Heroes and Cultural Identity Project
Heroes of Stevenson College Edinburgh students: Project year 1 (2006-2007)
Here are some of the heroes investigated by students from Stevenson College Edinburgh during the first year of the project (2006-2007):
History students
Hero: William Wallace
History students in Edinburgh have started working on William Wallace
as a Scottish national hero. Two different classes have visited the Wallace
monument which is at Stirling Bridge, the site of his greatest military
victory over the English. The classes were also heroes themselves because
they all managed to climb the 246 narrow winding steps to the top of the
monument. Some now have the special certificate to prove it!
Read what one student says about this hero...
Access to Science (Biology) students
Hero: Charles Darwin
The project is being worked on by 18 students. They are mature (over 21 years of age) and are following a one year course in life sciences to prepare them for entry to university.
As part of their course, each student must choose and research some aspect of science and technology and discuss what impact it has had on society. Each must prepare a 1500 word report of their findings and give a presentation to the other members of their class. The report is an integral part of the official course assessment.
The choice of subject material is at the discretion of the student.
Already one student has decided to focus on a scientific hero. The investigation
is focused on the work of Charles Darwin
and the subsequent impact on society that his work on the origin of the
species has had and is still having. The report must take the form of
text, appropriate data, graphics and images. The feedback will include
a power point presentation to peers.
Adult Returners (Psychology)
Heroes: Abraham Maslow, Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget
The whole idea of the project was received with the greatest interest by our ARC psychology group.
By ARC we mean adults who are returning to education and who have chosen to study an introductory course in psychology.
Some would argue that there is no such thing as 'heroism' in psychology. Like many matters in life, it is indeed arguable.
Consider for instance the impact that Freud and his theories have had on social life in the 1930's. More particularly the way his theories positively changed women's lives. His explanations improved their sexual experiences by gradually removing the idea that sexual pleasure was reserved to men only.
Freud in 1932…
Another group looked at how Maslow's explanation of 'needs' could positively help society, at least at the theoretical level.
Maslow's pyramid …
Finally a third group decided to work on Piaget who was a predominant figure within the discipline in relation to the understanding of the acquisition of knowledge.
All 3 presentations were well designed and all students involved in the process enjoyed the experience.
Trade Union students
JOHN LENNON'S WORKING CLASS HEROES - Sandy
Celebrities come and go. Kings and queens are irrelevant to most people's lives. The heroes here are the students in the class themselves - trade union safety representatives in workplaces. They are the anonymous, unpaid, and unsung heroes, male and female, who by their intervention and standing up for their fellow workers halve the number of workplace fatalities, accidents and ill health (the Government's own statistics).
Sandy
is a municipal manual worker, a quiet, modest guy. He was voted by his
classmates as 'the one who made most difference' at his work. Read what
Sandy has done to improve workplace conditions.
HNC Early Education students
Hero: Robert Owen
HNC Early education students have made a short short study about an 'individual',
Robert Owen, who has influenced
our thinking about the role of education for individuals and society.
Heroes from other years
Read about some of the heroes nominated by students from Stevenson College Edinburgh in other years of the project:
