"pedagogical approach was based on an interpretation of ‘design thinking’ (Kimbell, 2015), an approach that begins with empathising, and puts an emphasis on defining a key question and then framing a problem. This is more akin to problem finding rather than problem solving. This model was relevant, as we wanted to highlight creativity alongside the criticality of the scientific process."
What caught my attention was the unit on designing a new planet and started by looking at how our interaction with Earth has led to pollution, the extinction of bees, insects and other animals, plus created radiation etc. This is a matter close to my heart, and back in Doha I sneaked Al Gore's amazing film An Inconvenient Truth into teaching trainees at Qatar Petroleum. If we do the same on our new planet as we do to Earth, we have the potential to make a new planet uninhabitable too.
However, we do need to survive and this trailer gives a clue to what we would need to do to survive - if I still taught TESOL this would be a great way to link language and science teaching.