Margaret Ferry

Margaret Ferry

Trying to keep my brain active for as long as possible, as my body gave up long ago! The MOOCs I have completed so far have been fascinating, and the more I learn, the more learning I want.

Location Scotland

Achievements

Activity

  • Succinct and straight to the point Jacobo. It seems that the law needs to be strengthened and have tough, enforceable penalties for offenders.

  • If countries were honest enough to actually fulfil the promises made during COP26 in Glasgow, or any previous 'promises' made at any other Conventions, the world would already be returning to a more settled state. However, how this is achieved will require more discourse and dialogue between many nations which will take time we just do not have.

  • I have enjoyed this first section, and now understand how it all begins with the sun. But this raises a question in my mind. Energy from the sun takes hundreds of millions of years to have an effect on the earth, so what was going on with this sun all those millions of years ago that is affecting entropy in the present time.

    You are free to tell me if I...

  • @DavidHopcroft Yes David I do remember the idea of reflective particles in the sky but that particular technology appears to be defunct. I also recall another idea of huge 'umbrellas' in space to reflect back radiation from the sun. Any idea what happened to that?

  • We know full well that we can change the world.
    The change has already taken place, and will become worse if not challenged.
    We must face this challenge with all that we have.
    We can and we will reverse the damage we have caused.

  • I feel positive in most part, on Scotland's green credentials, although the Cambo oilfield gives me much cause for concern. You cannot call yourself a progressive and sustainable country if you are bringing oil into the economy. Our government in Scotland should be supporting companies aiming to bring on any means of generating electricity sustainably, such...

  • I have been left feeling that COP26 was attempting to cover too much, and that specific areas of utmost urgency should have been the main focus throughout, such as working with China and India about phasing out coal by 2030 and getting funding to smaller island nations to help them adapt to rising sea levels, already dangerous in some places. This was fudged,...

  • The RCEs, Regional Centres of Excellence, educate and inspire younger people to become experts on the climate emergency and aim to be future leaders who have sustainability and resilience right at the forefront of their thinking. Work undertaken at a local level can be scaled up nationally and globally so that all people the world over can benefit from the...

  • Sadly my progressive disability prevents me from becoming an activist myself, but I would be able to use the social media avenues open to me via my PC to interact with other groups who want to learn more about sustainability and climate change.

  • It can only be a good thing to have young people's voices heard on climate change, this will encourage them in the years to come to promote sustainability and become leaders of the future with a conscience and an ingrained responsibility for the health of the planet. If future leaders have sustainability at the forefront of their decision-making I am hopeful...

  • Why did world leaders bury their collective heads in the sand and ignore the warnings clearly given by scientists around the world over 25 years ago? This imperative rush to identify new methods to sustainably power our world and hopefully reduce the world's temperature to 1.5° around preindustrial levels would not have happened, or not been so desperately...

  • Where I live now, a small village in central Scotland, the soil is very wet, heavy and dark, almost like peat. I have a garden big enough to grow vegetables, bushes and trees. Sadly I do not have the ability for physical activity, so I need to offer my garden to somebody who would like to grow vegetable for my local community. I could do this through social...

  • Targets need to be "by 2030" or very soon afterwards, but still governments do not understand the urgency and immediacy required to mitigate climate crisis. The people understand, some multinationals have got fully behind sustainability, but the very wealthy would prefer to keep making ludicrous amounts of money at a heavy cost to our environment.

    We need...

  • Thanks to all of you for sharing some brilliant material with other learners such as myself. too have learned many things during this 2 week course, and through watching online presentations at COP26.

    This course could run for at least 2 more weeks to give learners time to digests thoroughly some of the new concepts they have come across during COP26. ...

  • After watching several presentations today (virtually) I am being swayed towards the view that eating meat is also a very large part of the problem. Starting with clearing land for pasture, methane produced by animals, transportation costs in CO2, and the harm and ill health it brings to those who consume the meat.

