STEM: What does it really means?

Assalamualaikum and hi everyone:

There are two incidents that struck me regarding the acronym STEM this year. The first incident was when I become the STEM club advisor in my first year and hosted a meeting of the STEM club in my school. I ask the club members whether they know the meaning of the STEM acronym? What does each letter stand for? One of the students leave me with the answer; Science, Technology Economy Malaysia 😼. Wow.......

The other incident was last week when I asked my students to hand over their Project-Based Learning (PBL) report for the first semester after a longggggg holiday at home (MCO). Seeing them reluctant to submit 'the model of blood transportation' which is one of their assignments, I start to preach about STEM. As I start to explain about STEM and the importance of integrating these four elements all together especially the element E which is Engineering. One student raise her hand and saying 'I don't understand teacher (the acronym)' - and this is the first class; so to speak.

Science. Technology. Engineering. Mathematics

Before the MCO was announced by our Prime Minister, I leave them with Project- Based Learning (PBL). This assignment integrated the STEM elements where students are assigned to build 'the blood transportation model.

I remember when my supervisor, Assoc.Prof. Dr. Nurulhuda Abdul Rahman asked me about the element of ENGINEERING in a STEM-based task which I planned to developed (which later I change to a different approach of teaching-learning module. Is not easy to develop a STEM module... helloooo) 😅.

From that moment, I realised that even my carefully crafted assignment here does not meet the requirements of a STEM assignment where Science, Technology, ENGINEERING and Mathematics working together in one PBL.

I would like to share my reading of the characteristics of STEM Education.


Characteristics of STEM Education:

Morrison (2006) described the-

(i) STEM-educated student as a problem-solver, logical thinker, technologically literate and able to relate own culture to the learning.

(ii) STEM school has STEM literacy as a priority and culturally relevant to all students, has curriculum materials in support of the STEM instruction, foster a culture of questioning and creativity and encourage assessment practice that is both formative and performance-based.

(iii) STEM classroom is active and student-centered, has computers with STEM software, has easily reconfigurable furniture and serves students with various learning styles as well as those with disabilities.



References:

Morrison, J. (2006). Attributes of STEM education:  The Student, the School, the Classroom. Baltimore, MD: Teaching Institute for Excellence in IN STEM.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) PT3 KSSM Semester 1

Assalamualaikum wbt and have a good day.

Year 2020 is the second year of the implementation of the the curriculum which in my opinion is a very exciting, and towards the 21st century learning - so to speak.

Last year, we accomplished 2 Project-Based Learning task in a year (one for each semester).

The learning area was:
1. The Human Respiratory System
2. Electrical Energy

This year, for the first PBL, I plan for a different learning area which is The Blood Transportation.

The assignment

Example of the rubric for Peer Assessment.

Obviously there are huge differences between project/folio and PBL report. Therefore the assignment is carefully design to enrich the students activities of PBL.

Comparison between project and Project-Based Learning

One of the component in the PBL task is to plan for a talk regarding the sub-chapters in Chapter 3: Blood Circulation. Thus, I invited Dr. Sam Lan Sih from PKD Kinta to deliver the educational talks.

One of the Powerpoint slides

Form 3 students listened to the talk title "Blood and its importance'

Dr. Sam Lan Sih of Klinik Kesihatan Kinta gives a completely enthusiastic and insightful talk for 2 and the half hours.

Demonstrate Resonance in a Wine Glass

Assalamualaikum and hi everyone!!

On the 1st July 2020 during Movement Restriction Order (MCO) due to C19 pandemic, students are given one assignment which needs to be conducted at home.

This experiment is part of the experiment in the Experiment Manual of my Technology- Enhanced Learning  Module (TEL). QR code for the TEL module is provided in my blog. The experiment requires the students to utilised smartphones as the learning tool to conduct this experiment.

I include here the Youtube video on the theory of Damping and Resonance for students' reference.

Observation:

Before the observation, determine the MV and RV of the experiment first; where the MV: is................... and the RV is ......................
Then rub the rim of the wine glass with your index finger and observed the frequency generated.

Discussion:

Discussion and Conclusion:

Think. Pair. Share 

Graph Plotting - Yay or Nay

Assalamualaikum wbt and have a good day everyone!

For this entry, I would like to share on the Yay and Nay for graph plotting. Your technique for graph plotting is originally inherited on how specific and articulate you are in Mathematics graph plotting.

