The pollution facing our streams is on the rise. Finger pointing and blame game is not helping solve the problem, we are all section of the menace and must work toward solving it. The waterways that sustain the forests and the inexperienced corridors appear widely favored and valued, but these waterways remain in appreciably degraded conditions.
Epidemiological Rationale
The important pollutants of Accotink Creek are sediments that arise from eroded soil and sediments. The residues enter the streams naturally, and they might seem innocuous; however, excessive sediments in streams are clogging the streams thereby reducing its natural ability to flow and smothers habitat for aquatic life. Excess sediments from stormwater runoff cannot be absorbed, and it flows over the ground surface. It is reported that storm water runoff increases dramatically in urban areas, studies show that impairment begins in streams if more than 10% of the surrounding land is impervious. According to the Annandale Patch, severe impairment of streams occurs when the surfaces make up more than 25% of the landscape. Annandale Patch further report that; Accotink Creek that usually flows below Woodburn Road is now 27% impervious while Holmes Run is 25% The policies, programs and other organized initiatives regarding environmental conservation have to be empowering, participatory and holistic (Ghai & Vivian, 2014). The community should be able to control their environment to foster their well-being and growth.
Readiness for Learning
The community has to connect the environment with their live. They need to understand how pollution of waterways and environment affect their way of life. Readiness for learning is important, and therefore people should understand the importance of water in their lives as well as for the aquatic creatures. A waterway has a role in the beatification of the environment and the growth of the forest. Learning with others will make the learners more efficient member of the social care team involved in the management of pollution. Group learning will help the students to understand the causes of pollution, a method of preventing it and how to educate others on environment management. The discussion is conducted with the aim of making social care team problem solving fruitful.
Learning Theory to be Utilized
The transformative learning theory may be employed for the management and control of environment program. This approach is designed for enhancing the promotion of manners used in the administration of the environment. The process of transforming the perspectives of the people takes three dimensions namely psychological, conviction and behavioral. Psychologically changing the people and the way they view the issues of the environment. The theory also takes into consideration the current perspective where the people revise their belief system. A conviction that one is accountable for the environment and waterways is a step towards ensuring that people engage conserving the environment. Changes in the lifestyle of the people cause dumping and clogging of waterways.
Goals
The goal is to ensure there are the environment conservation and waterway management. It is easy to point fingers on other segments of the society for pollution of the rivers, and we are part of the problem by virtue of being residents and doing business in Annandale. We commute on paved roads and live in houses that divert rainfall. For this reason, we should all work to improve the health of Annandale streets to ensure that they provide clean water for our consumption and that of aquatic creatures. Flooding causes traffic in most cases, and the local parks are also affected by the streams of the water that pass through them. Unless it is ensured that there is clean water that is not polluted, live will never be the same again. Members should take action of cleaning the waterways and ensure that there are no sediments ends up to the waterways except those get there through the natural way. The other goal is involving the member of the community including business people in the management and conservation of waterways to ensure that there is clean water to support lives of fish, the human being as well as vegetations.
Develop Behavioral Objectives
The students would be required to name sources of sediments that end up in the waters. The content covered includes natural sediments that arise from the upstream and driven downstream by the water while the artificial deposits are as a result of excess sediment from stormwater runoff occurring when rainfall hits an impervious surface that cannot absorb it, such as roadways and parking lots. The strategy employed is interactive presentation whereby the teacher engages the student in question answer session. The students are also asked to bring pictures capturing the areas that they have seen waterway being polluted. The other objective is for the learner to study the major source of pollution as well as identification of the importance of ensuring that waterways are clean. To achieve this, a content of the survey has to outline that the pollution arises from the sediments and the human activities that include dumping. Strategy or method of teaching employed is the use of the chart, graphs, and pictures to explain the importance of clean water to the lives of animals, human being, and plants. It also serves to inform the students the effect of pollution on aquatic creatures. It also informs them how unpleasant it is to have a polluted waterway in an urban area
Creativity
For the students to understand and adequately appreciate the information passed to them, the tutor must embrace the creative way of giving the information (Patton, Parker & Pratt, 2013). The tutor should be fluent, unique and flexible to allow the implementation of the environment conservation and management process. Objectives are evaluated through identification of how the students identify and appreciate sediments as water pollutants. The goals are assessed during learning of the conservation and management of waterways before and after teaching. The students are fully centered on knowledge about the environment, skills, and attitude associated with the administration of water runways. An effective teaching increases the need for the student and the community to embrace the environment. Evaluation of the teacher and lesson is the last phase of the educational process, and it is an ongoing process throughout the instruction of the students. Evaluation of the students is to ensure that what the students have learned is relevant and according to the objectives.
