education

Coastal Processes Virtual Excursion

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Chris and Phebe take you on a fun-filled virtual tour of the Gold Coast beaches.

Students will learn about the natural and human-induced processes that shape coastal systems and discover how the Gold Coast has changed in the past. They will then hear from some experts in coastal geography about how the famous coastal city is expected to change in the future. Ideal for both international and regional Australian schools, our Coastal Processes Virtual Excursion offers an alternative to preliminary geographic or scientific field work and encourages the development of investigative enquiry, data analysis and interpretation skills. It can be used to complement a chosen unit (as a case study) or offered as an extension activity. Some schools choose to use our Virtual Coastal Processes Excursion as a supplementary activity for excursions to the Gold Coast! Second Nature offers local insight into an exciting and unique environment that is now accessible to everyone. Always wanted to visit the Sunshine State’s second largest tourism destination? Let us take you there!

Program Structure

This experience follows a 5-module structure, which is outlined below:

Module 1: Introduction to Coastal Systems

Module 2: Measuring Coastal Processes

Module 3: Change in Coastal Systems

Module 4: Management of Coastal Systems

Module 5: The Future of Gold Coast Beaches

Each module contains multiple videos between 5 and 15 minutes long with questions and supplementary activities that test students’ comprehension of each video.

Curriculum-Linked

Our Coastal Processes Virtual Excursion was designed with several units of the Australian Curriculum in mind. It covers content integral to both Year 8 and Year 10 Geography and Science units, following a logical progression from simplified explanations about coastal processes to detailed information about the management and future of Gold Coast beaches. Different year levels may choose to emphasize or omit modules accordingly. This experience can be delivered to complement the following units or modules:

Geography

  • Year 8 Landscapes and Landforms
  • Year 10 Environmental Change and Management

Science

  • Year 8 Earth and Space Sciences (QLD/VIC) or Earth and Space (NSW)

Accessing the Course

This experience is available now through the EdX online learning  platform at a cost of $10/student. This price includes access to videos, work booklets, teacher manuals, vocabulary slideshows and additional resources. We also offer live sessions to solidify course content and facilitate discussions. Discounts are available for schools using this experience to supplement one of our Gold Coast excursion experiences.

More information about the course is available on our EdX dashboard. Click the link below:

About This Course

 

Highlights

  • Exploring some of the Gold Coast’s most iconic beaches!
  • Energetic, fun and passionate guides
  • Virtual field work with data provided
  • Using tools provided by the Gold Coast City Council
  • Interpreting figures and graphs produced by scientists
  • Observing coastal management infrastructure on the Gold Coast
  • Exclusive interviews with experts in coastal Geography

More Information

Inclusions
  • 3 hours of video content covering a range of topics from coastal processes to coastal management!
  • Forums for specific discussion topics
  • Quiz questions and activities to test students’ comprehension of videos
  • Student Work Booklets for in-class participation
  • Teacher Manuals for delivery of the excursion as an in-class activity
  • Suggested homework tasks or formative assignments relating to each of the five modules
  • Spreadsheet containing field data that can be used in assessment
  • Links to additional resources from the Gold Coast City Council and other reputable sources
  • Vocabulary slides for ESL classes
Educational Outcomes
  • Awareness and knowledge of beach ecosystems
  • Appreciation for the diversity of coastal organisms
  • A basic understanding of how dynamic beach ecosystems work including knowledge of food chains/webs, habitats and propagules.
  • Awareness of the impacts of human activities on beaches (and other coastal environments) both locally and globally
  • Knowledge of local and largescale environmental issues affecting beaches including habitat destruction, overharvesting, invasive species, habitat fragmentation and pollution
  • Learning of sustainable behaviours that minimise these issues
  • A sense of connection to and feeling of stewardship towards Australia’s beaches
  • An understanding of the complex processes involved in managing our beaches in a sustainable manner.
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