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News
With thanks to Teacher in Charge of Economics, Chris Ong
Education outside the classroom (EOTC) takes many forms at Senior College level, and every year the students are given several opportunities to attend trips associated with their subjects.
As part of their assessment looking at Government interventions to correct market failure, our Year 13 Economics students visited Waihi’s Oceana Gold Mine. Hosted by the Oceana Gold Education Centre, the students visited the site and spent the day learning about mining, its impacts on society and various Government interventions.
On arrival, the students were given a breakdown on how gold and silver is mined from the Martha Mine. Within this, the tour guide explained the direct negative impacts mining has on its surrounding community, the environment and society. These were things like vibrations, noise, and water and air pollution.
The students learnt that the Government have laid down various interventions and regulations which the mining companies must abide by. In this case, they discovered that the noise, water and vibrations caused by the blasting underground must be constantly monitored and kept within the regulations. They also learnt that the Waihi residents receive payments to compensate for inconveniences that the mining causes through an ‘Amenity Effort Programme’.
This was an incredible experience for the students as they witnessed first-hand how economic concepts and ideas surrounding ‘the negative externality of production’, ‘Government interventions’ and ‘the increased costs for producers (in this case Oceana Gold)’ played out. It was great to see the concepts studied in class come to life.
Education outside the classroom allows for authentic learning where the students can personally experience new ideas and be guided by those with specialist knowledge. It is also a fantastic opportunity for the students to gain a deeper understanding of their topic and subject.