The Space To Learn page is gradually taking shape. Over the next few months I will share the ways in which I aim to develop outdoor educational technology from our foothold in the Mourne Mountains. Expect live data streams; real world applications of physical technology; and an exploration into new ways in which STEM subjects, creative writing and historical investigations can benefit from a natural environment that is fully plugged in.
Where there is breathing space
An interactive project where teachers, researchers and technologists work together to create an outdoor educational space reachable from anywhere.
Sited in the Mourne Mountains, on the coast, within 500 acres of ancient woodland
Linked to the educational community of Swindon, Wilts through Phillip Anley, Director Flickerent Ltd.
Phillip grew up on the estate before embarking on a 16 year teaching career in England. Dividing his time between Mourne and the Cotswolds, Phillip is now able to offer the corner of the estate as a shared resource for educators and technologists.
Primary and Secondary pupils learn from real-world applications of physical technology.
Neurodivergent children experience live links to calming woodland, whilst engaging with live online links to STEM based experiments
Visits to the site incorporate Micro:Bit and Raspberry Pi based coding missions in which the natural environment is analysed through multiple novel inputs
Dividing his time between Mourne and the Cotswolds, Phillip is two years into this project, having begun it during a sabbatical year in 2022 ,
Live data feeds directly into classrooms to provide STEM subjects with concrete examples of how technology can make a meaningful difference in an environmentally sensitive setting.
Live video feeds from deep within the ancient woodland of Mourne Park, NI.
Pupils given agency in the ongoing montoring station: collaborative design teams in Swindon and South West schools
Teachers invited to develop resources or deploy on-site experients for inclusion.
Colleagues far and wide are welcome to explore with us the potential of this space, on behalf of everyone to improve learning outcomes for children.
The Schoolhouse, Mourne Park
Connectivity outdoors: subterranean cat 5, Draytek access points -> feeding fibre (FTTP)
Automatic electric gate access
Outdoor path lighting, power points (20A), security
Transmission Zone: the area in which STEM experiments can be live monitored
Camera feeds: remotely monitored / some offline habitat specific / night view
– examples: ( nesting areas in trees, red squirrel dray, badger route)
Temperature
Light (Lux)
Humidity (outdoor as %)
Pressure (hPa)
Particles (link): pm1, pm25, pm10, nh3, oxid
Archive conditions (interior humidity and shelving temperature)
All Raspberry Pi powered:
Moisture (soil), pH
Gas (LPG / Propane / Hydrogen link) CO2
Starfield (shooting star detection)
Wind: turbine
Radio frequency analysis (link)
River and stream current: water turbines (link)
Acoustic monitoring, eg (link1) (link2)
Plus:
Micro:Bit field trials in September 2024 / Spring 2025 for biodiversity detection and animal habitat monitoring
To see the current particulate readings click here: Live Data Feed Page
Buried deep
If you would like to explore ways in which you could become involved please click the join button below, or email your suggestions to:
