Development of a domestic circuit for the teaching of Practical Electricity (2015)
Currently, it is impossible to manipulate the power supplies within the classroom to learn about domestic wiring and its safety measures. This is because it is not possible to show the students explicitly the wiring arrangements and safety features as most of the wirings are hidden under the surface. The prototype that we are developing allows the students to see the wiring in details so that they can have an appreciation of the domestic wiring system. Besides that, three main demonstrations will be carried out to allow the students to see the dangers of household electrical circuits without facing the unnecessary risks: Overloading, tripping of earth wire and the calculation of the cost of electricity.
SST Outdoor Classroom Project (2016)
This project aims to provide a platform for the conduct of onsite Place-based Learning during Field Trips. This project is developed to be an exemplar for the implementation of SST’s mission “To nurture passionate innovators who improve society through real-world applications of science and technology”. This project is able to implement the various aspects of what SST stands for: Applied Learning, 21st Century Competencies and disposition, Information and Communication Technology, Inter-disciplinary Research, and Innovation & Enterprise. Through this project, we attempt to encapsulate all the five value-propositions of SST. The learning approach allows the setup of a temporary classroom to support the learning of students on-site. In this setting, a group of students participated in an environmental science field study to experience knowledge integration and a decision-making process. The project involves a group of students engaged in a 2-phase science and planning project. In phase 1, students will work on six research topics to understand the characteristics of a rural area and in phase 2, they will plan for the development of an ecological village. Students collected and analysed data from the field and shared their findings. Should there be any problems with the data collected, they will be able to refine their methods of data collection immediately. Throughout the project, students will experience the development of integrated knowledge, the challenges of knowledge sharing and communication during their collaboration. This made-made environment. This platform will allow students to learn through a collaborative problem-solving process, including the interdependence of knowledge and the development of mutual relationships such as respect and care for others’ knowledge and learning. More information could be found here:
Performance Tasks as an alternative form of assessment (2017)
To nurture passionate innovators who improve society through real-world applications of science and technology, Applied Learning and 21st century competencies needs to be developed amongst our students. Performance tasks provide a good platform. Through a carefully crafted real-world problem, students are required to develop a solution as a team. We will be able to challenge our students to develop authentic solutions to real-world problems. The performance tasks are not limited to certain disciplines but can be inter-disciplinary in nature. We have selected a few interesting new performance tasks to be developed for the year 2017 so as to provide a good range of STEM performance tasks across different subjects:
Electronics & Physics (Sec 3): Fox Hunting activity
Geography, Design Studies & Physics (Sec 3): Earthquake design activity
Mathematics & Physics (Sec 3): Water Rocket activity
Project-based physics labs using low-cost open-source hardware (2018)
Traditionally, student labs are used in physics curricula to let the students discover and measure phenomena they are otherwise studying. Experimental setups can range from very low tech (a stopwatch to measure the fall of a rock) to elaborate high tech (research-lab setup), but a key parameter for a successful learning is student engagement. Recently, the use of microcontrollers has been much simplified by the development of the famous Arduino microcontroller. This open-source low-cost microcontroller is widely used by the maker community.From a technical point of view, these boards can be used as a low-cost data acquisition card. Arduino is gaining popularity in schools as courses and projects are organized around the Arduino.Many student labs have been rethought using this technology. Using Arduino boards allows students to build low-cost setups, such as a computerized mirror system for optical setups, or a giant stopwatch and data logger. The low cost and flexibility of Arduino are not its only advantages: its open-source fabrication lab nature can encourage sharing of ideas, tinkering and creativity among students. In terms of pedagogy, such an engaging environment is ideally suited to a project-based learning (PBL) framework. In this project, we will be implementing the Arduino and its related sensors in the following types of lessons: (a) Classroom demonstrations; (b) Standalone Laboratories; (c) Full-scale Investigative types of Science research projects.
Development of Student’s Planetarium for the teaching of Astronomy (2019)
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetariums is the large dome-shaped projection screen onto which scenes of stars, planets, and other celestial objects can be made to appear and move realistically to simulate the complex 'motions of the heavens'. Planetariums range in size from the 37-meter dome in St. Petersburg, Russia to three-meter inflatable portable domes where attendees sit on the floor.
