Civic-Minded Career Readiness
Action Research
Learners at Ridgecrest Elementary School engaged in a collective action research project. Together they brainstormed action research topics that impacted their school (e.g., bullying, grass on PE field), local (e.g., video game addiction, air pollution) and global community (e.g., poaching, water pollution). Through learner-generated questions and surveys, data analysis, and solution generation, learners decided to address global warming issues by planting local trees to absorb carbon dioxide. Check out the presentation from Ridgecrest Elementary School to learn more.
CIVIX
CIVIX is a Toronto-based organization that provides authentic learning opportunities to help school-aged youth learn about active and informed citizenship by providing first-hand experiences grounded in democracy. For example, Student Vote allows learners to experience the voting process firsthand, Rep Day connects learners with local political representatives, CTRL-F supports critical media literacy, and Student Budget Consultation invites learners to examine government revenues and expenditures. Between November 2023 and April 2024, more than 5000 Canadian learners participated in Student Budget Consultation offering high cost of living, affordable housing, and access to healthcare as their top priorities for increased government spending. Check out CIVIX’S report Celebrating 20 Years of Impact to learn more.
CICan’s ImpAct-Climate Initiative
ImpAct-Climate, an initiative created by College and Institutes Canada (CICan), is both a call-to-action and consortium for practical knowledge and mentorship to effectively address climate change on campuses across Canada. In response, several post-secondary institutions are working toward climate-focused curricula, campus infrastructure, and community engagement. British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Zero Energy/Emissions Learning Centre, for example, allows learners to choose from a variety of Net Zero Energy and Zero Emissions Construction courses like Residential Air Source Heat Pump Installation skills and Intro to Solar Photovoltaic & Electrical Systems for Zero Energy & Passive Homes. Thompson Rivers University installed Canada’s first-ever solar panel sidewalk producing enough energy to power the lights, computers, and appliances in the Sustainability Office. Similarly, Georgian College installed three large solar panels that power electric vehicle charging stations, as well as the Alectra Centre for Research, Innovation, and Commercialization using a microgrid. Check out CICan ImpAct-Climate to learn more.
Activity 8: Test Your Knowledge
Now that you’re familiar with the 17 UN SDGs, let’s test your knowledge! Connect the changemaking practice to the correct checkpoint(s) in the following 3 question quiz. To complete the quiz, choose the correct response(s), click the “check” button to check your answer, then use the blue arrow to advance to the next question. Repeat until all 3 questions are complete.
This activity is untimed, you may have as many attempts as you would like and your scores and/or attempts are not tracked.
