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Jinsyue Elementary School
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A. Preface
Located in downtown Tainan City, Jinsyue¡¦s campus is at 4.2 hectares in area, with 780 students and faculty combined. Thanks to the leadership and contribution of former principals and school members, the campus is brimming with lush vegetation. More than 800 trees, encompassing 37 species, can be seen on campus. Trees that are native or possess historical importance, thus warranting governmental protection, can also be found. These include Manila tamarinds, old banyans, Taiwan Persimmons, and China berries. To realize the principle of the Grade 1-9 Curriculum and promote the concept of sustainability, the school strives to integrate life education and environmental education into the general curriculum as well as push for innovative teaching strategies such as cooperative learning and inquiry-driven learning.
B. Challenge
In the southern building, windows open to the south were exposed to year-long sun light, resulting in a hot environment and strong glare. Therefore, curtains often had to be drawn and lights turned on during classes. However, air circulation was then disrupted, which in turn compromised students¡¦ health and teaching quality. Additionally, lights of the classrooms were not individually controlled. When the switch was on, the whole column would be on. This resulted in unnecessary waste of energy.
C. Solution
Following the Sustainable Campus Project in 2012, subsidized by the Ministry of Education, and pursuing a consistent overall design, horizontal sunshades of different colors were also installed outside eight classrooms on the second floor, in order to reduce glare and lower temperature. Windows now can be open to allow air circulation. Thus, eventually, teaching quality can be improved. Changes in the light circuits enable us to control rows of lights. Therefore, the ones near the windows or the corridor can be turned off when there is enough sunlight. This helps to save electricity and prolong life span of the light tubes.
D. Result
Improvement of the environment allows students to enjoy a better learning environment. Through electricity monitoring, the relation between indoor temperature and electricity usage can be better understood to conserve energy and reduce carbon emission. Electronic signs are also used to display environmental issues to raise public awareness. With the integration of environmental education and the general curriculum, the concept of sustainability can take root and become more widely-spread.
E. Conclusion
Environmental education aims to strengthen teachers¡¦ knowledge and capacity about environmental issues, and educate students to live in harmony with nature and become eco-conscious. Environmental education is not likely to yield tangible results in the short-term. Still, it needs to be implemented.
Profile
- Jinsyue Elementary School
- System: Elementary
- Report year: 2013
- Area: South Taiwan
- County: Tainan
