26th May 2010

WEST DORSET: Jurassic Coast DVD wins national award

AN educational DVD teaching children across the UK about coastal erosion on the Jurassic Coast has won a national award.

The two-disc resource, Coastal Conflicts, received the Silver Citation at this year’s national Geographical Association Publishers’ Awards.

The DVD was jointly created by David Weatherly, geography adviser at the Devon Learning and Development Partnership, and Anjana Ford, education co-ordinator of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site based at Dorset County Council, and published by the Devon Learning and Development Partnership.

The DVD gives children a variety of case studies from the Dorset and East Devon coast and invites them to take part in a decision-making exercise to create a sustainable management plan for part of the World Heritage Site.

It introduces children across the country to part of the British coast that represents many of the issues found all around our shores. The discs also include up-to-date and easy to understand background information for teachers and ideas for planning within the primary curriculum.

In presenting the award, the Geography Association said: “Coastal Conflicts has been given this award for its high quality content, flexibility, relevance and ease of use.

“The clear video and computer graphics encourage children to think about how conservationists, home-owners and engineers have to find sustainable solutions to the effects of coastal erosion. It is a rare example of high quality geographical software designed for use in primary schools which involves pupils in real and relevant geographical enquiry.”

On receiving the award, David Weatherly said: “This resource quickly engages children in very real issues of how our coastal environment is changing and what difficult decisions may need to be made.

“Through meeting real people in real places in the film, children relate on a personal level with coastal communities and appreciate how conflicts can arise. Above all, children come to appreciate that decisions regarding the environment are rarely simple and always involve costs and benefits for those directly involved.”

Co-creator Anjana Ford added: “The Jurassic Coast is the only natural World Heritage Site in England and Wales and this resource is an excellent way for children to understand why UNESCO has given it such an important designation.

“The DVD also helps children to see what sustainable development really means when it comes to making decisions about how we would like our environment to be in the future.”

Coastal Conflicts is one of a range of cross-curricular resources produced by the Devon Learning and Development Partnership and used by schools across the UK. It was part-funded by the Jurassic Coast Trust and proceeds from the sale of the DVD will go back to support further educational projects on the Jurassic Coast.

James Weld, chairman of the Jurassic Coast Trust, said: “We are delighted that the Jurassic Coast Trust is able to assist in providing such valuable learning resources helping to introduce children to the wonders of the Earth’s history”.

The DVD can be purchased from the online shop at www.devonldp.org. For more information about the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site team, go to www.jurassiccoast.com

WEST DORSET: Jurassic Coast DVD wins national award

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