HLPE1540 Grant Banfield

2148786

Samantha OMalley

Assessment 2 Inquiry Project Report

How has the Inquiry Project experience advanced my understandings of what good
health education might be, and why?
My experience throughout this inquiry project has been very rewarding. Prior to participating
in this topic and group task my understandings of what good health education was were
quite limited. The only health education I had been taught was in school and I saw that as
good health education because that was all I knew. After completing this project I have
already realised that my understandings have developed in way that has me thinking and
considering health issues that I never have before, so therefore this project definitely
advanced my understandings of what good health education is because as an individual I
have learnt concepts and ways of thinking I never knew before.

Our projects focus was Globalisation in Health looking at developing countries. After much
research and consideration on the issue it truly opened up my eyes to all the inequality in
health around the world. This topic Globalisation was a concept I had never heard of before
and it was definitely not an issue that ever crossed my mind. It took me a while to
understand the meaning and what affects it has on our world, but after much discussion
within the group I caught on. Once I understood this idea I continued to research more and
more and what I discovered and found really interested in me to learn more. Looking back
now I am very happy that our group chose a topic that was a little different to some main
stream health issues. We all mentioned early on that we wanted to explore an issue that is
different and will get people really thinking about health in a way they may not have before.
Our aim was to introduce a new concept into peoples minds about health inequality, and I
think thats exactly what our presentation achieved. It definitely did for me and this showed
our group that what we were doing in our presentation, was providing good health education.

My role in this project was to look into Chinas plastic waste pollution problem. Throughout
my research not only did I discover information that I never knew before but I found myself
thinking about health in a different way. After having no knowledge on Chinas pollution issue
before the project, the research I found shocked me. I began to think about the health effects
that pollution must cause for their huge population. I then thought about the social impacts it
would have on their country. It was interesting to realise when I was doing my research that I
was beginning to think in a way I had never before and I was developing a social view on
health.

HLPE1540 Grant Banfield

2148786

Samantha OMalley

My understandings of the globalisation topic were becoming broader and when I was
researching I was going into more depth with my thinking. I found myself learning about
concepts as I was researching information that was new to me. My role in the presentation
was to present the information I had found about their waste with statistics and information
about their importers and exporters. I knew that the information I was presenting to the class
would have been brand new to each of them because the concept of globalisation around
the world is a topic that no one really knows much about, therefore our group was providing
the class with good health education and providing them with new ideas and concepts that
they have never considered.

For our presentation we chose to focus on Bangladesh and China and how their countries
ways are effecting individuals health. The first part of the presentation Laura and Joey
discussed the effect that making leather has on their workers and communities in
Bangladesh. They described the health effects by creating two workers and explaining what
working in the leather tannery has done to their bodies. By creating these two made up
workers it showed the class what happens to the workers and gives something the class to
think about. The class did not know until we explained at the end that these two people were
made up and this made them think about how serious the issue is. After that Jess and I
introduced China and explained the pollution problems and the effects it can cause on
individuals health. To conclude the presentation all of us explained ways that these issues
can be changed. We mentioned that even though it is not happening in our country, we can
make a change. By explaining to the class the different ways that they can individually make
a difference it is providing good health education by promoting ways to make a difference in
our world. In my personal opinion I think by discussing two different countries we were able
to give the class a range of concepts to think about and not just one. The class learnt about
two very different issues in two very different parts of the world, it was a good way to show
diversity. I liked the way we presented everyone with the truth that we are all connected
because I think this would open their eyes in the same way mine were when I was doing the
project research.

The feedback we received from Grant and our peers was very positive. Grant mentioned
how he liked our comparative methods by using similarities and differences. He also said it
was good how we connected the presentation and the small activities to individuals lives,
this made it easy to see how things are from your own perspective. By using the connecting
method it teaches students to think critically themselves about whats being spoke about.
This is something that can be used when we become an educator myself.

HLPE1540 Grant Banfield

2148786

Samantha OMalley

Grant also liked the way we ended it in the way of asking so Whats next? What can we do
now? At the end of the presentation we outlined ways we can help but the big question we
tried to leave the class with is ..Whats the next move to make a change? By leaving them
with this question they can really begin to imagine what it would be like if they were going
through it.. What would they do to make a change? Also by doing this it is teaching the class
to think for themselves about issues they have never before, this again is another example
of good health education.

Before starting this group project my views of health were very basic and I never thought
further into health issues that I did not know about. This project has not only taught be so
much about the world that I didnt know but it has given me an understanding of health
around the world. I always used to think because it was not happening in our country then it
doesnt affect or matter to us and I now know that this is far from true. As mentioned in my
last reflective journal I have realised through the topic that I have started thinking
sociologically about certain things in my life. This project also lead me to think about the
sociological template when considering certain countries and their issues. As Grant
mentioned to the class after all presentations he liked the way that each group had a
different way at looking at the issues. Some groups thinking individually about issues and
solutions and other groups looking at things from a whole perspective of society and the
world etc. From this topic and this project I have recognised that I have learnt not to think
individualistically anymore. I now realise if I look further into certain ideas and concepts I will
receive more benefits for my learning. I have now started to take a sociological approach in
the ways I am thinking and less individual. This was evident in my group project when I
changed the information I wanted to present last minute because I thought it was too much
of an individual perspective and view.

Throughout this topic not only has my views changed on health as a whole, but I have
realised what is important. Before this project and topic I only thought about what was
happening with me in my life and what is affecting me, but I have now changed my view. By
exploring the issues that are happening around the world it has lead me to care not only
about myself and what is happening through my eyes, but to think of the world around me
and others. I feel very comfortable now in my views and am happy that this topic has lead
me to seeing things differently. I believe as a future educator these types of views are
necessary as we the teachers need to guide our students in the right direction with providing
a range of views, opinions and perspectives. To be a good educator we need to provide the
appropriate and fair education.

HLPE1540 Grant Banfield

2148786

Samantha OMalley

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