I learnt to use 3D tool in a short time period. I was learnt to use Google sketch up and Sweet home 3D also I learnt to use x-fig which is 2D design. I was not aware of the 3D tool and I searched internet and got input from our team. Then I took all the measurements (Height, Width and Depth) for the tables, windows, doors, cupboard etc…. Now I am able to do design. It gave me a confidence to try more using the tool.
What went well?
I was able to complete do design by using 2D as well as 3D. I was able to cover all the table and boards. I was to do the design with measurements.
Where to Improve?
I was unable to finish it on time I took 3 days (8 hours) to complete the design.
Snaps are available here.
Top view (Google Sketch up)Top view (Google Sketch up)Top view (Sweet home 2D Design)Top view (Sweet home 3D design)
STEM land is moving from Udavi school to near our office. Which is inside the udavi school campus. Before moving STEM land we (we refers to STEMland coordinator, Sanjeev and children) want to have basic plan. I did the plan using cardboard. It was helped me to get new inputs from Naveen and 10th grade children. I gave the cardboard planning to the children and children organised the materials at cardboard. It was helped to visualise the new STEM land building.
Logeshwari, Vasantharaj, Alex and I went to present our paper in the ‘Medaiyil Thisaimaani’ program. There were full of govt.school teachers from various school. We (we refers to logeshwari, vasantharaj, alex and saranya) got an opportunity to talk about our school (Isai Ambalam) on first day first program. We shared what we do and what method we follow at our Isai Ambalam school.
We were able to deliver everything also we were able to complete it on time. We had a panel discussion in the afternoon. Govt.school teachers presented their paper to everyone. They also shared what they do and what method they follow in their school.
Reflections:
Saranya
(i) I was able to be on time for the Seminar. I was able to deliver what I want and I was able to complete it on time. I was able to interact with people from different social profile.
(ii) Our presentation went well and it was well received. We had questions from different people also one teacher inspired by our project (world map). They wanted to have same world map in their school. Interacting with many people and I met my school headmaster.
(iii) I would like to practise before hand for presentation.
Logeshwari
This is the first time I am presenting about Isai Ambalam School outside. I learnt what it would take to give out a presentation to people. It was a good learning experience to become aware of the teaching methods in many of the government schools.
What I did well.
I presented my part of slides in the presentation well other than I expected.
What went well.
The day was started with our presentation and it went well and was received well by the audience.
What I will do differently.
Put time for preparation
Vasantharaj
I didn’t even think about teaching and teaching methods in Government school. In ‘Madaiyil thisaimani’ most of the teachers are from the government school. They have been following different methods, this surprised me a lot. I learnt that Education is practical and the students enjoy the Joy of learning. One science teacher presented a paper “Innovative participatory assessment techniques for science learning” that inspire me a lot. They created their own website and students published their projects. He also explained how to generate QR code for the website. This makes students more curious towards the science. This program makes me perspective of thinking towards how to take classes more interactively.
Alex
I learnt many teaching methods from experienced teacher’s. It’s very useful for me. This program is out of my expectations because is that my first presentation and best experience for
me.
I learned a study on soil,Soil profile, Moisture contents, Pond eco system, etc and then I learned
natural and healthy foods.
in the three days very useful for me. Every day I learnt new things from this workshop.
On day 2 we (We refers to STEMland Team) started with Stewardship tool (Deep listen tool (S4NE)). Arun and Poovizhi processed insights from yesterday session. Here is the insights from yesterday session (Day1) and they started the deep listening tool. Arun and Poovizhi processed insights on next day(Day3) for the deep listen tool.
Stand and fear (Day 1):
Insights from Participants:
I noticed my fear and when I noticed my fear I want to be the best I can do.
Is better to notice my fear first.
I acknowledge it and the steps to transcend my fear.
I learnt to notice my stand.
I noticed my strength and weakness.
I started to practise the steps to release my fear.
Usually I think what to command and what to suggest now I realised my background conversation and was able to put down my background conversation.
Able to listen deeply.
Learnt to listen deeply.
Learnt to be aware of the background conversation and quiet it and also able to listen others.
Learnt to listen deeply and it helped me to have better relationship with others.
If I knew something and other person is conveying the same I won’t even listen to them but I realised to listen deeply also I was able to learn new which I did not know before.
After the stewardship session we started with planning. Usually in STEM land children use to plan for a week and they will work according to their plan. Similarly we want the participants (Participants refer to teachers) to start with everyday planning and everyday assessment. The participants filled their plan and assessed on their own.
Before starting the technical session we had project presentation by the participants. It helped us to see the participants progress. Then we started the technical session on scratch. We have used advanced scratch software which is scratch version 3. The participants installed the software before coming to the course. It helped us to save time. Participants started using new version of scratch and we started the basics in scratch. On first day they learnt to use sensing and making story. On second we want to involve little with mathematics. We gave small small task to everyone for example: Draw Shapes, Stories, Mandala and maze game.
