POPULATION DYNAMICS RESOURCE PACKAGE -
A PROFITABLE SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Informative resources have a central role in improving educational standards which will cope directly with the socio-economic development in South Africa. A population dynamics package has been compiled by a team of enthusiastic and experienced Delta education officers and teachers from a wide range of schools, helped and advised by experts from RAU and the University of the Witwatersrand and Advisory Services from Gauteng's Department of Education.
Subject advisors and teachers were involved in the evaluation, assessment and development phases of the package. It is a syllabus-related and supportive literacy programme, designed to assist teachers and students with the syllabus on a broader basis.
It is a detailed and enriching educational resource to assist teachers and students to extend textbook knowledge and improve teaching and learning skills.
The basis of the package is knowledge, information, understanding and development of skills relevant for personal development, everyday needs, experiences and interests of teachers and students, i.e. to train students and teachers in their task of applying diverse information and knowledge to seek for solutions to population and environmental problems that they are likely to come across or exist in their own daily lives.
Population growth and development is a critical and topical issue of concern today in respect of an ever-increasing population which directly affects all of us, as individuals, our communities and the overall quality of life in South Africa. The reproductive health of the woman and the well-being of her children are directly influenced, it impacts on primary health care services, the provision of education and the creation of more employment.
In fact, the overall success of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) could be influenced if socio-economic development strategies do not consider the environment, i.e. when development and growth have occurred, the bulk of the population should be in a position to derive benefit from it.
A population dynamics package sets us the task of meeting the needs of teaching and learning in schools and it also leads our youth to environmental awareness and responsibility.
Students and teachers will attend a 3-hour syllabus-related educational programme at Delta Environmental Centre and other convenient community centres used by us. The programme covers a theory section (lesson presentation by Delta's education officers) and practicals and/or hands-on activities that can include an indoor (museum-based) activity and outdoor activities using the environment to support meaningful teaching of the content.
The presentation methods and techniques are based on a practical, investigative strategy, i.e. it is presented in simple, social and applied contexts so that it becomes more significant, relevant and fun for the youth. This method helps in developing interest, motivation, positive attitudes and the ability to analyse information and interpret graphs and diagrams especially relating to population dynamics.
At the end of the programme, teachers will be given a resource package and a set of previous matric examination question papers which were compiled by Raymond Stark, Biology Subject Advisor, Gauteng Department of Education, to be used in revision lessons at schools. Input from your company could include a short talk, rulers, pencils, erasers, videos, hand-outs, files or any supportive resource material which can be included in the programme.
NB: The company logo will be printed on the package and will be on the first slide and/or transparency of the talk. Media coverage of students and teachers attending a population dynamics presentation will be organised. Staff member(s) from your company will be welcome to attend and to be part of this exiting education programme.
The feedback from teachers, the Gauteng Department of Education and other stakeholders about our population dynamics resource package is positive. The overall response from teachers is extremely favourable and their comments indicate that an invaluable contribution was made to teaching and learning, particularly for final matric results in disadvantaged communities through our Population Dynamics package.
Summary of the Programme:
- Introduction (± 45 minutes) - slides showing diagrams, pictures and graphs are used during presentations.
- Population regulation - growth, fatality, immigration, emigration and migration.
- Population parameters - carrying capacity, density-dependent and density-independent factors, competition and predation.
- Energy Flow - consumption, production, respiration, excretion and faeces.
- Population Size - census, sampling and mark-recapture methods
- Survival Strategies
- Human Population - problems and problem-solving.