Description

In this oilsands hearing simulation role play, students will learn the general steps to oilsands project applications and decisions and will take part in a mock hearing to decide whether or not an application is approved or not.

Task

Note #1: I modified Ellens' lesson-idea into what an online collaborative simulation in COOL might look like — this is very skeletal/rough

Note #2: resources for this lesson would be in the folders and/or embedded in this online assignment-space such as videos on stakeholder perspectives (we create, similar to our oil and gas eCards videos), stakeholder websites, factsheets (we write)

1. Intro spark: why should students care?, what are their perceptions (e.g., oil companies can just go ahead)?, etc. — perhaps news report in COOL DB, video in COOL DB, the “Oil Sands Viewpoint Comparison” (with who’s right? discussion) etc. — guided discussion 
2. Teacher provides assessment rubric and discusses
3. Teacher presents PPT on oil sands development process [not have students do "internet search"] [GL prepares PPT with teachers and adds to DB]
4. Teams assigned stakeholder role — they research using embedded resources (as per above) — stakeholder groups work collaboratively online (could be a group within a class, OR, classes collaborating with each class representing a stakeholder)
5.  [hearing process????]

Comments on lesson idea:

• it needs an intro activity and most teachers present the rubric at the outset (not always)
• time lines (6 to 7 periods) is questionable: my educated guess is that it would take much longer and whether 6 or 7 or more, most teachers could not fit this in
• [education is at an odd crossroads, with provincial ministries now pushing the inquiry approach BUT still expecting teachers to cover off precise and detailed expectations AND the higher the grade the more teachers still to the curriculum and what it means in how they allocate their time (most courses have 3 or 4 units, with about 20 periods per unit]
• “Have them do an internet search to determine the general steps from conception through decision making through project reclamation” OR “Have each group research real position examples and hearing transcripts" — this is not practical
• [In OSED as in all GL learning activities we need to distinguish between 2 types of teachers/activities: there will be a few teachers who jump in and take on Centre-for-Global-Education kinds of learning activities; the majority, the “average” teacher, our chosen audience, would not]
• hearing process is a challenge — how about students research stakeholder positions and concerns and then research and propose solutions, testing these with each stakeholder group — would work well with multi-school collaborations
• see eCards on Oil and Gas and on how we make decisions on energy in a democratic society (2 eCards modules, designed for Civics courses and others)

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• understand the process of an oilsands project proposal through to decision
• understand that there benefits and drawbacks associated with oilsands developments and that particular positions are often held by certain stakeholders
• learn about the public hearing process for oilsands projects in Alberta
• become familiar with public participation and community involvement in large-scale decision making
• learn about the requirements a company must produce to propose an oilsands project
• practice independent research, critical thinking and presentation skills aimed at persuasion