ETEC 511 posts
The Perfect Influencer Girlfriend
References
Crawford, K. (2021). “Labour.” In The Atlas of AI. Yale University Press.
Duffy, B. E. (2017). (Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love: Gender, Social Media, and Aspirational Work. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
During the proposal I worked on the usability aspects of the tool and during the development of the tool, I used AR to create part of the story. Originally I thought we could use one of the lesson plans about Residential Schools that have been shared online to gather data about our user, but then I learnt about Indigneous ways and rights around story sharing. To avoid appropriation, Leo referred to the Truth and Reconciliation document to create a script for Charlie’s story to use for the tool. From here I was able to create an AR scene depicting a part of the script. Every week we met through Zoom to discuss and share/demo our progress and discuss how our tool was usable and how it was configuring our users and ourselves. I found these discussions useful and when I went back to reread the readings, I was able to make more connections to my own teaching practices and beliefs. For example, at Professional Development sessions on technology, the presenter often says, “Of course the students know how to use technology. Even if they don’t, they can learn quickly and still be able to teach the teacher.” Reading Issa and Isaias’ (2015) observation that “[i]n order for computer-based systems to be widely accepted and used effectively, they need to be well designed via a ‘user-centered’ approach” (p. 20) plus Woolgar’s (1990) paper on configuration makes me realize that instead of using my own observations to create student profiles and determine their technology capabilities, I had relied on others, assuming that their reality is the same as mine.
*Please note that this is the same video shown during the presentation.
Although I had a better understanding of configuration and usability, I still had problems identifying and describing the intended user, which made it hard to agree on what customizations were needed to make the tool usable. If I were to do this project again, I would work backwards by looking at the different lesson plans and curriculum overviews from BC (because it’s the Canadian curriculum I am most familiar with) and Saskatchewan (from an online search there appeared to be a good number of lesson plans available) to find a lesson or unit where Charlie’s story could be used. From here, I would identify the grade and subject of the user. Then I would find at least one person who falls in that age group and region. I think it would have been possible since both I and Leo are from BC and if we had used a lesson from Saskatchewan, Liz is from there. Then we could have profiled our user(s) and their school’s socio-economic, cultural, linguistic and technology policies/usage/ratio. Even if we could not find a person to test and feedback our tool, we could have chosen a school to offer a demo to and configured the tool to the school’s situation. Having a user in mind is necessary because HCI is an interdisciplinary subject, involving computer science, psychology, industrial design, sociology and anthropology (Issa & Isaias, 2015). The latter two involve interactions between technology, work and organization, which we were unable to fully consider without a more detailed user profile.
I enjoyed working on this tool. Feras, Liz, Leo and Safa were communicative, thoughtful and encouraging. I learnt a lot from them.
References
Issa T. & Isaias P. (2015) Usability and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Sustainable Design. London: Springer. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1007/978-1-4471-6753-2_2
Woolgar, S. (1990). Configuring the user: the case of usability trials. The Sociological Review, 38 (1_suppl), 58-99.
*note: In the video I rounded some times down if activities extended into the next hour for less than five minutes.
The two devices that I use and usually only use when I’m not at work are my phone and laptop.
I noticed during the time I worked out, ate and did my coursework, I purposely altered my environment, by turning silent or airplane mode and leaving my phone on a shelf or table because individuation attention is circular: “I valorize what I pay attention to and I pay attention to what I valorize” (Citton, 2017, p. 21).
From Marin. (2022, May 9). Nokia 7070 was an ultimate cooler of flip phones. Nokiamob.net. https://nokiamob.net/2022/05/09/nokia-7070-was-an-ultimate-cooler-of-flip-phones/
I grew up with minimal technology and upgraded my Nokia 7070 prism flip phone to a smart phone in 2016, so I remember a time when I completed my homework at the kitchen table, the only diversion I had was my mother cooking dinner, but today’s students have grown up with technology and they have are frequently in a state of hyper-attention where their focus flips among different tasks and information streams since they need a high level of stimulation (Citton, 2017).
Citton (2017) explains that attention is a “matter of selection” (p. 178). Power resides in those who can “filter the flows [of attention] that pass through us” (Citton, 2017, p. 178). I work with 8 year olds, is it reasonable to expect them to filter through all the stimuli calling for their attention? Rather than teaching skills, Green and Bavelier (2012) suggest it may be more useful to elevate attentional and executive control.
While joint attention was a distraction that led to multi-tasking during my 12 hours, employing joint attention from my perspective can be helpful in gaining my class’ attention. I noticed that there were instances where my attention was diverted by what others were discussing, such as the discussion in the group chat about food. Even though this caused me to shift into multi-tasking (using the chat app, the review app and map app (and translation app because Chinese is not my mother tongue)), the focus was on food, a subject dear to my heart and stomach. In joint attention “I am attentive to what you pay attention to” (Citton, 2017, p. 18). Would I pay attention to the chat if they were not discussing food? There was a long chain about a quarantine balcony party, which I ignored. There was also a chain about cleaning up after dogs, which I also ignored.