Here are the projects created by the participants.
1. Maze game
2. Story
3. Happy birthday music
4. Interactive shop
Session 3:
Every afternoon we start with watching video which is related to our work. On second day we played Isai Ambalam school movie which is created by Auroville Pictures.
Session 4:
In the technical session we started to learn mathematical problem through projects. Making a projects with help of scratch3. The participants were able to get the concept first then the participants started to design the project using scratch3. During the there were many questions from the participants and we were able to answer the questions and were able to support the participants. We also gave homework to the participants.
Pie-chart project presented by the facilitator.
Concentric circle project presented by the facilitator.
2018 and 2019 passed out children 4 of them (Ajay, Rathnavelu, Sathish and Kbilan) came to learn something new in STEM land. They saw that we were working on scratch 3 using mindstorm so they also want to learn scratch 3 using mindstorm. They learned the mindstorm at STEM land also they already familiar with mindstorm. But they didn’t know how control the robot by using scratch 3.
Scratch 3 is a newer version of scratch. It has some new features. Which is controlling Arduino, Mindstorm and translator. They built hand and leg using mindstorm. They connected the mindstorm and scratch 3 through Bluetooth. Children did coding in scratch 3 and they have control the robot. It was wonderful that children were utilising there time in learning. Even though they graduate to other schools they were able to retain what they have learned in STEM land.
(They refer to Gujarat team) Rahul and his team from Gujarat came to visit Udavi STEMland and Isai Ambalam school STEM land. They were 4 of them and they run residential school at gujarat. They take mathematics and science for their children. They want to observe the classes (@STEm land) how we teach at STEM land. They were very surprised that we don’t teach in STEM land. They came to know about us through internet. Suddenly they planned to visit. They came only to visit STEM land ( March 28th ) . They also stayed with Isai Ambalam children for their sleep over. They wanted to observe the classes and activities. During sleep overs children go for their drumming circle they were curious to go with children and they want to learn drumming.
In Udavi children presented their projects and children shared their experience with them. They wanted to learn about scratch. I and Murli took scratch course for them with help of my team. We started with basic and Rahu tried his best and he helped his team to familiar with scratch. The did their best and they are continuing relationship with us. We are organizing robotics course and programming4matheducatorrs workshop for in and around Auroville youngster and mathematics teacher. Rahul is signed up to attend P4ME workshop.
~Saranya
Visitor from Pondicherry. He has an experience in robotics by using Arduino. He wants to learn mindstorm so he visited STEM land. In our STEM land there is no hierarchy. If children knows which I don’t know I can learn from children also. That what happened at STEM land. He actually learnt from children only. He already knew how the mindstorm works but he didn’t do it by practically. He started coming to STEM land then he worked with our children and he learnt mindstorm. Now he is offering course on robotics. Here I am able to see sharing knowledge each other. Whateer we learnt we shared with him now, he is going to share about robotics.
Tamara Moss visited our STEM land in February. She is running Sunflower Learning C enter in Rajashtan. When she visited STEM land she was inspired by children’s projects in scratch. She wanted their children from SLC also want to learn scratch programming. There were 3 teachers and one student from Rajashtan. STEM land facilitators, two of us (Saranya and Muralidharan).
Day 1 :
We started with the tasks. First, we want them to understand about scratch, so we asked them to drag the code and click on now you say what is happening?. It was like conversation then they got whatever the command that they are dragging the sprite is doing it. Finally, they found that. Then we gave the first task to tell a story.
Here is the outcome which we got from them.
Day 2:
The task 2 was interacting with computer by asking questions (general knowledge question). We explained what we are going to do, but we didn’t do it. We asked them to try. When they struggled we helped them.
Here is the outcome which we received from them.
Day 3:
We want to make different shapes which are related to Mathematics. This task also we didn’t do it. We want them to think about it and we got their suggestion of how to draw a circle. Before this we explained about all the blocks in the scratch. Then we showed the demo of how to draw a circle by using that they played a lot also they got those different shapes.
Here is the outcome of this task.
Day 4:
It was continuing the last session. When they completed all the shapes we asked them to use the control function to repeat the shapes. They did that task also they got different Mandala’s. It was very nice.
Here is the outcome of this task.
Day 5:
We gave Maze game task to them. Before doing, we explained about backdrops and filling colour in the backdrops also we a gave small demo to make a Maze game. They were very excited to make maze game. Finally, they did the maze game also they have used scores. They learnt to use data blocks in the scratch.
Here is the outcome of this task.
Day 6:
We continued with Maze game to add life in their game. This was the last task for them. They did the life by using data blocks. Then we told them how to use write expression, arc sprite and why it is being used. We asked them use hep function to get more clarity on what they have learned. It is like tutorials. Also we had 15 min questions for clarity.
Last week children started to work on Mindstrom. Children from 9th grade his name is Diva he made Guitar using Mindstrom. Children from 7th grade they inspired by Diva they also started working on Mindstrom.