    Before today I would miss eating meat a...

  • My response to COP26 is to ask why the commitments being made during the first week have not been made legal objectives to reach in a given time? All countries need to realise that the 'promises' they make are made to this world which has sustained us since our beginnings 12,000 years ago.

    My personal important issue would be rising sea levels. My...

  • So looking forward to studying this week's material, although if last week is anything to go by there will be enough reading to keep me busy until Christmas '22. Thank goodness the course is permanently open, a great idea allowing open access to everyone.

  • I feel the SDGs as an entirety point towards somewhere we would all want to live our lives, in harmony with the world around us. Whether or not this is an attainable place is another thing…

    What I have found uplifting this week is the fantastic activism from people all around the world, from all ages, they have got the message that this is our final chance...

  • The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
    I feel that the SDG's promote a vision of the world which we would all like to see, but because it will take many years, huge financial commitments, and a lot of damn hard work there is no certainty that all this time, money and hard work will finally bring rewards.
    The focus now should definitely be on SDG 13 Climate...

  • @JulietJohnston it really is great to see members of the older generation, whose past inventions and activities have piled more problems on planet Earth than she can handle, are trying their utmost to work towards positive solutions. I do count myself among this older group.

    If only this feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach would go away… I know David...

  • And Futurelearn is where I found this course. Over the last 10 years my studies have been varied, but continually I will read course descriptions, and think "I could do that" and off we go again!

    Enjoy the course Nicholas, let me know what you think at the end?

  • Can we learn any lessons from the worldwide response to COVID-19? The response by developed nations was swift, and they assisted other nations to get vaccines, PPE, and so on. Almost the entire global community has worked together in order to save lives.

    I realise the climate and biodiversity crises will cost many billions to rectify over a long time...

  • You make some extremely valid observations Lynn. Yes those living in the northern hemisphere must surely understand by now that these crises of damaging climate change and the loss of biodiversity have been caused since the Industrial Revolution used coal for the first time.

    Now it is up to developed nations to dip into their deep resources, as they did so...

  • Hello everyone, I am a 64 year old from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. My home is now in Scotland and I have been following much of the news around COP26 for some time. I was retired through ill health at 43 and keep myself mentally active by learning on an ongoing basis. This short course was too important to miss.

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    Many thanks to the Educators for making something which could have been difficult to approach into an open and welcoming course. I feel much more prepared to talk to young people about the issues affecting them.

  • Wild swimming around the North and West coast of the island where I was raised. That is what I used to do to relax, but sadly do not live there anymore. I used to knit and sew, loved to decorate my home, baked bread and cakes when time permitted.

    Sadly these things are all in the past since MS took over my body. Now my relaxation comes from my PC in the...

  • Even though my body gave up working properly many years ago (MS), I still try to keep healthy by eating a balanced and varied diet.

    Well, that was true until May this year when I needed to have an artificial feeding system inserted in my tummy. Now I just feed overnight from a machine. The 'meals' are balanced and designed to keep me healthy for years to...

  • I agree thalking to someone you trust really does help to get things into perspective.

    My favourite thing when I feel stressed is to get out in the fresh air and just breathe! I look at me vegetation, and the massive trees which will be here long after I have gone. It makes me feel like part of the story of life and place.

  • Would this be the time to keep a diary, even if it is not every day?. You could be writing to an imaginary relative, just writing a little about your feelings and so on. Sorry if I am completely wrong, but I have no experience of fostering.

  • Good to see a man advocating kindness, as he can often bring intolerance into the picture. Thank you John McFarlane for your refreshing views.

  • When I was 11, I completed my very first one-mile swim in open water. I was ecstatic, I felt on top of the world, I was walking on air!

    I think I felt this way because I had achieved something on my own merits. I had plenty of support from my family, but I was the one doing the swimming. Other people taking part in the swim were years older than...