I think joint attention can have several beginnings: boredom, common interest, affection for the object or person seeking attention or an ulterior motive. I pay attention to what my students pay attention to in the hopes that they will pay attention to me. When I do this, I can use individuate to get their attention by inserting images into presentations and character names into stories, examples and word problems to catch and hold their attention. Doing this is also a way to forge relationships with students, then when I share a personal experience or interest in a topic that bores them, I can use their affection to gain their joint attention so they will be attentive to what I pay attention to; however, it must be used selectively, as Citton (2017) notes, we must “[b]e strategic about [our] attentional valorization” (p. 178). If I rely on affection too often, their bank of patience and focus will run dry as their individuated attention overtakes their joint attention.
What else can I do to direct my students attention? Citton (2017) aptly notes that “ecological reorganization [is] necessary for the reproduction of the life forms that we value” (p. 23). At my school all classrooms have been set up so display boards within the classroom are at the back of the classroom, reward systems are set up at the side and the IWB and whiteboard is set up at the front. Classroom decorations go on the back boards to avoid sensory overload. School supplies are provided by the school, lessening instances of students playing with pencil cases and erasers. Paul North observes that a world of distractions is actually a world of attention (cited in Citton, 2017), so Citton (2017) recommends a “vacuole” (p. 179) which exists in the form of a reading or quiet corner where students can escape the bombardment of stimuli that still exists within the classroom.
Within this environment choices are still necessary. Providing choices such as the option to produce a comic, write a story or create a video is another way to direct students’ attention because learning is about getting to know oneself and that self needs an outlet of expression, which could be why aesthetics has been an important part of attention economy since the beginning (Citton, 2017). A seating arrangement is made by me, the teacher, but they sit in groups at round tables which could be distracting, but students cannot always be on alert. Reflexive attention on their attentional habits happens when they have space to think (Citton, 2017). In the classroom children become “the individuals that [they] are depending on the paths along which [their] attention is stabilized” (Citton, 2017, p. 172). At the same time, teachers have a responsibility to ensure students know how to respond to issues appropriately by learning to ask, “Is it truly important that our attention should be focused on this issue?” because neglect will not cease its effect on students (Citton, 2017, p. 178).
At the end of the day there is a limit to what I can do to direct my students’ attention. I remember an easily distracted, but capable student made good choices one week and he received a “Star of the Week” award at the Friday assembly. He was ashamed, and said he regretted his good behaviour because his friends made fun of his attentional choices. I remember speaking to him about asking himself which choices will benefit him the most. According to Citton (2017), attention means to “alienate ourselves” (p. 179). Perhaps instead of letting choices form goals, teachers should teach students to make goals to direct their choices and attention so they can learn to select their attention paths from the flow.
References
Citton, Y. (2017). Introduction and Conclusion: From Attention Economy to Attention Ecology. In The Ecology of Attention. John Wiley & Sons.
Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2012). Learning, attentional control, and action video games. Current Biology, 22(6), R197-R206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.012
Schools often bring in new management because they want to envision a different dream, and part of this new management team’s vision was place an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) in each classroom which consumed the majority of last year’s school budget. So how much did these IWBs cost?
SMART Board 6000S V3 series: approximately $7,740 CAD not including additional software
Besides ongoing costs such as energy consumption for 65″ SMART Board is:
0.105 kW x 0.094 USD x 8hours x 22 days = $1.74 USD/month x 1.29 (August 5th exchange rate) = $2.24/month
While I could not find the wifi costs for the SMART Board, the monthly cost for iPad wifi (128gb) in Chengdu city is $615 CAD.
SMART Technologies offers a 3-5 year warranty.
The approximate annual cost of one classroom IWB over the life of its warranty is: $2,782.48-$8,752.40 CAD
($2.24 + $615) x 10 months + $7,740/3 = $8,752.40CAD/year
($2.24 + $615) x 10 months + $7,740/5 = $2,782.48CAD/year
Lohr (2020) reports that in 2018, approximately 1 percent of global electricity consumption was from data centers. In 2020 data centers’ energy consumption was “barely growing” (Lohr, 2020) due to carbon offsets, but computing power used in machine learning doubles every month, meaning there could be change within a few years’ time, making this period of time “a critical transition phase to ensure a low-carbon and energy-efficient future” (Lohr, 2020).
