aquaponics in classrooms as a tool to promote system thinking, ranka junge
TRANSCRIPT
Aquaponic in classrooms as a tool to promote system thinking
Ranka JungeZurich University of Applied Sciences, Waedenswil , [email protected]
Sandra WilhelmUrs Hofstetter
Andreas Graber
2nd Scientix Conference
BRUSSELS, 24-26 OCTOBER 2014
Institute of Natural Resource Sciences
Biological farming
Ecological engineering
Integrative ecology
Landscape and tourism
Urban Greening
www.iunr.zhaw.ch
What is Aquaponics?
DISADVANTAGES
X Fish and plant knowledge required
X Complex system requires considerable expertise
BENEFITS
Nutrient utilization
Low water consumption
Plant production in addition to fish
Aquaculture
Hydroponics
Aquaponics – how does it work?
cleaned water
«fish water»
Fresh waterFish feed
Fish harvest Tomato harvest
Evapotranspiration
(Fish sludge)
Hydroponic with LECA
Rainwater
FishfodderFish (Perca fluviatilis)
Irrigation
Aquaponics Lab1 at ZHAW: established 2004
3 separate RAS systems of 4 m3 each
3 separate Hydroponic systems with 3 subsystems each
Research group on Aquaculture & Aquaponics
www.aquaponic.ch [email protected]
Aquaponics Lab2 at ZHAW: established 2013
UF001 LokDepot: the world’s first Aquaponic
rooftop farm with commercial purpose
Foto: Raphi See
25.10.2014 UrbanFarmers AG 8
Which topics can Aquaponics contribute to science education?
• Fish culture: tank layout, technology, learn skills how to build your own aquarium
• Fish biology & physiology
• Vegetable growing: compare garden/soil with aquaponic/fishwater
• Plant physiology
• Chemical water monitoring & System control, Lab-Journal
• Nutrient balance: What did we produce with the fish feed?
• Energy balance of the system
• Biological pest control: predator-prey dynamics, predator insects against aphids & bugs
• System control: Oxygen, pH, temperature, pumps
• Kitchen: how to prepare this home-grown food?
• Business: calculate production costs
• Compare home-grown with market: survey what do we eat, at what price? Source of this food?
• ARTS: upgrade the BOX with soul! Express your impressions with sculptures
• AND, AND, AND ….
Aquaponic systems in educational set-up
• Small: Classroom Aquaponic
• Medium: Urban Farmers Box
• Large: Pilot-scale system / Research Plant
Requirements for Aquaponic Systems: I. Research (applied and basic)
Requirements for Aquaponic Systems: II. University Teaching (Bsc, MSc, PhD)
Requirements for Aquaponic Systems: III. Education (K1-12), VET Training,
Communication
Play with Water: Introducing Ecological Engineering to Primary Schools to Increase
Interest and Understanding of Natural Sciences
General sheme of classroom aquaponic
(modified after Albin and Bamert, 2005)
UrbanFarmers BOX
© Urban Farmers 2011
UF Box – educational setup
Zürich International School: students gave each of the 50 fish a name…
Introducing Aquaponic in VET: Tools, Teaching Units, and Teacher Training
• Development of new VET (vocational education and training) profession „Aquaponic Urban Farmer“
• Transfer of aquaponic technology into VET in Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy)
• Transfer of teaching units into VET in different countries (languages: English, German, Slovenian, Italian)
• Adaption of training resources and support of the training of VET teachers/trainers
• Piloting of the training modules for „Aquaponic Farmers“ qualification in Switzerland, Slovenia, and Italy
UF-System at Strickhof, (CH)
Aquaponic Units at Vocational Schools
Aquaponic at BC Naklo (SI)
Aquaponic Units at Vocational Schools
ISSIS Domenico Sartor, (IT)
Aquaponic Units at Vocational Schools
Culturing live plants, harvesting
Plant physiology
Pleasure – fresh & tasty, and your own
Cooking! Food! Qualitytrust your senses: smell, bite, taste…
Aquaponic & System thinking: Pilot teaching in Zürich
• School situated in agglomeration of Zurich
• 7th grade (12-14 years), 3 classes
• Total 68 pupils, 32 female, 36 male
• Language: all native german speakers
• Pupils: above average– Concluded 5th grade with an average mark of 5 (from 6) in german,
mathematics and natural sciences
– were used to autonomous work
– Demonstrated consistent ability and general interests in different issues
Evaluation of System Thinking
The pre- and post test:
A short story about a farmer and his life was outlined.