The graph is a VERY VERY important element in learning Physics. As soon as you have the raw data during observation, you need to plot a graph/s in order to find:
(i)     The relationship between the Manipulated Variable (MV) and Responding Variable (RV)
(ii)    Whether the gradient of the graph give any meaning in terms of proving to the theory
(iii)   The pattern of the graph shows whether a law/rule is followed or not

That is why you see me very upset when in your experiment report, you put your focus on copying from the aim of the experiment until procedure but lose focus on what is meant to conduct the experiment itself which is the analysis from graph plotting, discussion, safety measure taken during the experiment and conclusion.

So stay focus.

There are SEVEN rules in Physics SPM level which must be followed by the students:

1. Title of the Graph

2. Physics quantity of y- axis and x- axis is referred to the graph title

3. Unit of each physics quantity for the y-axis and x-axis is included

4. The scale of the graph in y-axis and x-axis must be uniform

5. The value of MV and RV must be transferred correctly from the table to the graph paper.

6.  There are two types of graphs (in Physics SPM level): a smooth straight-line OR a smooth curve (textbook page 11)

7. The size of the graph must be more than 50% of the graph paper.

Here are some of your graph Yay - Nay:

1. The physical unit at the y-axis does not represent graph required which is T²against l
2. Scale in the y-axis is not uniform

1. The physical unit at the y-axis does not represent graph required which is T²against l
2. Values at the y axis supposed to be T² instead of the value of t 

Now, these are the graphs which have been plotted by your classmates. Can you relate the mistakes? and corrections that should be done?

Mostly the same mistakes were done by the students.

Mistakes meant to be CORRECTED. Mistakes also are part of the learning process. I hope that with this sharing, you are able to do correction of your graph.

Gravitational Acceleration (Photogate)

Assalamualaikum and hi everyone!

Chapter 2: Force and Motion

Aim: To determine Earth's gravitational acceleration

the Photogate


Since we a still finding resources to buy the photogate, I am lucky enough to attend Prof. Emeritus Dr. Rosly Jaafar' s course. I have recorded the experiment and upload it at Youtube: 

Demo Photogate oleh Phykir UPSI.

Here are the results and calculation to determine the gravitational acceleration by using Photogate

Comments on students work:

1. The diagram is not labeled


Reference:
Form Four Physics KSSM, Sasbadi Publication.

Gravitational acceleration (Simple pendulum)

Assalamualaikum and hi everyone!

Chapter 1: Measurement

This is the first experiment in Form Four Physics KSSM in the year of 2020.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the length of the simple pendulum, l and the Period of oscillation of the simple pendulum, T

Data from observation:

There are two graph needs to be plotted by students.

1. T against l
2. T² against l, 

but, I would like to emphasize more on the second graph T² against l which later will be use to determine the Earth gravitational acceleration.

graph of  T² against l

Next, lets reveal the beauty of experiments in Physics when data analysis from experiment proving the theory


From the graph of T² against l, 

Conclusion:

The value of the gravitational acceleration from this experiment is 9.53 m s^-2  which is 97 % close to the value of gravitational acceleration on Earth; 9.81 m s^-2

Comments on students work:

1. Students' misconception between t (time take for  ___ oscillations) and T (Period of oscillation)
                        t ⇎ T
2. Secondary values reported in the table are not consistent in terms of decimal point (d.p)
3. Secondary values is calculated in the table. No need to do this because it may create confusion.
4. Graph plotting:
    (i)   For graph plotting, there are 7 points on How To Plot a Graph must be taken into measures.
    (ii)  For the first graph T against l, be sure that the y-axis is Period of Oscillation, T (not Time, t) 
    (iii) For the second graph T² against l be sure that the y-axis is Period of Oscillation, T² (not Time, t)
5. Determining the g from the graph. Unable due to haywire of the graph plotting 🤣😭😭




Reference:
Form Four KSSM Textbook, Sasbadi Publication

Ticker tape: Acceleration of an object

Assalamualaikum wbt and have a good day everyone.


This entry is dedicated to my 4 Hibiscus students as a reference.


In Chapter 2: Force and Motion, you have learned to determine the acceleration of an object with a trolley run down an inclined runway.

In order to determine the acceleration. you must first determine the:

(i)   initial velocity, u
(ii)  final velocity, v
(ii)  Time taken for the trolley to accelerate

The key point in determining the velocity of the trolley is to understand the relationship between the parameter involved which are:

Knowing that displacement of the trolley is the length of the strip, how about time? read the notes here:

thus,

For 1 tick (time interval between two dots) is = 0.02 s

10 ticks = 0.2 s

Ticker tape obtained from the results of activity 2.1 in the textbook page 32 is analysed.

 Comments on students' work:

1. The length of each strip is not stated.
2. The time interval for 10 ticks is incorrect (It is 0.2 s NOT 0.02 s)
3. Final answer with correct S.I unit

Reference:
1. KSSM Physics Form Four Textbook, Sasbadi Publication.