Communication and Barriers
The first step of teaching is identification of the needs and problems of the students. Different students have different capabilities, and their levels of grasping information also differ significantly. Solid knowledge of the subject on the environment is essential. The teacher utilizes non-verbal techniques such as eye contact to ensure that the students gain trust and develop a positive impression (Hord & Tobia, 2015). The use of pictures and visual motion paints a picture of how pollution is affecting the environment, and it is most likely to stick in their minds for long. However, there are a couple of barriers that are met during teaching. Different level of understanding by the student, a teacher should identify the needs of each student and handle them in a professional way.
Strength and Opportunities for improving the teaching plan
Educating the student about the environment helps them understand why the environment is important in our lives. Teaching is a good pursuit for the learners to share their knowledge about the environment. Once the students have learned aspects of the management and conservation of the environment, they can enter the profession of being an environmentalist by having an advanced preparation. The exposure of the student to the issues surrounding the environment and water pollution provides them with an opportunity to influence their success and shaping the next generation of conservationists. The practice improves the management of waterways and the environment generally for the wellbeing of aquatic creatures and human beings.
Teaching Experience
Pollution is portrayed as an occasion that is causing harm and death to the aquatic creatures in the rivers; it is also causing harm to the people who ought to be drinking the water from the rivers. The inhabitants who live around the Annan River and other rivers that are contaminated have in one way or the other languished due to the pollution of the river. Farming and irrigation are impossible since the water from the river is not safe for irrigation. Pollution influences the lives of a huge number of people, animals, and aquatic creatures, but prevention and conservation of the environment diminish dread. Misfortunes cannot be witnessed where people have established a mechanism of preventing pollution and contamination of the environment, the families and community should recognize that they have a role to play in enhancing ensuring that the environment is clean at all times. Commitment to the community is essential in dealing with the management and conservation of the environment
Epidemiological Rationale for Topic
According to Area Vibes, the pollution index in Annandale is 95% better than the national average. It also reports that contamination index of Annandale is 208, 434 of the figure of 1, 483, 017 of Virginia. Air pollution in Annandale stood at 0.003% arsenic while benzene was 0.002%. According to the Northern Virginia Community College, the rainwater and water used by the campus transfer debris and harmful chemicals like pesticide and motor oils into a storm drain. The college also reports that the toxins end up choking waterways and are the threat to human and animal life. Prevention, regulation, and training are advocated by the college so as to keep waterways clean. Reservoirs are located close to urban and industrial sources of pollution and accumulate sediment rapidly. Lack of interest in reservoir sediments stems from the perception that fluctuating water levels are likely to result in significant sediment disturbance. The Annandale Patch reported that severe impairment of streams occurs when the surfaces make up more than 25% of the landscape. Annandale Patch further report that; Accotink Creek that usually flows below Woodburn Road is now 27% impervious while Holmes Run is 25%.
Planning Before Teaching
It is essential to evaluate the location and realize the regions that are highly affected by pollution. Getting familiar and comfortable with the territory is important since it helps in identification of areas that need more attention. The researcher should get all relevant data concerning pollution in the region from the meteorological departments as well as getting views of the member of the community. The data and information obtained guides the researcher on where to go, things to carry and what things to be prepared in advance. It is also essential to determine what gifts or incentive to take so that it can offer the individuals from the community so that they can provide assistance where they might be called upon. The members of the inhabitants are called to arrange the zone where training is to take place. Involving the police, flame and health workers is essential to ensure security and well-being of the attendants. Identification of the zone follows the survey conducted to identify the area; the region must be substantial and efficiently available to the organizers from the community. Translators are sought to ensure that the members present understand the data and information. There is a need to set the date and time for the event since the member of the community, and all participants need to be prepared for the game. To ensure that there is full participation and the session is interactive, the researcher should outline the goals and objectives of the training. It is clear that the community intends to learn about environment pollution since the community is concerned about the state of the rivers around them. There are different issues and experiences that a person should get or keep up with the obligation to be ready for the management and conservation of the environment. A person might view the community as ignorant of the pollution that occurs within their precincts. The communities individuals have to ponder what step should be taken into considering the objectives to be achieved. It is the role of the community to take care of the environment and prevent any further pollution of rivers, air or noise pollution. The gathering of the family and community to be trained about the importance of the environment and how to conserve it for the current and future generation. The training helps the member of the community since they stay educated and assist other members of the community. Individuals are prepared to learn and help others with the information impacted on them. It is imperative to know what to do when faced with the issue of pollution and the information needed to tackle the menace effectively. The general wellbeing of the people is a matter of great concern, and it must be distinguished with other elements such as security; the researcher should work with other members of the community to ensure that the environment is not exposed to hazardous products. The projects conducted by individuals in industries, farming, and households are to blame for the state of our streams, rivers, reservoirs, and the entire environment that is proving inhabitable. There is a dire need for the researcher to survey the needs of the community and decide the most appropriate learning style to employ in the training session. Identification of the best learning style that the community adopts helps in giving a great instruction of how to go about the issue of environment conservation, management, and preservation. The health of Annandale Street is at the pathetic situation since they are causing the pollution, and the clean water is polluted thereby making the lives of the people challenging. The sediments from the street end up to the river banks. The clogging of waterways is causing the traffic in the area, and the members should take action and ensure that there are no sediments that get into the waterways, except those carried there through the natural ways. Dumping and littering also accuse the are to be polluted. The population increase is exerting pressure on the environment.
