
  environment
• Core unit 2 Regional geography- soils included
  as one of the physical processes
• Optional unit 7 Geoecology (higher level only)
• development of soils- general composition of soil
  types and their characteristics.
• how soil characteristics are affected by
  immediate environment including human activities-
  compare Irish soil type to global setting.
• identify one biome for study (Core Unit 2
  Regional Geography)
• human activities and biomes- early settlement and
  forest clearance to felling of the tropical
  rainforest, intensive agricultural practices, and
  industrial development

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Leaving Cert Chemistry and Construction Studies

• Chemistry- No direct mention of soil- Nitrogen
  and Carbon cycle
• Construction studies- examines soil in relation
  establishing foundations- how different soil
  types determine the design of foundations

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Leaving Cert Biology

• Section 1.4 General principles of ecology
• edaphic factors in terrestrial environments- soil
  type, soil pH (including test), soil moisture,
  mineral content
• Carbon Cycle and the Nitrogen Cycle.
• Section 1.5 A study of an ecosystem
• abiotic factors present in the selected ecosystem
  (soil and grassland can be used), including pH,
  ground temp., mineral content, percentage air in
  soil, percentage water in soil, percentage humus,
  salinity etc.
• Section 3.6- Reproduction and Growth
• germination- soil factors necessary

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Leaving Cert Agricultural Science

• Soil Science section
• Farm Crops Cereal and Roots
• Farm Crops Grassland
• No limits set
• No soil degradation information- erosion,
  compaction
• About 40 years old
• No support material
• Textbook assessment??
• Balance in assessment

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Where to begin?

• Workshop
• Awareness of difficulties evident across
  stakeholders
• Interest
• Not just an Irish problem
• Making soils fun
• Cross-curricular
• IASTA Science day
• Survey
• Who?
• How?

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Acknowledgements

• This project is funded by Teagasc and works in
  collaboration with
• University College Dublin (UCD)
• University of Limerick (UL)
• Soil Science Society of Ireland (SSSI)
• National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
  (NCCA)
• Scoilnet
• National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and
  Science Teaching and Learning (NCE-MSTL)
• Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association
  (IASTA)
• Macaulay Institute
• Cranfield University
• Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Northern
  Ireland (AFBINI)