Making Boring Relevant Beth Agnew 2012

Overview

We don’t always get to teach the fun stuff

Creative engagement: Connecting with Relevance Meeting their Needs Reinforcing with Stories

Compelling Context In the end, it has to mean something

Bore-ing!

Carbon hardened under pressure millions of years ago

Brought to the surface via kimberlite pipes

Indicator minerals Ice advance studies – progress of glaciers Geophysical

analysis

Canada’s North

National Geographic Photo

Kimberlite and Indicators

Technology Helps

Huh?

The densification of these deposits containing non- to poorly vesicular equant pyroclasts will likely involve only moderate volumetric strain, hence classical textures such as fiamme or a strong fabric will not be present. At lower emplacement temperatures, magma flux and/or high cooling rates, the pyroclasts will simply crystallise and be unable to form a reconstituted deposit.

Relevance

Meeting their Needs

What are some needs students have that are consistent with learning about a potentially uninteresting or (to them) irrelevant topic?Grades Approval

PrestigeIncome

Qualification Foundation for other learning

Self-satisfaction

Personal interest

Reinforcing with Stories

Acres of Diamonds – Russell H. Conwell

Magic Pebbles -- John Wayne Schlatter

In the Box – Eckhart Tolle

Compelling Context

WHY? Wii FM The Rock – Dr. Robert Schuller Sr.

It all comes down to Meaning