CITIDEP is a partner in the Project PEOPLE...

PEOPLE - Population Exposure to Air Pollutants in Europe

PRESENTING CITIDEP WORK IN SCHOOLS

IN SUPPORT OF:

CITIDEP - Research Center on Information Technology and Participatory Democracy

www.citidep.pt • www.citidep.net

PEOPLE - Entities Promoting:

Institute for the Consumer Presidency of the Council of Ministers [Lisbon Project Coordination].

DCEA - FCT-UNL. Dept of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, New University of Lisbon

DRAOT-LVT, Regional Administration of Environment and Land Use Planning for Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Ministry of Cities, Land Use Planning and Environment.

CRSP-LVT, Public Health Regional Center for Lisbon & Tagus V. , Ministry of Health.

DMAEV, CML- City Department for Environment and Green Spaces, Lisbon Municipality

Quercus — National Association for the Conservation of Nature

CITIDEP - Research Center on Information Technology and Participatory Democracy

PEOPLE - Partners in Portugal:

PEOPLE - Population Exposure to Air Pollutants

in Europe

• 1. Assessment of Benzene levels;

• 2. Learn the impact of outdoor and indoor emission sources (including smoking) on human exposure to Benzene, for risk assessment of populations in Europe;

• 3. Compare Benzene air pollution levels in European capitals, in function of emission sources, local meteorological conditions, citizen behaviour and air quality policies;

• 4. Assessment of the impact of air quality policies (EU directives), local abatement measures and personal behaviour on exposure levels to Benzene;

• 5. Raising the awareness of citizens about air quality and the impact of personal behaviour (transport and smoking habits).

• 6. Validation of pollution exposure models.

• Contribution to objective 5 of Project PEOPLE: «Raising the awareness of citizens…»

Why Schools?

• POWER OF SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE SOCIETY CHANGES

• “PEOPLE” ALLOWS PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE & CITIZENSHIP:

• Students help scientific data gathering• Students study and research the topic• Students join citizens debating results

CITIDEP PROJECT: “PEOPLE” FOR SCHOOLS

(targeting ages 6 to 16)

Participatory Science- Awareness through participation

• Learn CITIZENSHIP through Chemistry:)

• Use new sampler technology to break barriers between science and citizens

• Use advanced Information-Communication Technologies to break age, geographic and social exclusion barriers

• Use new educational tools to connect high-schools and elementary schools

• Develop a critical learning of citizenship

CITIDEP promotes a networknetwork with scientists, teachers and students

Using InternetInternet (web broadcast) and videoconferencevideoconference to allow access of remote areas and student communities abroad

Lisbon schools were Lisbon schools were part of the Benzene part of the Benzene sampler netsampler net

Lisboa (Pt)

Viana do Castelo (Pt)

Açores Islands (Pt)

Nantes (Fr)

Manchester (UK)

Edinbourgh (UK)

IN THE CLASSROOM (9 months):

Student inquiry: Study Benzene as a pollutant

Lab sessions: Particles on the paper / Elastics and pollution

Environmental game: highschool students teach younger students

STUDENT INTERACTION:

15 Oct 02: Videoconference with PEOPLE’ expert & Web broadcast

18 March 03: Videoconf. + broadcast + chat with PEOPLE’ expert

12 June 03: Role-Play debating citizenship issues related to PEOPLE

Estimated audience: 50 schools ~ 500 students

CITIDEP “PEOPLE - CITIZENSHIP” PROJECT Inovative educational tools

280 students + 19 teachers + 9 schools directly involved

(high + elementary schools)

CITIDEP Activities Before 22 October 2002

Activity: Videoconference and InternetBroadcasting, with PEOPLE’s expert,

for students from the 10nd grade

15 October 2002

<- Lisboa

Viana ->

2002 - 2003 Highschool students with Elementary school students

Activity: Environmental game: “Learn with the environment, playing!”

2003 Highschool students work with Elementary school students

Activity: “ The air exists, although we can't see it”

PEOPLE Videoconferenceand Internet broadcasting II

with chat for students from the 2nd and 3rd grade

Students in Lisbon say goodbyeto students in Viana do Castelo

12 June 2003 Activity: Role-Play on “PEOPLE” issues

Characters:

Parliament member (PS)

Cancer specialist (M. Doctor)

Smokers’ association pro-active

We wanted students to also use REAL results from PEOPLE: Unfortunately,the PEOPLE’s results were not made public before 12 June 2003

Car Manufacture Industrial

Oil Industry Owner

Querqus’ member (environmentalist)

Gas Pump worker

QuickTime™ and aPhoto - JPEG decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Difficulties and Impediments

• Zero fundingZero funding. All based on CITIDEP network . All based on CITIDEP network solidarity including highly motivated teachers (paying solidarity including highly motivated teachers (paying expenses from their pockets), and the adoption of this expenses from their pockets), and the adoption of this project as the degree work of one teacher. That is project as the degree work of one teacher. That is nice and important, but not sustainable/replicablenice and important, but not sustainable/replicable without at least some institutional funding in the future.without at least some institutional funding in the future.

