Youth Virtual Conference of the UNU RCE’s: A Regional Perspective on Water and Sustainability

Held, May 17, 2013 9:00AM (EST) – 11:00 AM

On May 17th 2013 RCE Grand Rapids hosted the 1st Virtual RCE Youth Conference - empowering world's next generation of leaders on regional and universal issues.

6 RCEs from 3 continents joined to equip youth with the tools to communicate, collaborate, on sustainability initiatives with a focus on water systems. The virtual conference gave students the perspective and practice of a global dialogue to better understand the unique water dilemmas facing the regions of the world and in turn reveal and embrace the universal themes of sustainable evolution through dialogue, empathy, and collaboration. Innovation and problem-solving skills were applied in order to address these most complex issues.

The project platform, using an online teaching tool called Blackboard, allows students to engage in a virtual classroom experience. This platform provides peer to peer learning experiences and lasts beyond the conference to continue the conversations, invite more schools to participate and to expand on the learning.

Sustainable Water Project Guide | the project

Each school team was presented this project outline and deliverables:

The relationships between man and water and the impacts on society and the environment require the attention of science and education. This study should analyze those relations and consider sustainable solutions. Through analysis of the watershed and the complex relationships at play, the project seeks to better understand these processes and recommend action. The following are questions to consider in this study of sustainability and water.

Watershed Details

Location: Country/Region Watershed Name: Watershed description:

Analysis:

What are existing impacts on the watershed and region?

• Ecologically:

• Societally:

• Economically:

• Culturally:

Where are the issues relative to your watershed? i.e. upstream, downstream, above or below What are sources of these impacts on the watershed and region?

Recommendations:

How could these issues be addressed? What are possible solutions?

• Large scale:

• Small scale:

Conclusion:

Summarize the findings of the study, taking into consideration the broader themes present in the process of sustainability such as systems thinking, natural capital, collaboration, integration, resiliency, etc.

The conference schedule, participants and format follows:

Conference Schedule

Conference Host: UNU-RCE Grand Rapids, MI USA / City High School, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Ryan Huppert, Huppertr@grps.org

Registered Presenters: Curitiba, Brazil; Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana, Prof. Dr. Tatiana Gadda, Prof. Dr. Eloy Casagrade titianagadda@hotmail.com, eloy.casagrande@gmail.com

Medellin, Columbia; Montessori School, Margarita Maria Ballejo Betancur asesorciencias@montessori.edu.co

Saskatchewan, Canada; Luther College High School, David Hall david.hall@luthercollege.edu

Kerkrade, Netherlands; Stella Maris College, Ekaterina Mulder, Jacques van Loo Ekaterina.muravyeva@rcerm.eu , jvanloo@stellamariscollege.ni

Munich, Germany; David Thomas

Time Line / Important Dates Registration: March 22-29 [via email] Conference Packet: To follow registration immediately Technology Test One: April 26 [all hands on deck] Technology Test Two: May 3 9:00 EST Presentation documents : May 15 Please email to vyc2013@grandrapidsrce.org your power points and videos Conference Day: May 17, 2013 Post conference survey / assessment: May 24, 2013

Delivery Mechanics:

The online teaching product Blackboard - Collaborate will provide the platform for video conferencing, document sharing, Q and A participation, and ongoing conversations. Blackboard can also house the archives of the conference: Videos of student presentations, project assignments and outcomes as well as serving to keep students connected for ongoing learning opportunities.

Upon registration, your school will be assigned access to the Blackboard Collaborate platform. Along with access you will be linked to an online-tutorial to familiarize yourself with the delivery content. The technology test sessions are to be used to clarify use of the software and to make sure the technology is working.

http://www.blackboard.com/platforms/collaborate/overview.aspx

Guest login from the www.grandrapidsrce.org site.

Browser Recommendations: Firefox or Chrome. Avoid Internet Explorer

Host: Ryan Hupert

Tech Test / load in presentations / Pre show 1 hour Introductions 5 minutes Rules of Engagement 5 minutes Session One Grand Rapids Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes and transition to next presentation 15 minutes total session one Break Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Session Two Medelline Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes and transition to next presentation 15 minutes total session two- Break Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Session Three Stella Maris Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes and transition to next presentation 15 minutes total session three Break…Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Session Four Curitiba Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes and transition to next presentation 15 minutes total session four Break Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Session Five Saskatchewan Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes and transition to next presentation 15 minutes total session five Break Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Session Six Munich Presentation 9 minutes QA 6 minutes Break Technology re-set 5 minutes time for students to journal and small group discussion Summary / Next Steps 5 minutes Closing Thank You Host city 5 minutes

Total Time 165 minutes [ 3 hours]