Production Costs
Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Policy
From SMART Environmental Commitment
Resource Costs
From their white paper, SMART Boards are made from different types of plastics, a polyester-based plastic (Mylar®) and a melamine-based plastic (Formica®) and have an aluminum honeycomb composite. Plastic is a synthetic, man-made and non-biodegradable product. Mylar® and Formica® must be brought to facilities that specialize in recycling these materials. When melamine-based plastics and/or mylar are inappropriately disposed, they can enter waterways and effect the aquatic systems and the people who consume them (Iheanacho et al., 2020; Kennedy & El-Sabaawi, 2018). Iheanacho et al. (2020) conducted an experiment on unhealthy Clarias gariepinus, an African fish known for its nutritional value and ability to adapt. They found that chronic exposure to melamine led to symptoms of stress and neurotoxicity (Iheanacho et al., 2020). Mylar plastics are not biodegradable and while they can be quickly broken down by stormwater causing physical abrasion, the mylar particles will still effect the acquasystem (Kennedy & El-Sabaawi, 2018). Aquatic animals such as collector, gatherers and
filterers could ingest the plastic particles and being at the bottom of the foodchain, the microplastics will be passed up the food chain (Kennedy & El-Sabaawi, 2018). Plastic particles can attract organic pollutants such as hydrocarbons which could lead to illness and death among the marine life that ingest them (Galloway, 2015; Wright et al., 2013; Eerkes-Medrano et al., 2015 cited in Kennedy & El-Sabaawi, 2018, p. 826).
Production and Consumption-based Climate Impact over Aluminum’s Life Cycle
From Milovanoff, A., Posen, I. D., & MacLean, H. L. (2021). Quantifying environmental impacts of primary aluminum ingot production and consumption : A trade‐linked multilevel life cycle assessment. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 25(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13051
Aluminum is a readily available and used metal, but its production processes such as smelting and refining impact the environment negatively (Milovanoff, et al., 2021). The above charts aluminum processing carbon emissions in the top 15 countries affected by aluminum consumption and production.
Hazardous Materials Table for SMART Interactive WhiteBoards
Lead is the only hazardous material that does not meet Restriction of (the use of Certain) Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directives. Lead is toxic and can harm human health as well as the environment (Schileo & Grancini, 2021), it is “one of the most recycled materials in widespread use and has the highest end-of-life
recycling rate of all commonly used metals” (Davidson et al., 2015, p. 1624), which could lower lead’s overall environmental impact.
SMART Technologies have collection programs in Hawaii and New York listed on their website. People outside of the USA will have to find a service that will help them responsibly dispose of and recycle their IWB.
Have all actual costs been reported?
No.
Labour Costs
Regarding labour costs, SMART, the company made by the school’s IWBs was acquired by Foxconn in 2016. Foxconn is a company well-known for manufacturing Apple products and parts for Apple. A google search of Foxconn news turns up articles reporting allegations against Foxconn’s factories supplying Apple regarding various worker rights violations, but no mention is made about SMART or the other products Foxconn has a hand in manufacturing. With the amount of news reports on Foxconn’s Apple manufacturing plants’ working conditions, it seems odd that there is no mention of other companies. Could this mean that other companies do a better job of monitoring and maintaining working conditions? Or does it mean something else? Perhaps SMART Technologies smaller market of consumers do not hold them to the same standards as a gigantic global company like Apple. Maybe investigating Apple-related news is more newsworthy and brings in more clicks? SMART Technologies never defines what it means to be safe, secure and environmentally responsible. What would be considered overcrowded and poor living conditions in North America could be considered standard for a country like China. Buss (2018) notes the importance of having clear definitions of human rights issues. These definitions must be construed and shared with the local working population to avoid under-reporting (2018).
From SMART Technologies Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Policy
The material, manufacturing, carbon footprint and transportation costs were not available for SMART Technologies on their specifications document or white paper. Greenpeace’s Resource Efficiency in the ICT Sector report focused on technologies frequently found in homes such as mobile/smart phones and tablets.
The terms “carbon footprint”, “energy” and “education” were used to conduct a search through the databases available on the UBC Library website. The result was 39 peer-reviewed articles on initiatives schools could take to reduce their carbon footprint. Replacing “education” with “IWB” or “interactive whiteboard” found zero articles.
In constructivism, the environment is an important participant in the learning process, so IWBs are primarily marketed as learning environment enhancements to build meaningful interactions with the learning content. Schools purchasing IWBs are interested in moving away from the “sage on the stage” traditions that overhead projectors and black/whiteboards promote and are therefore interested in research related to learning and academic achievement rather than sustainability.
References
Buss, D. (2018). Conflict Minerals and Sexual Violence in Central Africa: Troubling Research. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 25(4), 545-567.