• Level and quality of public technical support to schools Level and quality of public technical support to schools (e.g.videoconference) is decreasing to the point of (e.g.videoconference) is decreasing to the point of compromising the work of students and teachers. Last compromising the work of students and teachers. Last videoconference nearly failed because kids could not videoconference nearly failed because kids could not hear anything for 1 h. This is the result of a hear anything for 1 h. This is the result of a wrong wrong policy of divesting in public educationpolicy of divesting in public education. Poor . Poor schools can’t afford private sector service prices. schools can’t afford private sector service prices.

Discours du Commissaire Philippe Busquin (UE)

“ “À Lisbonne, PEOPLE a été associé à un projet À Lisbonne, PEOPLE a été associé à un projet didactique pour sensibiliser les élèves et les didactique pour sensibiliser les élèves et les enseignants à la problématique de la pollution de l’air enseignants à la problématique de la pollution de l’air dans les villes. dans les villes.

Ce projet, appelé « PEOPLE – CITIZENSHIP », Ce projet, appelé « PEOPLE – CITIZENSHIP », regroupait 9 écoles, 19 enseignants et 280 élèves. regroupait 9 écoles, 19 enseignants et 280 élèves. Pendant 9 mois, ce projet a animé les cours et les Pendant 9 mois, ce projet a animé les cours et les activités parascolaires. Il s’est clôturé par une vidéo-activités parascolaires. Il s’est clôturé par une vidéo-conférence diffusée dans 50 écoles et une audience de conférence diffusée dans 50 écoles et une audience de 500 étudiants.”500 étudiants.”

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

The information empowerment lead to an active The information empowerment lead to an active participation and awareness of their responsibility participation and awareness of their responsibility towards the community and environmental policies.towards the community and environmental policies.

• The raising awareness process starts at school age;The raising awareness process starts at school age;

• Young students can clearly contribute to gather information with Young students can clearly contribute to gather information with real scientific value;real scientific value;

• As participants in the benzene study, their discussion of the As participants in the benzene study, their discussion of the environmental and health problems developed sharper critical environmental and health problems developed sharper critical and reflective skills;and reflective skills;

• Parents drawn by the public recognition of their kids Parents drawn by the public recognition of their kids contribution got involved, amplifying the effect.contribution got involved, amplifying the effect.

• • As suggested by JRC/IES-PEOPLE, CITIDEPAs suggested by JRC/IES-PEOPLE, CITIDEPconsidered to extend «PEOPLE-Citizenship» to other considered to extend «PEOPLE-Citizenship» to other cities in Europe with PEOPLE’s partners;cities in Europe with PEOPLE’s partners;

• • The project «PEOPLE-Citizenship» was presented The project «PEOPLE-Citizenship» was presented at the «International Conference on Public Participation at the «International Conference on Public Participation and Information Technologies», at MIT, Nov. 2003;and Information Technologies», at MIT, Nov. 2003;

• Participants from France, Italy, Austria and Slovenia, Participants from France, Italy, Austria and Slovenia, expressed interest to cooperate in a similar project;expressed interest to cooperate in a similar project;

• We should make the best of this momentum. But this We should make the best of this momentum. But this requires institutional support. requires institutional support.

CITIDEP - Research Center on Information Technology and Participatory Democracy

Follow up:

CITIDEP - Research Center on Information Technology and Participatory Democracy

CITIDEP proposes a new “environment-health” program:CITIDEP proposes a new “environment-health” program:

• building on what works! building on what works! PEOPLE/GLOBE/PEOPLE/GLOBE/BOINC experience; experience;

• • focus on current EU strategic priorities concerning focus on current EU strategic priorities concerning environment and health (e.g. APHEIS focus);environment and health (e.g. APHEIS focus);

• connect the gathering of valuable scientific data with raising connect the gathering of valuable scientific data with raising citizen awareness through participation;citizen awareness through participation;

• target schools as a key partner and as a ready-built’in target schools as a key partner and as a ready-built’in network and infrastructure at EU scale;network and infrastructure at EU scale;

• create a sense of European Scale Cooperation at citizen create a sense of European Scale Cooperation at citizen level.level.

EURO-LIFE-NET:

In each School in the EuroLifeNet, groups of students lead by a teacher will “adopt” an “EuroLifeNet Node”, and keep a regular record of indicators measured on this Node.

Bio-Physics parameters at the Node

EURO-LIFE-NET:

Node ID: School, GPS Long/Lat/Z, type

Socio-economic parameters in a circle (or grid) centered at the Node

Composite data (tracing data around the node, eg. students carrying sensor 24h

measuring personal exposure)

All “EuroLifeNet Node” share their data and integrate it at multiple scales, “feeding” different uses and agregate records.

Data validation procedures with institutions

EURO-LIFE-NET:

Adoption of common data protocols

Sets of tool kits for schools and teachers

Use of integrating tools and architectures

Events inter-schools and public awareness