  • When I was 28 my 8 year old son was involved in an accident while playing with friends. As a result he lost his right eye. Perhaps a month or 2 after the event I wrote down what had happened, how I was feeling, how my boy was getting along and so on. While it was difficult to go over the event in my head, I knew it might help my son in the future to know...

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    Writing about an adverse event is a very good way of dealing with your feelings at the time. Even if you do not read it again until well into adult years, you will be reminded of just how far you have come, and how resilient you now are. The person who wrote that piece of text has been replaced by a resilient and mature individual.

  • It is a good idea to surround yourself with positive people, to keep your positive attitude. Do things which make you feel good, like exercise and meeting close friends. Always try to move forwards in your thinking, not go backwards.

  • A nice touch there Julie, thanking them for trusting you. That will make them feel that you are a 'team' and you will help them through this.

  • I would try to encourage someone to approach a trusted adult or speak to their GP about symptoms they are experiencing. The Australian system of flourishing centres to treat young people's mental health problems is woefully missing in the UK which is disgraceful.

    I would hope they would respond kindly and warmly, encouraging me to get medical attention...

  • On average, 3 people in every 100 will experience psychosis.

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    Do not know if it was psychosis or not, but after a change of medication I experienced troubling hallucinations for a while, even feeling shadowy figures bump into me. Felt very creepy at the time.

    These pictures certainly remind me of that time. Even now I am sometimes troubled at night by disturbed sleep with hallucinations. I stumbled upon the way to...

  • Psychosis. I am interested to learn more about this condition.

  • Interesting, Mobolaji. Have you any evidence or is it just a theory at the moment?

  • Behaving in an antisocial way means you are not conforming to statistical 'norms' of society.

    There are very many different ways of not conforming, dressing differently for example, usually to feel you 'belong' to a particular group of people.

    But the label of committing 'antisocial behaviour' is usually kept for perceived wrongdoing which causes...

  • Very well thought out reply to the question being asked. Sounds like you know what you are talking about, Lisa.

  • There does not seem to be one definitive cause of ADHD but there are theories that premature birth or low birth weight could contribute. Some evidence points to a genetic difference in the brain in people with ADHD as it is passed down through generations.

  • Concentration loss and behavioural problems.

  • Different abilities, neurodiverse brains

    (Very difficult to stick to just 3 words…)

  • Breathing exercises work very well for me, I always lie on my back and control my breathing before going to sleep. I am nearly always asleep before my breathing exercises have finished.

    Before doing the breathing exercises, I like to reflect on the day which has just gone to reinforce any learning from during the day, and anything which has raised my...

  • 11/117. I put this down to my laid-back attitude to life in general. I also spend time reflecting on my day, and thinking of happy times.

    Exercising does not make my timetable as I am unable to partake because of severe disability. All my work is completed using voice-activated software.

  • Drowning or sinking feeling
    hopelessness
    deep loneliness

  • There has been media attention on mental health in the UK for several years, which probably began with Prince William and Prince Harry coming clean about their own issues surrounding the death of their mother and the way it was handled.

    The statistics on adolescants' mental health were about what I was expecting. More surprising was the high percentage who...

  • I am intrigued to look at the 30 missing years in my great-grandfather's past now I know a little more about filling in gaps and getting over brick walls. I will check whatever records I can to shine a light on my relative and bring him out of the dark.

    Thoroughly absorbing material provided by the Educators, many more hours of enjoyable and riveting work...

  • I have not got to this stage of contacting found relatives or visiting places in my family story, but I will make a plan of the way forward and proceed with much more knowledge than I had on the previous occasion I tried genealogy research. I am also delighted to have so many extra resources to choose from on this course, for which I thank the Educators, and...

  • @JoWakem You have had some very interesting finds along the way. One thing I agree with you about is the spelling of surnames. I was researching the female line of my mother's family, as my father's tree had already been tackled by a cousin. My grandmother's name was Doutch, very unusual and giving few matches, but "close" matches were Dutch, Doubts and...