Davidson, A. J., Binks, S. P., & Gediga, J. (2016). Lead industry life cycle studies: Environmental impact and life cycle assessment of lead battery and architectural sheet production. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 21(11), 1624-1636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-1021-5
Iheanacho, S. C., Igberi, C., Amadi-Eke, A., Chinonyerem, D., Iheanacho, A., & Avwemoya, F. (2020). Biomarkers of neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and lipid peroxidation in clarias gariepinus exposed to melamine and polyvinyl chloride. Biomarkers, 25(7), 603-610. https://doi.org/10.1080/1354750X.2020.1821777
Kennedy, K. T. M., & El-Sabaawi, R. W. (2018). Decay patterns of invasive plants and plastic trash in urban streams. Urban Ecosystems, 21(5), 817-830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-018-0771-9
Lohr, S. (2020). Cloud Computing Is Not the Energy Hog That Had Been Feared.
Milovanoff, A., Posen, I. D., & MacLean, H. L. (2021). Quantifying environmental impacts of primary aluminum ingot production and consumption: A trade‐linked multilevel life cycle assessment. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 25(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13051
Schileo, G., & Grancini, G. (2021). Lead or no lead? availability, toxicity, sustainability and environmental impact of lead-free perovskite solar cells. Journal of Materials Chemistry.C, Materials for Optical and Electronic Devices, 9(1), 67-76. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0tc04552g
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
“Why are the high school students’ backpacks so much smaller than [the primary students’] backpacks?” This was a question I was asked by one of my 9-year-old students. At the K-12 international IB school I work at in China, students are required to bring their own devices to school when they move up from elementary to secondary. In elementary school, home learning is assigned online through Firefly, while submission can happen digitally or on paper. Once students move on to secondary, they are required to submit their work online through Firefly, check their school email and Microsoft TEAMS learning space for learning materials from their teachers, thus explaining the smaller-sized bags my student observed.
Starting in the last term before entering middle school, Year 6 students and their parents are asked to bring a device. Students who are unable to bring a device to school have access to a school iPad, but during the last school year all Year 6 students were able to bring their own device. I was unable to find numbers related to BYOD in schools within China; however, according to People for Education’s website (2022), the last few years have seen BYOD policies “gaining popularity in education” within the province of Ontario. As seen in Figure 3, there is a greater push towards students bringing their own devices when they move from primary to secondary.
Figure 1
Schools encouraging students to bring their own devices
From People for Education (2019). Connecting to success: Technology in Ontario schools. https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/connecting-to-success-technology-in-ontario-schools/
BYOD policies first started in businesses for sustainability reasons before becoming popular in the education system (Oaks, 2013). The displacement of textbooks and paper brought about by students bringing their devices to school will be examined through the lens of sustainability.
What is sustainability?
[D]evelopment that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs.(Gro Harlem Brundtland, 1987, p. 2)
Save Paper, Save Trees
Oaks (2013) states that BYOD policies are good for the planet. Students’ devices can serve as a “repository for textbooks for the class they are taking or a storehouse for their own reading material. This obviously cuts down on the amount of paper needing to be produced, thereby saving countless trees.” However, a 2016 study conducted by an environmental think-tank specializing in forestry research and analysis, Dovetail Partners, found that while the decrease in American paper production has led to a decrease in the number of trees used to make paper, it has not led to more trees in American forests (Dovetail Partners, 2016). The Dovetail Partners (2016) paper noted that there has been a decrease in paper production since the 90’s–in 2013 down 15% from 2007 and 20% from 1995, but production has shifted to Asia, so why has there not been a significant change in the number of trees saved in the USA? Traditionally, paper was primarily created from sawdust and woodchips, which as lumber by-products (Dovetail Partners, 2016). Since the late 1990s there has been a decrease in constructing houses, which has created a decrease in lumber by-products, resulting in an increase in trees harvested for paper production (Dovetail Parnters, 2016). Dovetail Partners (2016) outlines a concern that public policies may cause forests to be converted into commercial sites because most wood products in the United States come from privately-owned land. If there is no demand for wood products, these landowners may clear their lands in favour of a more profitable endeavour (Dovetail Partners, 2016).
Figure 2
Permitted Electronic Communication Devices
From Leman International School, (2022). Primary BYOD presentation for parents and students 2021-22 .