„Why did the farmer put the manure on his fields?“
The pupils answered with a drawing and / or a description of the reasons.
Eintrittstest
Oftmals, an schön lauschigen Frühlingstagen auf dem Land, wenn die Fenster offen stehen und die
Vögel ihre Frühlingsmelodien ausprobieren, schleicht ein nicht ganz angenehmer Duft durch die
offenen Fenster ins Haus. „Nein, muss das denn sein!“, ruft die Mutter entrüstet aus, „Kann der das
nicht woanders tun?! Schnell, hilf mir die Wäsche nach drinnen zu bringen, sonst beginnt sie zu
stinken!“. Was ist geschehen? Der Bauer Abacher hat wieder einmal seine Gülle und seinen Mist auf
die Felder gebracht. Jetzt zieht der unangenehme Jaucheduft durchs Dorf und lässt die Bewohner
durch den Mund atmen, um den Gestank nicht in die Nase zu bekommen.
Wieso macht der Bauer das? Welche Gründe hat er, die Gülle und den Mist auszufahren?
Skizziere und beschreibe die obige Frage auf die Rückseite dieses Blattes. Schreibe auch deinen
Namen auf das Blatt.
Method Bollmann – Zuberbühler to evaluate the answers of pre- and post test
4 indices were determined in the drawings:
• Delineation of the system („Darstellungstyp“)
• Complexity index („Komplexitätsindex“)
• Interrelation index („Vernetzungsindex“)
• Structure index („Strukturindex“)
These allow a comparison of the drawings from the pre- and post test. It is a qualitative method with quantitative results.
Bollmann-Zuberbuehler, B. (2005) Lernwirksamkeitsstudie zum systemischen Denken an der Sekundarstufe I, Lizentiatsarbeit an der Philosophischen Fakultaet der Universität Zuerich, Psychologisches Institut.
The delineation of systems became more complex in the post-test
Two examples of students’ answer to the question: “Why did the farmer put manure on his field?” Left: scenic representation from the pre-test, right: net diagram from the post-test.
Complexity of answers increased
Complexity Index (KI) == variables + arrows + chain of events + junction + feedback loops
Interconnection Index (VI) == 2 x arrows / variables
Structure Index (SI) = = (chains of events + junctions + feedback loops) / variables
Teachers conclusions: Pro and contra classroom aquaponic
Advantages
• Training in system thinking
• Training in scientific working and monitoring
• Training in planning, and implementing this plan
• Dealing with complexity
• Develop teamwork and possibility of social contact
• Independent working increases the self-esteem
• Transfer of knowledge into other school subjects
• Contact with fish and plants
Disadvantages
• Additional costs
• Some material, which is not easily available
• Additional work: Preparation, construction and maintenance of aquaponic
Links & some sourcesWASTEWATERRESOURCE Project: www.play-with-water.ch
AQUA-VET Project: http://project.zhaw.ch/de/science/aquavet.html
Research Group Ecotechnology: http://lsfm.zhaw.ch/de/science/institute-zentren/iunr-ecologicalengineering/oekotechnologie.html
Bollmann-Zuberbuehler, B., Frischknecht-Tobler, U., Kunz P., Nagel U. & Wilhelm Hamiti, S. (2010) Systemdenken foerdern: Systemtraining und Unterrichtsreihen zum vernetzten Denken: 1.-9. Schuljahr. Published by Schulverlag plus, Bern. 94 Pp. ISBN: 978-3-292-00628-8.
Graber, A. & Junge-Berberovic, R. (2009) Aquaponic Systems: Nutrient recycling from fish wastewater by vegetable production. Desalination 246:147–156. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2008.03.048
Hofstetter, U. (2008) Aquaponic im Unterricht, Diploma thesis ZHAW, unpublished.
Nagel, U. & Wilhelm Hamiti, S. (2008): Komplexitaet erproben und erleben - Elemente einer Didaktik des systemischen Denkens, http://www.umweltbildung.at/cgi-bin/cms/af.pl? contentid=10415, (07.07.2014).
Ossimitz, G. (2000): Entwicklung systemischen Denkens. Theoretische Konzepte und empirische Untersuchungen, Profil Verlag, München Wien.