  • @JoWakem This course has provided so much information, and the knowledge passed on by the educators has been just great. You are left in no doubt that this will not be easy, but it will be eminently worthwhile.

    Do you have any UK connections in the Wakem family tree? I know where I used to live there were lots of families with seafaring backgrounds were...

  • It sounds like we might be of roundabout the same generation, but can I please encourage you to bite the bullet and try online. Results can be found speedily which can then take you to other family members.

    I am just about ready to look for contextual information to put meat on the bones of my story. Being able to visit library collections without leaving...

  • When I began researching my family tree about 8 years ago I was concerned only with dates, names, and finding the next generation back. I did not realise there was quite so much that could be uncovered which brings a whole new picture of your own history into focus.

    I really wish I had oodles of time to spend online and visiting local history depositories...

  • I used census records to find my great grandad Joseph, exactly where I expected him to be. Trying to look back further he disappeared for 30 years and I only found his father of the same name, and my Joseph's birth records. I still have not found where he went from around the age of 10 until he was 40.

    I do have plenty of places to look now, and lots of...

  • I began using FindMyPast a long time ago when I had time on my hands and clearly I did not understand the wisdom of using multiple databases to verify your information. Now I realise the importance of being able to evidence your research I will check out free website first, and then look to the ones which charge, to assess their usefulness before I choose a...

  • I am also working behind the pack (now at the end of week 2) and I am finding all so informative, with all the extra searching techniques. They will come in very handy and I am sure the more I used them, the better I will become, well that is the idea anyway.

    Chris's story brings reality into what can become a bit dry and dusty after hours finding...

  • I tried very hard to record my voice in this step but it proved impossible because I use voice recognition software, and every single sound in the background was being picked up. The resulting recording was stop/start and very messy. I could hardly understand myself!

  • This genealogy course has taught me so much already! Not just telling us to do something this way or that way, but explaining why to proceed in a methodical manner, planning, researching, taking notes and so on. These Educators really know their stuff…

    My search began with the inheritance of an engagement ring from my maternal grandmother, so there was...

  • Because of my previous experience as a census enumerator I decided to look at census records first. I remember finding it quite frustrating that you can only look at historical records, and not during the last century.

    From there I found family groups with names, age, occupation and more, which enabled me to expand my searches. I now had enough...

  • I was born and raised in Guernsey, and have found no problem when searching Guernsey names in various databases, such as Findmypast.com. Several records have been digitised, and if the one you want is not, then an email to the Priaulx Library to ask for help is your best way forward.

    When looking for my ancestors, I found there was movement between...

  • My grandmother was a Doutch, which gave me similar problems with spelling variations. On the other hand, when you do find someone with the right spelling, there are not very many people. Makes it easier in the long run!

  • In a previous life I took additional work as a census enumerator (1981) which involved the delivery and collection of census forms to addresses in a given area. After collection, the names had to be collated into one census record book, a prime area for mis-spelling when you have hundreds of records to transcribe.

    Another problem was illness. During the...

  • Hello to all learners taking this course at the moment. Very keen to get started, best of luck to all.

    i have a granny with an unusual surname which I am eager to get my teeth into on this course!

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    I have enjoyed reading about some solutions to many climate emergencies, and the different approaches which can be taken in different situations and different places.

    The course content was lighter than previous short-courses, but this has shown me to aim at something more challenging next time I am choosing an option to study.

  • May I add beauty to the list of the importance of trees?

  • I would like to read histories of the period which contain truths, with contributions from historians and others giving a more realistic understanding of the way colonisers/invaders and indigenous peoples became known to each other.

    I think most of Europe is becoming aware of the misadventures undertaken in the name of the state or the King, but gaining...