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Zooming out from the trees to see the forest, there is a global ecosystem affected by BYOD. The two products recommended to students at my school are the Apple iPad and the Chromebook, so this paper will compare these two products. Apple and Google have both made public their efforts to be sustainable. Apple’s website declaring it has been carbon neutral since 2020 and by 2030 their products will be as well and Google has been carbon neutral since 2007, in 2017 it was the first company to match 100% of its annual electricity consumption with renewable energy and in 2030 all its data centers and campuses will be running on carbon-free energy (Alcorn, 2021). Using Apple’s data, Greenpeace’s Resource Efficiency (Manhart et al., 2016) in the ICT Sector report shows that during the average iPad’s lifetime, more than three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions happen during the production stage. This is due to the 2-3 year lifespan of tablets (Manhart et al., 2016), which falls short of some state school funding policies that require devices to last at least 4 years in Australia and New Zealand (Sweeny, 2012). Notebooks on the other hand, have a lifespan of 5 years. New Chromebooks could potentially last for 8 years with Google’s promise to provide at least 8 years of updates (Alcorn, 2021), lessening its environmental impact.
Figure 3
Percentage Distribution of Life-Cycle based Greenhouse Gas Emissions of tablets
From Manhart, A., Blepp, M., Fischer, C., Graulich, K., Prakash, S., Priess, R., Schleicher, T., & Tür, M. (2016, November). Resource efficiency in the ICT sector. Greenpeace. https://www.greenpeace.de/sites/default/files/publications/20161109_oeko_resource_efficency_final_full-report.pdf
Figure 4
Greenhouse Emissions for the Apple Company
From Apple Inc. (2022a). Environmental progress report. https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/Apple_Environmental_Progress_Report_2022.pdf
Emissions for Chromebooks were not available specifically, but data for notebooks show lower emissions over tablets when comparing them through an emission per year calculation: tablets at 26.7/year and notebooks at 19.4/year.
Figure 5
Comparison of annual greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO2e/year) of various products
From Manhart, A., Blepp, M., Fischer, C., Graulich, K., Prakash, S., Priess, R., Schleicher, T., & Tür, M. (2016, November). Resource efficiency in the ICT sector. Greenpeace. https://www.greenpeace.de/sites/default/files/publications/20161109_oeko_resource_efficency_final_full-report.pdf
To the Cloud
The Chrome OS utilizes a cloud platform and can be paired with CloudReady to run on both PC and Mac devices (Alcorn, 2021). CloudReady is highly accessible and capable of speedily reusing existing hardware for both new devices and older devices such as a 7-year-old laptop (Alcorn, 2021). Not having to replace existing devices is a way to minimize electronic waste.
Packaging
Another sustainability measure Apple has taken is a reduction in plastic used to package iPads. Packaging for iPads consists of 92% fiber–45% of which is from recycled sources (Apple, 2021). The remaining fiber comes from virgin wood from “responsibly managed forests” (Apple, 2021, p. 5). According to Apple’s Sustainable Fiber Specifications, they do not accept fibers from illegal sources; sources must be certified from a list of Apple-approved sustainable management or sourcing programs (Apple, 2016). Apple requires its suppliers to provide documentation proving they meet its Sustainable Fiber Specifications within 24 hours of demand, but the document does not indicate that Apple performs regular checks on suppliers (Apple, 2016). The responsibility to maintain specifications after initial approval lies on the suppliers. This allocation of the burden of responsibility is also applied to Apple’s approach to ensuring fair treatment of workers in factories and mines.
Chromebooks are devices that use a Chrome OS, so devices are created by a multitude of companies. Alcorn (2021) notes that the first Chromebook made with ocean-bound plastics was created by HP and Acer’s Chromebooks use 60% less PCR and virgin plastics.
Human Rights in Factories
The Apple Supplier Responsibility Standards is a document that explains Apple’s expectations for suppliers regarding human rights. It is a multi-page document that lists what the supplier must do, rather than what Apple will do. Suppliers are expected to keep relevant records proving they have upheld these standards and are asked to provide these documents immediately upon request from Apple (Apple, 2020). Apple does not take an active role in ensuring these standards are met and documentation recorded appropriately, for example, “[i]f any Active Underage Worker, Historical Underage Worker, or Terminated Underage Worker is found either through an external audit or self-review, Supplier shall notify Apple immediately and shall implement a remediation program as directed by Apple” (Apple, 2020, p. 19).
A Google search using the terms “Apple” and “factory workers” shows reports from 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 of labour law breaches in Apple’s suppliers’ factories in China and India. Foxconn is mentioned in three of these four reports. While inaccurate reports such as Mike Daisey’s visit to a Foxconn factory (This American Life, 2012) do occur, it is concerning that there continue to be negative reports surrounding one of Apple’s major suppliers, Foxconn.
When the Google search was replaced with “Google” and “factory workers”, articles revealing Google illegally underpaying its workers appeared. The Guardian reports that since May 2019, Google has known that it was in violation of local laws in the UK, Europe and Asia requiring temporary workers to be paid the same amount as full-time workers for the same work, but took two years to comply (Wong, 2021).