The design that we are proposing is a 6-meter diameter dome, which
can accommodate about 15 students comfortably at any time. Having the dome to
conduct our Astronomy Lessons reduces the need to have a perfect weather all
the time for star gazing, which is a rare event in light polluted Singapore
night skies. The key parameter for a successful learning is student engagement.
Student engagement takes many forms:
(a)
Adoption of a hands-on learning for the design, purchasing and building for the student leaders. The topics
include geometry, cost benefit analysis, sewing, electrical wiring and
ventilation system designs.
(b)
Student teachers have to plan
and implement an interesting Astronomy programme for the audience /
participants. The student teachers can plan their planetarium programmes
according to different themes (e.g. seasonal skies, planetary hopping, deep sky
objects, stellar evolution etc)
(c)
Student participants will be engaged in Astronomy Story-telling, engaging their senses (light, music,
sound, temperature) in a simulated star
gazing event even during the daytime.
The low cost and portability of the Planetarium are not its only
advantages: its student self-assembled planetarium can encourage sharing of
ideas by students, troubleshooting and creativity among students. In terms of pedagogy, such an engaging environment
is ideally suited to a project-based
learning (PBL).
Development of Satellite Communication Systems for the teaching of Communications in Lower Secondary Science at School of Science and Technology, Singapore (2019)
The Communications module
Modern electronic communications aim to transfer information from
one place to another sometimes over great distances easily and reliably. A wide
range of communication systems uses electronic equipment to meet the needs of users.
Some examples of such equipment in common use are telephones/ facsimiles,
mobile phones, handheld radio receivers, commercial radios/television, and
computers. Most of these devices are Bluetooth®-enabled allowing communication
between devices for transfer of data. Wireless computer networks are common in
offices, schools, and homes for easy connectivity of computers using Wireless Fidelity
(Wi-Fi). With the proliferation of the World Wide Web (internet) and mobile
phone networks, information transfer at high speeds has become relevant and an
integral part of life. Electronic communication technology has enabled the
information age where knowledge created in one part of the world is instantly
available anywhere in another part of the world.
Key Inquiry Questions in
communications
- What types of information can be
transmitted?
- How is information converted into
electromagnetic signals for wireless transmission?
- Do all waves require a medium for
transmission?
Innovation
In order to support the learning of communications, it would be
enlightening to engage students in the use of different parts of the
electromagnetic spectrum to communicate with each other. Communication can take
place through the use of wifi, radio waves, and microwaves.
Satellite communication
The advances in technology, including satellite technology, has
allowed International not-for-profit organizations to surface. An example is Project Persephone. Central to the project are the following goals/aims:
(a) establish global, public
access to telepresence in ecosystems sent to low Earth orbit – exovivaria
(b) lay the groundwork --
infrastructural, political -- for projectile space launch from high
mountain peaks near the equator
The overriding priority, for now, is on research and education. The idea is to foster, through virtual exovivaria and terrestrial
prototypes, a sense of being on a Spaceship Earth.
Pedagogy
The low cost and portability of the Project Persephone are not its only
advantages: its student self-assembled systems can encourage the sharing of
ideas by students, troubleshooting and creating a community amongst students.
In terms of pedagogy, such an
engaging environment is ideally suited to project-based learning (PBL). The key parameter for successful
learning is student engagement.
Student engagement takes many forms:
(a) Adoption of a hands-on
learning for the designing, building and
assembling of the antennas and transceiver.
(b) Application of the topics of electricity, sound and electromagnetic waves. These three
topics are integrated through the
LSS Communications module to arrive at a communication system. A diagram that
represents the linkages are as shown below.
(c)
Engaging a performance task. Success in managing a
communication activity through the use of satellite communication systems
would build confidence amongst the students that science is about life and is
around us. They would be able to see how their science knowledge can be applied
to a real-world communication task that straddles across boundaries and
distances.
b. The proposal
Currently, SST LSS has
implemented our curriculum through the following:
(a) Activity-based lessons that
engage students e.g. use of software-defined radios to listen in to radio
stations
(b) Performance tasks that
engages students through a team challenge e.g. Burglar Alarm
(c) Learning Journeys and talks
by scientists/engineers that introduce students to the applied learning aspects
of their learning e.g. Learning Journeys to research institutes that use
satellite technology to study the earth / Talks about the use of satellites to
study the earth
Our proposals are based on developing another classroom
activity that can enhance the learning of our students in the area of
communication science. This activity can also be provided to other students who
visits SST for the learning journey as well.
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