Thrive or survive: how can we adapt for the future?
What will Australia in 2050 look like?
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Green.
With continual population growth and the escalating impacts of climate change, water will become an even more scarce and precious resource than it is today. Safeguarding Australia's limited water supply will require all Australians to understand water's essential role in our environment and society; and how to limit wastage through efficient water usage.
The Year 7 Australian Geography Curriculum includes a mandatory unit of study “Water in the World”. Water in the World focuses on the ways water is perceived, classified and valued, how it moves through the natural environment, its scarcity and that human actions can directly impact the environment.
We have created Splash! an app targeted at Year 7 students to support the Water in World unit of study and to engage and educate students on their personal impact on the environment and Australia’s water supply, as well as to help them use water more efficiently and intentionally.
Splash! contains a number of features to achieve this goal. Students can undertake challenges to understand and directly reduce their water usage, as well as earn streaks for making habitual changes. The app allows students to take quizzes to test their knowledge, and supports them to learn more about how water can be used more efficiently, the sources of water in Australia, and how water gets to their taps.
By not only educating, but engaging and exciting students about water efficiency and sustainability, Splash! will help students and their families make more efficient and responsible water decisions that will leave Australia with enough water for a better, brighter future.
Using data on Australia's existing water storage levels, predicted population and average usage data Splash! forms a view on what the future of water in Australia will look like if the growing population continues to use water at the historical average levels. By creating a visualisation of a future city, Splash! then allows students to understand how they have a direct impact on Australia's water future, whether their current level of usage is sustainable in the future and how our water stores will be affected by population growth.
Splash! also draws data from the Australian Curriculum unit "Water in the World", as well as Australia Government information to educate students on how to be more efficient in their usage of water, to understand the role of water in Australian society and geography, and to understand where their water comes from. By connecting the outcomes of challenges and quizzes to the visualisation of the future city, the app helps students to understand the direct impact their actions will have on the Australian environment and water supply, with the city becoming greener and more sustainable as they gradually improve their water efficiency. It also visualises the processes of the water cycle to help students understand water as a continuous resource.
Splash! can also use the student's location in Australia to provide real information about where their water comes from, the journey it takes to reach their taps, and how their home fits into the ecosystem of water flows in Australia. It does so by drawing on storage, catchment and flow data - both in the natural world and through water infrastructure. Using the student's location, the app can also provide the student with detailed information about the water stores linked to their home, including its current levels and temperatures.
Description of Use Using data on Australia's average usage data Splash! forms a view on what the future of water in Australia will look like if the growing population continues to use water at the historical average levels. By creating a visualisation of a future city, Splash! then allows students to understand how they have a direct impact on Australia's water future, whether their current level of usage is sustainable in the future and how our water stores will be affected by population growth.
Description of Use Using data on Australia's existing water storage levels, Splash! forms a view on what the future of water in Australia will look like if the growing population continues to use water at the historical average levels. By creating a visualisation of a future city, Splash! then allows students to understand how they have a direct impact on Australia's water future, whether their current level of usage is sustainable in the future and how our water stores will be affected by population growth.
Description of Use The BoM water data has (and will be) used in a variety of ways to inform various aspects of the app - specific details have been included on the relevant data sets.
Description of Use The Splash! app allows students in put in their location; and then students can explore the origins of their water. This is Victorian data only - future versions of the app would require similar data from other water provides - this data is available for all states. Students are also able to see various facts and figures about their local dam - that data would come from the Bom Water data.
Description of Use This data would be used in a future iteration of the app; where students would be able to see the direct impact of their actual household usage alongside the impact of their water saving activities.
Description of Use Using data on Canberra's projected population, Splash! forms a view on what the future of water in Australia will look like if the growing population continues to use water at the historical average levels. By creating a visualisation of a future city, Splash! then allows students to understand how they have a direct impact on Australia's water future, whether their current level of usage is sustainable in the future and how our water stores will be affected by population growth.
Description of Use The water minimising tips and WELS product rating system information has been incorporated into the challenges, quizzes and streaks to encourage students to reduce their water consumption.
Description of Use We have mapped the activities in the Splash! app to the Year 7 Geography curriculum so that teachers and educators can use the app alongside classroom activities to enhance learning and understanding.
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