Rare Earth Minerals
While Apple has been taking measures to reduce its carbon footprint, the company’s contribution to the throw-away culture has to be considered as well. Every year Apple releases new “non-upgradable and non-maintainable” products (Bender, 2021), yet a 2019 report by the Royal Society of Chemistry states that there are 40 million unused devices in the UK and only 18% of users have any intention of recycling them in the future (cited in Cawley, 2019). Despite global numbers not being available, estimates from different studies suggest that at the most less than 50% of mobile devices are recycled, though the number is likely to be less than 20% (Chancerel, 2010; Geyer & Blass, 2010; Hagelüken, 2006 cited in Manhart et al., 2016, p. 40).
Figure 6
Collection Rate of Waste Electricals and Electronic Equipment in Europe, 2012
From Manhart, A., Blepp, M., Fischer, C., Graulich, K., Prakash, S., Priess, R., Schleicher, T., & Tür, M. (2016, November). Resource efficiency in the ICT sector. Greenpeace. https://www.greenpeace.de/sites/default/files/publications/20161109_oeko_resource_efficency_final_full-report.pdf
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Cawley (2019) goes on to explain that this finding is alarming due to the European Chemical Society’s study indicating that elements used in devices are in danger of disappearing from nature. The rare earth metals Apple’s iPad uses are tin (Sn), tantalum, tungsten (Ta), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), and lithium (Li). 65% of the device’s rare earth minerals are obtained through recycling (Apple, 2021, p. 3). Data from other countries show that unused devices are a widespread problem, according to the figure above, only a few European countries manage to collect 50% or more of their Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Eurostat, 2015 cited in Manhart et al., 2016). In 2017 Australia, a country of 26 million people had 23 million unused devices and in 2014 the US had $13.4 billion worth of unused devices (Cawley, 2019). To promote recycling, Apple has a Trade-In program that operates in 99% of the countries they sell their products (Apple, 2021, p. 7). Eligible Apple products can be traded in for store credit or an Apple gift card while other devices can be brought in and recycled for free (Apple, 2021, p. 7). Google’s recycling program is also available for any device. People can drop off their devices at a collection site or request a shipping label to ship their device(s) to the nearest recycling plant (Google, 2022).
Figure 7
The 90 natural elements that make up everything
From European Chemical Society, (2021). Element Scarcity. https://www.euchems.eu/euchems-periodic-table/
Apple’s Conflict Minerals Report for 2021 states that the company does not directly purchase minerals from mines, but they require their mineral suppliers to undergo third-party audits. The document does not state how often these audits occur, but 2021 was the seventh-straight year that all of their suppliers participated in an audit (Apple, 2022b). Despite the use of third-party audits, the report leaves room for questions. Within the report there was mention of human rights but no mention of violence or women. There was also mention of working alongside activist groups, but the numbers and initiatives were not described. Both Buss (2018) and Niarchos (2021) point out that what constitutes sexual violence or human rights abuse is unclear or misrepresented. Niarchos (2021) shares that in the Democratic Republic of Congo, having sexual intercourse with a virgin can increase a man’s luck in the mines which has led to the rape of children often resulting in the death of the children. This belief is so widespread and culturally ingrained that it is not always recognized as sexual violence by the locals (Niarchos, 2021). On average families are so poor that children are expected and needed to work for the family’s survival (Niarchos, 2021). Work and possibly die in unsafe working conditions or not work and starve to death. Situations such as these define what could be described as a place between a rock and a hard place.
Conclusion
Despite its flaws, the availibility of data from Apple indicates that Apple has been expending more of its resources toward sustainability compared to its competitors. Both Apple and Google promote their measures to reduce carbon emissions, but data on establishing and maintaining human rights are unclear or not available in detail. While I appreciate the flexibility and range of price points available for Chromebooks and question some of Apple’s business practices (Batterygate), I think Apple products are more sustainable, especially with its Trade In program. Although both companies have recycling programs in place and both do not seem to prioritize marketing these programs, Apple’s Trade In seems more accessible, which was a key factor in my decision because companies need to be responsible for their unused devices. Cities can implement collection programs for Waste Electricals and Electronic Equipment, but the process of sorting materials is time-consuming, costly and difficult when a facility has to process a variety of materials (Mars et al., 2016). When governments and consumers hold companies accountable for the afterlife of their products, more thought and care will be put into designing sustainable devices and promoting sustainable practices such as recycling among its consumers. The visible presence of Apple stores throughout the cities I’ve lived in better facilitates recycling Apple devices whereas Google would require doing an Internet search or an in-store inquiry. The many and various aspects of sustainability can be daunting so bypassing a simple Internet search can help lighten the load of maintaining the planet.
