Integrative Ecology Education
Context for understanding the debate of the Feral Horse issue
Within the world of social, ethical and political stakes, there can be issues and problems that are complex and complicated and difficult to solve. In the Victorian Alpine Region, Feral Horses have had devastating effects, inflicting notorious damage and influence on the environment around them.
One of the main issues is the difficulty in finding a viable solution to this problem. The various stakeholders involved have their own perspectives and differing opinions and beliefs about solving this issue. This can make resolution extremely difficult, as often not one single solution is agreed upon.
A brief description of this activity
Within this activity, students will be given the opportunity to learn about the issue of Feral Horses, and the complications experienced within the science and social world. This activity will give the students the opportunity to put into practice what they have learnt about stakeholders. The main idea of this activity, aligned to the curriculum point, is for students to be able to communicate and describe the way they see a certain topic, in the form of a debate. The students will be given the opportunity to consider the opposing side, and their perspective. Exposed to the information from both sides, they will be able to discern one opinion and perspective/stakeholder from another. This activity will help introduce the main topic of feral horses, and the different perspectives. Details of activity are presented on the next page.
What this resource contains
Within this resource, the activity is listed with the corresponding curriculum point, as well as a brief walk-through of the activity direction and purpose.
Victorian Curriculum Links
Levels 7/8
Science Inquiry Skills: Analysing and Evaluating
​Use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to identify relationships, evaluate claims and draw conclusions (VCSIS111)
Elaborations:
identifying data that provides evidence to support or refute the hypothesis being tested
drawing conclusions based on a range of evidence including from primary and secondary sources
Activity 2
To introduce the topic of Feral Horses within the alpine region, students will watch videos, from 3 different sources. Each source presents a different opinion, or at the very least a variable way of thinking about the issue. This will allow the students to keep an objective perspective on the topic, to encourage them to keep an open mind, suspending their own judgement and simply look at a topic from all positions.Â
The students will also participate in a "Ladder of opinion" activity, to gain an understanding of where each person stands within this particular topic.
Students will work in groups to create a debate for their representative opinion, to challenge other members of other groups.
Once the debate finishes, the students will reassess their position on this issue by participating within the ladder of opinion again, to observe their own or their peers changed views of this issue.
Part 1 of Activity 2
Present each of these videos to the class – sources that display different perspectives on the topic of feral horses, as listed below.
This first source, as represented by Anthony Hoy, is a representative of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association in favour of preserving the hertiage of the horses within the wild. Watch from (0:00 - 6:44). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjRRSQ5yhQ
This second source, as represented by David Paull, is a representative of the Australian Alpine Liaison Committee Stakeholder, in favour of managing feral horse presence within the alpine region. Watch whole video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TT2N8nxrPk
This third source, as represented by Alexandra Cameron, is a representative of both sides of the issue, interviewing both for and against within this topic. Watch from (3:07-10:33). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zArrMjNp1Hw
Activity Steps
The students will participate in a ladder of opinion, to gain an understanding of how the class is split between opinions. The two ends of the room act as differing opinions, whilst the middle acts as a middle-ground for those who either, can see both sides, or don't have an imposing opinion. It will be a scale rather than objectively one or the other. One side will depict: those who agree that feral horses must be preserved in their current environment, and the other side: those who believe that some management action must be taken to fix the issue. If a student has a particularly strong opinion, they would stand in the corner of the one side, if they still agree but not quite as strong, they would stand near the middle-ground. The purpose of this would be to eliminate too many possibilities of having too few, or no students in one particular perspective.
Allocate the students to a group that share a similar opinion based on the ladder of opinion. The groups must then jot down a few reasons, about 2 or 3, as to why they believe in their respective opinion. These will build the foundation for their debate.
The groups then need to build a case, that they can present to the class, that describes why they believe they are in the right.
Steps 1 through 3 are to be completed within one class timeslot.
Within a 3-minute timeslot, the students will participate within a debate from their teams, to try and convince the audience as to why they believe their perspective on feral horses is the best way to address this issue.
Once everyone has presented, each group needs to construct 1 rebuttal point for 2 other groups, as to why they think that they are wrong.
Once again, reengage with the Ladder of Opinion, and discuss some of the changes you can observe.
Steps 4 through 7 are to be completed during the second class timeslot.