  • Good to have this all explained in such clear and informative manner. I did find the course content much lighter than other courses I have studied with FutureLearn. Have not decided yet if I prefer the easier, less stressful style of coursework, or if I prefer to be pushed along by tutors and fellow learners, with plenty of suggested extra reading...

  • Written by someone who has a clear understanding of the problems faced by seaside locations. I love the idea of the beach school, which will bring some of these children into careers where they study oceanography, geology, and so on. What a brilliant introduction for these youngsters in many areas of beach management in response to climate change.

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    Currently living many miles from the coastline, but I was born and bred as a Channel Islander, and I am well aware of the issues faced by island communities. Coastal defences are more frequently battered by storms from the Atlantic, giving these small communities vast repair bills, to name just one problem being faced.

    From my current location miles from...

  • Ocean temperature rises which will be almost insignificant in some areas but will be greatly concerning in others. Many species living in the oceans will be unable to adapt to the pace of change there.

    Plastics in the oceans cause distress and death to many sea creatures, and once broken down into microplastic's they can be ingested by even the smallest...

  • In my part of Scotland broadleaf trees are very rare, because of the extremely changeable weather which can go from 30-ish degrees centigrade to -25-ish. This is also a great place for wind farms to flourish.

    My question: should we plant some broadleaf tree varieties in the expectation of temperature rises being at least 2° C in the future? They would...

  • My solution
    I would try to introduce a farmer's market in this locality to bring vegetables and fruit from a 10 mile radius to this under resourced area. There could also be eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt, chicken and other meats produced by nearby farms. Other home produced wares could be sold by the farmers to give them more income at the market.

    This...

  • Where I live the soil is very wet and heavy for most of the year, the vegetation which seems to thrive is grass, and those thick reed clumps which grow profusely around here in the dark soil.

  • I studied climate change at the OU 5 years ago and have since studied many short courses which have piqued my interest. Like other learners, I am feeling in need of some positive thinking and this looks like a good place to be for the next 4 weeks.

  • An eye-opening course which provided plenty of reading material and videos to keep me busy for a while longer. Good to be taught by age-diverse educators this time.

    Congratulations on an absorbing experience.

  • I really like this idea Anne. I have not studied Unconscious Bias but you seem to understand clearly the problem some people have. From what you say, it could be someone who forms instant derogatory opinions of someone, then their mouth works more quickly than their brain and a remark is uttered. I could be completely wrong though…

  • Education should be available everywhere with the correct up-to-date technology in place, and should not favour developed countries over less developed areas.

    People with disabilities, both mental and physical, need to be involved in design projects to ensure there will be access for all. This aim needs to be considered even if the project does not have a...

  • From my limited understanding, I believe the ethos was was being developed, but whether or not it was comparative qualitatively to comprehensive education I cannot answer.

    There was of course a positive impact if knowledge gained is your measurement, but I gained equally as much from my mother in terms of life skills and empathy for others. Was there a...

  • At school my son studied a GCSE entitled 'Family, Home and Food', a complete grounding in how to look after yourself from cooking to fire safety to APR and tog ratings, so much useful knowledge that he still calls on frequently.

  • After some thought and brainstorming with my carer, we have this list:
    1. Communication skills which will include discussion and debate competencies
    2. An understanding of place, not just in the world, but within various confines, and possess the skills to move between levels.
    3. A good grounding in the use of technology to access social media and...

  • @johnwakenshaw I found wealth did not stop friendships forming, and the stimulating nature of the company enriched the education further. A positive feedback I think…

  • My highlight from education is learning to read, it opened up so many other lives, places, ideas and pure enjoyment and laughter. The lowlight was 'taking' without permission Mr Morgan's craft knife, aged 8, and slicing a bit of my thumb by accident. That taught me so many lessons about borrowing, taking care, safety, first aid, blood supply to the thumb and...

  • Technology's role in education by Visakh Madathil was well written and offered points to both encourage and to delay their introduction.