References
Alcorn, Z. (2021, April 23). Contributing to a sustainable future with chrome OS and partners. Chrome Enterprise. https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/chrome-enterprise/contributing-to-a-sustainable-future-with-chrome-os-and-partners
Apple Inc. (2016, April). Sustainable fiber specification: Version c https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/Apple_Sustainable_Fiber_Specification_April2016.pdf
Apple Inc. (2020, January 1). Apple supplier responsibility standards. https://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple-Supplier-Responsible-Standards.pdf
Apple Inc. (2021, September 14). Product environmental report: iPad (9th generation). https://www.apple.com/lae/environment/pdf/products/ipad/iPad_PER_Sept2021.pdf
Apple Inc. (2022a). Environmental progress report. https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/Apple_Environmental_Progress_Report_2022.pdf
Apple Inc. (2022b, February 9). Conflict minerals disclosure and report, exhibit. https://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple-Conflict-Minerals-Report.pdf
Bender, T. (2021, September 21). Apple and sustainability: The good, the bad and the ugly. Cooler Future. https://www.coolerfuture.com/blog/apple-sustainability
Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Our common future (Brundtland report). https://www.are.admin.ch/are/en/home/sustainable-development/sustainability-policy/2030agenda/un-_-milestones-in-sustainable-development/1987–brundtland-report.html
Buss, D. (2018). Conflict minerals and sexual violence in central Africa: Troubling research. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 25(4)W, 545-567.
Cawley, C. (2019, August 19). Unused tech piles up while rare earth elements grow scarce. Tech.co. https://tech.co/news/unused-tech-rare-elements-2019-08
Dovetail Parnters. (2016, February 8). Contrary to popular thinking, going paperless does not “save” trees. Two Sides North America Inc. https://twosidesna.org/US/contrary-to-popular-thinking-going-paperless-does-not-save-trees/
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Google Store Help. (n.d.). Learn about google’s recycling program. https://support.google.com/store/answer/3036017?hl=en
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Nussbaum and Novak’s (1976) research discovered the following misconceptions about earth’s shape and gravity among elementary school students:
| Note. Retrieved from “Is the earth flat or round? primary school children’s understandings of the planet earth: The case of turkish children” by S. Ozsoy, 2012, International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(2), 407-415. |
| Note. Retrieved from “Is the earth flat or round? primary school children’s understandings of the planet earth: The case of turkish children” by S. Ozsoy, 2012, International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(2), 407-415. |
Vosniadou and Brewer (1987) state these misconceptions occur due to traditional teaching methods often result in “weak” rather than the necessary “radical” restructuring of concepts (cited in Sneider & Ohadi, 1998, p. 267). LfU’s emphasis on “deep and robust” understanding (Edelson, 2001, p. 356) of science concepts would be beneficial to clearing these misconceptions.
Giving children goals, and presenting information gaps, such as: Why don’t penguins living in the South Pole fall off the earth? could be used to motivate children and challenge their current understanding of the earth’s shape and gravity. The multi-step processes and activities that the principles of LfU demand makes sure that learning does not end with students simply stating that the “earth is round.”
A unit I will have to teach next school year is on sound. The key learning objectives the unit will cover are:
Principle 1: Modifying existing knowledge structures
Students’ basic knowledge of sound is that it is sensed with the ears. Subconsciously most of them probably know that sound can be felt, this simulation can be used to build upon their understanding of sound as part of the sense of hearing to expand to sense of touch as well.
Domain-specific software: https://www.labxchange.org/library/items/lb:LabXchange:4f11b1e3:lx_simulation:1
Principle 2: Knowledge building consists of conscious and subconscious goals
Now that students are conscious of sound’s sensory effect on touch, they can challenge themselves to explore other ways sound affects the other senses.
Domain-specific software: https://www.labxchange.org/library/items/lb:LabXchange:a90c14c8:lx_simulation:1
Principle 3: Learning should be built in a situation conducive to future knowledge construction and use
Observations from real life can be brought into the classroom and further examined with the use of simulations.
Domain-specific video: https://www.labxchange.org/library/pathway/lx-pathway:b1ab2716-6a2f-49a9-94e5-430f860cc75a/items/lx-pb:b1ab2716-6a2f-49
Domain-specific software: https://www.labxchange.org/library/pathway/lx-pathway:b1ab2716-6a2f-49a9-94e5-430f860cc75a/items/lx-pb:b1ab2716-6a2f-49a9-94e5-430f860cc75a:lx_simulation:d5dc9783
Principle 4: Knowledge needs to be formed so that it can be used before being applied.
Reflecting and sharing are ways for students to make their learning visual. Padlet and wakelet are platforms students can share and curate their learning through written text, images, links to videos and articles to create a community of learning where students move from passively inputting knowledge to actively taking part in constructing knowledge.