Evaluation of Objectives, Goals, and the Teacher
The teacher has to evaluate the learner to access the level of understanding of the causes of pollution and how to tackle it. Giving instruction to the students is one of the methods used by the teacher to pass the information to the trainees. The discussion about water pollutants and the methods used to purify it or make it fit for consumption enables the inhabitants to understand what to do when faced with challenges of water inadequacy. The teacher will clarify that all members of the community have a role to play either directly or indirectly in an attempt to make the environment clean. Giving training to the volunteers who decide to engage physically in the cleaning exercise and training other members of the community is arranged as it helps the people comprehend disaster readiness and is aware of the calamities that arise due to pollution. The objectives are for all subjects to be arranged to include all members of the community in the cleaning exercise and to prepare how to deal with pollution from other sources. The goals and objectives of the training are assessed throughout the session, the knowledge and skills, as well as the attitude of the trainees, inform the teacher whether they have understood or not. The level of interaction also tells the tutor level of understanding, the question and answer session helps in identification of the areas that need further clarification. The objectives are evaluated by accessing how the trainees understand and appreciate the pollutants and how they affect the environment as well as how to deal with them. Evaluation of the teacher is an ongoing process, and it takes place throughout the training period. The goals and objective of embracing the conservation of the environment are the motivating factors that enable the trainer to interact with the trainees.
Areas of Strength and Areas of Improvement
There are some areas that the teacher needs to overcome to guarantee the community gets the information necessary to enable them to preserve the environment. Some of the sections that need improvement are the attitude of the community towards the pollutants and the industries that engage in polluting the environment. There is a need to take personal initiative to ensure that we don’t engage in polluting the environment; being responsible and careful about the environment is the best approach that will see the environment remain clean for our benefit. Engagement of all members of society in the fight against any form of pollution is to be encouraged. People with hearing disabilities should be catered in training by providing them with materials in the shape they can read and understand. The trainees are conceiving the issue of environment positively, and the training helps them understand and appreciate the importance of the environment. Once the students have learned aspects of the management and conservation of the environment, they can enter the profession of being an environmentalist by having advanced preparation. The training should involve the students in interactive sessions where the learners share their views on how to improve the environment. The exposure of the member of the community to the facts and issues surrounding environment and water pollution is to offer them an opportunity to shape the future generation. The success of the current generation and the next generation in environment conservation is based on the attitude and views of the current crop of individuals attending the training. Involving the member of the community in the management of waterways and the environment is a better way of ensuring that the aquatic life and other animals and creatures live peacefully in a clean environment. Environment plays a major role in shaping the way we live. The need to address the issue of environmental conservation in Annandale is dealt with by having an elaborate community-teaching proposal. The plan identifies pollution of rivers as one of the major problems that needs to be addressed. Teaching is conducted through interactive sessions, and thereafter the teaching experience is evaluated to identify areas in need of improvement. By following the proposal and involving the member of the community in the preservation and conservation of the environment, we are ensuring the current and future generations live in harmony with nature.
References
- Annandale, a Green Community: The State of our Streams. (2017). Annandale, VA Patch. Retrieved 9 May 2017, from https://patch.com/virginia/annandale/annansdale-green-community-state-our-streams-0 - Annandale, VA Weather Forecast & Monthly Average Temperatures. (2017). Areavibes.com. Retrieved 9 May 2017, from http://www.areavibes.com/annandale-va/weather/ - Anon (2017). Retrieved 9 May 2017, from https://www.nvcc.edu/stormwater/ - Ghai, D., & Vivian, J. M. (2014). Grassroots environmental action: people's participation in sustainable development. Routledge. - Hord, S. M., & Tobia, E. F. (2015). Reclaiming our teaching profession: The power of educators learning in community. Teachers College Press. - Patton, K., Parker, M., & Pratt, E. (2013). Meaningful learning in professional development: Teaching without telling. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 32(4), 441-459. - Warburton, D. (2013). Community and sustainable development: participation in the future. Routledge.