    For example, many educators are themselves not confident with the technology they are using in schools. If this continues, the education attainment gap will become even wider as teachers with confidence in the subject...

  • Great synopsis Grace, and I would love to return to this beautiful world in 200 or 300 years to see if they manage to instigate the 17 stages of the SDG and create a unilaterally equal society

  • My example is of a child from a Travellers background, whose community moves around the country following the work.

    This background means children miss out on regular schooling, often leave formal education before school leaving age of 16. Their incomplete education means they have poor prospects of gaining work of any worth. Skills learned within their...

  • I answered "Somewhat Disagree" because there are examples where globalisation has proved to have negative effects.

    Take the burgeoning fast-food outlets and their speed of multiplication.
    What are they doing?
    Why is the food so addictive to some?
    Why do consumers continue to buy the food when they know it is not healthy?
    Is there any way to control...

  • We have seen many examples this year in particular of racial tensions in the USA and in the UK after unjustified police action. Anti-colonialism and anti-slavery discussions are taking place around the UK, trying to decide how much of real, honest British history should be taught in schools in the future.

    Britain's huge part in the slave trade should be...

  • Inequality:
    Will this be an 'Umbrella' word, with many sections of education covered?

    I hope we look at poverty and its impact on children and their learning. Leading on from this, I would like to consider how to arrange education for those who are less able than their peers.

    I would imagine that speech and language is going to be high on the agenda to...

  • All learners will be playing a small part in a worldwide revolution in education, learning from each other about any subject they choose, and learning that we all have similarities as well as differences. Getting to know others from many different backgrounds, creeds and colours can only be a good thing for the future stability of nations.

    What did I enjoy...

  • We all know what it is like. You get a new device and the first thing you want to do is touch the screen or press some keys, even if you have no idea what you are doing. So first children will need to get a very basic technology pad, with symbols to assist input, just learning letters and numbers. This can be undertaken in or out of the classroom, home,...

  • Oh dear, I was one of the aforementioned "privileged" children at school. Even though this had an underbelly of a single mother raising 5 children on a pitiful amount, I was still fortunate to be selected for a higher level of education.

    Each year the school organised holidays abroad, anything from skiing to cruising, and so many times I yearned to go. I...

  • The following video from HundrED describes how education for hearing impaired children can be changed to be inclusive in mainstream education as children can learn from each other. The hearing impaired child will gain friendship, and peer to peer learning as the hearing child will be learning sign language alongside his hearing loss peer.
    This may already be...

  • This sounds like a world left behind in the 1950's when rock 'n' roll and the Beatles took on the world. Sadly, the general population was not aware of the damage being done to all our futures at the same time by the oil barons buying their way into Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, et al. I will refrain from saying more about them so I can keep my place on the course!

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    What if we could really let children be children, to expand their minds through play until they are about 10 years old.

    What if these 10-year-olds could be involved in deciding their education pathway to suit their interests and aptitudes which had been learned through play?

    What if these young people came out of education after spending several years...

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    School was conforming, behaving, trepidation.
    Education right now feels like it is lost, catching up, trying its best.
    I do not want to learn set subjects, I prefer the way education is trying to evolve.
    I want more time to learn for students who take longer to form an understanding of topics.

  • Margaret Ferry made a comment

    Thoroughly enjoyed this reflective session, and the chance to focus once again on my proudest achievement. I am sadly not a university graduate, so I focused on an achievement from my childhood.

    I learned to swim in an open-air pool and on the beaches in Guernsey when I was just a young child. By the time I was 11 I was ready to undertake my first Mile...

  • Like an orchestra saying so much more than a single instrument. I think I get it! Making use of multiple information sources will provide a consensus showing you the way ahead?

  • One thing about e-learning, I miss the camaraderie of physical classes which could share in break time chatter with other learners who you actually knew! I feel it would be more difficult to build Right Relationships entirely online, without meeting somebody to get a real sense of who they are.