UEA STUDENT CONFERENCE
Thursday 9th Feb 2006
Presented by the University of East Anglia. Nick Gee, PGCE tutor and some of his students from the 'class of 2006'.
We took a minibus load of students to this conference. Students opted for 3 workshops during the day.
There were 5 different workshops offered during the day - some of them running several times, with a short lunch break in between.
Asylum Seeking: Britain the Soft Touch ?
My colleague Miss Davidson provided the following summary of this session:
Useful session, which looked at issues surrounding asylum seekers.
Session involved a gentleman from the Congo, who was currently in the process of applying for asylum due to extraordinary personal circumstances.
Extremes of Nature - Natural Hazards
2 short presentations to begin with...
The session started with some satellite images of Hurricane Katrina, August 2005 and various images and animations.
2 natural hazards case studies: predictable nature of hazard and the effect on MEDCs
Unpredictable track of hurricane / impacts of a hurricane on the different parts of the city
Kashmir earthquake, 2005
A lively presentation on the causes and effects of the earthquake.
Started with some statistics of earthquakes: between 25 & 30 000 earthquakes per year.
Comparison of buildings of different construction, and infrastructure.
Problems of non-collaboration by NGOs. Poor co-ordination and delivery of aid.
Comparison with the USA, with earthquake modification and building codes.
The 2 presentations were followed by a Decision Making Exercise on hazards.
Groups of students, who had to read instructions, and elect a spokesperson for a discussion at the end of the session.
Chapelfield : Curse or Cure
Chapelfield is a new shopping centre: opened September 2005
East Anglia 2nd most affluent region & developers see Norwich as an area where they can get new customers.
"A new quarter, enhancing the profile of the city"
Large retail area, 2000 jobs (800 in construction) & residential developments - lots of new car parking places
Started with a short video / photo story with images of Norwich city centre: lots of 'shops to let' & 'moving to Chapelfield' signs.
Groups: Norfolk City council, Market traders, Chapelfield management, Interest groups, Anti-Chapelfield protesters (archaeologists / first time buyers / historians) & Castle Mall management (opened 1993)
Students had to discuss the point of view, and then 1 person from each group represented their point of view in the council meeting at the end of the session.
Looks at issues relating customer loyalty and changing trends e.g. convenience, and shopping as a leisure activity and lifestyle activity. Upmarket clothes shopping. Does this exclude certain areas of society. Relate, for example, to Bluewater shopping centre's decision to ban 'hoodies'.
The 5 groups voted 3-2 against the shopping centre overall: shopping centre was a CURSE rather than a CURE.
Students were also presented with a handout of retail geography.
The AIDS time bomb
A look at the issues surrounding the spread of HIV / AIDS infection in the world.
Students had a video relating to HIV/AIDS, and worked in groups, and did a TRUE / FALSE
They then had an activity looking at the spread of infection, and comparing infected pupils in different types of country.
The Plenary involved standing up and sitting down depending on their views on a number of related issues.
Managed coastal retreat: is the Norfolk coast on the way out ?
Exploration of issues relating to erosion of N Norfolk coast.
'Managed realignment'...
Started with a background as to WHY management was necessary, and then went on to WHAT TYPE of management was needed.
Looked at different types of GEOLOGY, and isostatic / eustatic adjustments.
Thanks to the students and to Nick, and to colleagues from Hobart, Blyth Jex and Wymondham who also attended. It was good to experience University life again.