Non-domain specific software: Padlet and Wakelet
Food for Thought, the entry written in the Preformatted text is a copy of the discussion post. After this, you can find the references.
In what ways would you teach an LfU-based activity to explore a concept in math or science? Draw on LfU and My World scholarship to support your pedagogical directions. Given its social and cognitive affordances, extend the discussion by describing how the activity and roles of the teacher and students are aligned with LfU principles.
Learning for Use (LfU) model was created by Edelson to bridge the gap created by traditional science teaching practices based on knowledge acquisition and the demand placed on students in an inquiry-based learning model where knowledge is used to support inquiry skills (Edelson, 2001). Edelson (2001) found that traditional science classes promoted memorization and recitation, but a much deeper and firmer understanding of science concepts is necessary for students to engage in scientific inquiry. Edelson (2001) based the LfU on four principles:
Learning consists of building and modifying existing knowledge structures.
Building knowledge is goal-oriented, instead of learning because it is necessary to complete the unit.
The situation that learning construction happens determines whether learners can index and refer to their learning in the future.
Knowledge needs to be formed so that it can be used before being applied.
While I have not written about it, during these last few weeks on WISE, SKY and now LfU, I have been considering how to apply these to mathematics. Their use of interactive simulations and problems seems so much more engaging than worksheets! One reason I am hesitant to make changes to my math lessons is the lack of time. Every week ten of my Grade 3 class' lessons are with specialist teachers. I think I need to consider lessons from a cross-curricular angle to not only better accommodate the time constrictions, but to better fulfill Edelson's (2001) LfU principles, especially principle number 3. I think I could combine the measurement unit on money with the science unit on food and nutrition where the exit point is a food stall run by individual or pairs of students. The starting learning objectives for the money unit are to use bases of 10 and 100, but Chinese money isn't that helpful there (the hundredths place is not always filled) and many children are used to seeing adults use their phones to make purchases, so introducing British pounds and pence will happen in these circumstances. To create goals for students, I think I could have students compare different currencies. Although most of my students are of Chinese heritage, they all have foreign passports, so the possibility of travelling overseas is there. They could make a Venn diagram comparing the different notes and coins to motivate themselves to learn and use the British currency system. The other learning objectives for the unit are to add/subtract, give change and solve problems using four operations. The exit point could be used to motivate students to achieve these learning objectives and the profits from the food stalls can be donated to a charity of the student's choice, to give the students a goal and reason for the learning to happen. They could create a currency/token system for the food stall event. The exit point also "creates demand for knowledge to successfully achieve his or her goals within [this] context" (Edelson, 2001, p. 375). Reading Edelson's (2001) article, I realize that I often use technology to gather information, but I rarely use it to show information. Technology can be integrated by using excel to help students keep track of their sales and money earned. This could be a good opportunity to reinforce checking their calculations, something some of my students neglect in their rush to finish first. A graphing tool can be used so students can compare their profits. To build knowledge in a situation that can help students easily reference this knowledge in the future, websites like TopMarks have money games using notes and coins to help students familiarize themselves with British currency and practice using money in shop-like simulations. The fourth principle is a bit harder for me to visualize. I think using whole-part-part models and number lines could help students visualize their learning so they can apply it in real-world situations. Using fake money and simulation games can also help make this learning useable. The actual running of the food stalls can happen in two parts, the first part can be a soft opening, allowing students to have "direct" experience using money in a real-world context and a chance to receive "direct or indirect communication" (Edelson, 2001, p. 360) when they interact with customers. Having a soft opening will also give students time to refine their learning. I think the soft opening could create curiosity by "surprising" (Edelson, 2001, p. 376) with the knowledge gaps they have. I imagine there will be students who find calculating change easy because they have a strong understanding of place value as well as strong mental math skills, but they may only be familiar with calculating change through subtraction, but cashiers are often taught to count up when giving change, this might not make sense to students in explanation; however, it can make more sense when students have a chance to apply it in a busy situation. They can try out different methods to solve problems as they occur during the soft opening and after the soft opening they can use the knowledge they acquired to reflect on the experience and make changes to make the actual event smoother. The reflection portion of the refine stage gives students a chance to solidify their connections between knowledge and experience.
References
Edelson, D.C. (2001). Learning-for-use: A framework for the design of technology-supported inquiry activities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,38(3), 355-385.
Ozsoy, S. (2012). Is the earth flat or round? primary school children’s understandings of the planet earth: The case of turkish children. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(2), 407-415.
Sneider, C. I., & Ohadi, M. M. (1998). Unraveling students’ misconceptions about the earth’s shape and gravity. Science Education (Salem, Mass.), 82(2), 265-284. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199804)82:2<265::AID-SCE8>3.0.CO;2-C