Collaboration using Skype

Wow love this sharing by Michael in the SG Learning Designer circle. Indeed the joy of learning geography is beyond the boundary of the classroom. And nothing beats the satisfaction in ownership of learning. Love how the kids asked the questions in true geographers' eyes... Does the Andes run across the country? Does your country experience dry weather? And not questions like does your country starts with X etc

Pulau Ubin Micro-Grid Test Bed

Part of Geog symposium 2018 - #letstalkgeog Geography Symposium

Learned a lot on Singapore Energy from the LJ today.
Singapore was first lighted up in 1906 from the first power station, the Maxkenzie Road Power Station. It used coal then - a fossil fuel which emitted 40% more CO2 than the natural gas which we are using now.
There was a severe blackout on 29 June 2004 due to the disruption of gas supply from Indonesia. This prompted the government to ramp up Singapore's energy security.

We have been teaching the students about the fuel switch under the 2012 Singapore Green Plan - that natural gas emits 30% less CO2 compared to burning oil for energy. What I had learned for this LJ which I must say is a great add on is the opening of Singapore's first LNG terminal in 2013. With liquefied natural gas there is decrease reliance on piped natural gas. Today 95% of our energy is from natural gas - a mixture of piped and liquefied natural gas.
When looking at energy options, the 3 factors are:
1. Price competitiveness
2. Sustainability
3. Reliability (24/7) and security.

Also learned something interesting - that there is a storage of chilled water below the Marina bay sand area which provides energy to the district.

Micro-grid test bed at Pulau Ubin:

 

I have not been to this part of the island for almost 2 decades. So much had changed. My last visit to this part of the island was with the students for the National Geography camp where they came here for settlement studies, mapping out the landuse in the area. Now I see more bicycle rental shops and the only one which is familiar is the stage. 

 Arriving at the jetty by bum boat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal - $3 per pax and they will wait for 12 pax before they set off.

So awed by the rocks near the jetty

A map of the island near the jetty

The main purpose of our visit to look at the micro grid test bed on how solar energy is tapped on the island. This is the learning journey which is part of Geography Symposium 2018

Rows of bicycle rental shops

There is also a taxi service near the jetty.

The island has attracted quite a number of tourists

A few restaurants on the island

By using the new energy instead of generator, the owner Ms Koh electricity bill is reduced from $800 plus to $300 plus a month

The familiar stage which I saw decades ago

The noisy generator which is still being used by the residents - though it is labelled ultra-silent. There are around 100 plus residents on the island who have benefitted greatly from the micro-grid bed test. They have installed SMART meter.

the solar panels on the roof top slightly tilts downwards towards the east. This maximise the absorption of solar and also allow the water to drain off the roof

The geography teachers' learning journey to Pulau Ubin micro-grid test bed.

The geography teachers also enjoyed a game of "monopoly" with questions or tasks related to energy.

Can you see the solar panel behind the papaya trees?

Love the aerial roots of the mangrove

So picturesque

Passed by the Changi Spit

Many fish farms near the island

As it is so near to the airport, we saw quite a number of planes flew by

Beautiful houses protected by the sea wall

drainage into the sea

Look at the view - captivating right?

More photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155756483314200.1073742133.676019199&type=1&l=1b44bcc4d5

Main source of energy on the island
Solar panel
Diesel
Energy storage banks

Phase 1
Test bed
Intermittency dip with high cloud clover, back up by batteries
Last resort Hybrid diesel and biomass


Cables underground all shops and houses w smart meter but some still on generator

Ms koh - the owner of a bicycle shop, saved electricity bill from 800 plus to 300 plus. Price competitiveness and also greener then using diesel

Every household or shop has a smart meter.
Taping on solar reduces electricity demand
Day usage is higher (industrial)
Renewable and no need to burn fossil fuel

Batteries -3 types

1. Lithium
2. Zinc air sensitive to humidity
3. Sodium ion

Other alternatives
Hanging and floating solar panels

Now 95% is from natural gas.
Solar, biomass
More is on solar

Micro grid is pioneered by EMA

Questions were raised on alternative energy sources for Singapore.
Some reservoirs have floating solar panels. Biggest at Tengah reservoir
New HDB flats ready with solar panels
Innova clean energy
Tapping on solar
Island.. pulau semakau explore wind energy
West part of island tapping on turbine

Geography symposium 2018

Opening Address by Mrs Chua Lim Yen Ching (DyDHE(PD) & ED/AST

Singapore Teaching Practice STP
There are 90 Videos sharing on pedagogy
Professional conversation and Sharing in PLN
Understanding and motivating students

Keynote speech by Prof John Wang, PHD NIE, NTU
Promoting joy of learning in your students: a self-determination theory perspective

STP Master document on motivation
Motivation in Education Research Lab
Merl.nie.edu.sg. MERL-NIE

Translating theory into practice
Achievement goal theory and other Implicit theories
Download strategies to be used in the classroom.

Growth mind set - preparing the students for a VUCA future and a lifelong learner
Volatile
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous world

Understanding Motivation
Why do you do what you do?
How can you create a classroom condition in which your students are motivated to learn?
Direction - why they want to take Geog
Persistence over time - continued motivation
Intensity
Persistence
Performance

Nature of motivation
Intrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivvation -
Amotivation - no intension to act at all. e.g. they dont see no point in trying as they had been performing poorly in the subject and they dont care

Self determination theory
Autonomy -Human basic to show that we can
Competence -Need to feel that there is this choice
Relatedness -Sense of belong8ng to a social group

3 needs that form the intrinsic motivation.
If one frustrate the 3 needs, the intrinsic motivation will decrease
e.g. Make them feel incompetent,

Cognitive Evaluation theory
Same event, it will create diff outcome
E.g. test to see whether they are learning, provide info in their learning
 If test is just to rate them, intrinsic motivation decrease


The risk of rewards
Use of tangible rewards to motivate learning runs a serious risks of decreasing intrinsic motivation

  
If they do it because of fear etc, it will not last long
the value is place on the students e.g. that they can do well to go to JC, poly... Introjected regulation
Identified w the value - Identified regulation
Integrated into identity. Do it because of intrinsic motivation. They want to study e.g university

Personality traits
If they are of controlling personality can order them to do it but not autonmous personalityThose who got their 3 needs satisfied will seek intrinsic goals.
Those who does not, will seek extrinsic goals

Gaming company use self determination theory e.g. competence autonomous

Research in MERL - Enhancing learning for NA

Student's motivation matter
Helping teachers to be more autonomy supportive
Intervention group. Teacher use autonomy support - It work

Intrinsic motivation increase
Lack of self-regulation increase

Fixed mind set? Cultivate a growth mind set

Implicit theories transfer to our teaching
Feedback to kids will impact on whether its incremental or entity
Academic incremental belief and mastery approach goals positively predicted students interest and better performance

self-determined motivation predicted positive outcome

Factors influencing teachers use of motivational strategies in classroom

Relatedness
Competence
Autonomy

It energizes the teacher

Mechanism of intrinsic motivationIntrinsic motivation activate more insular cortex activity - long term consolidation of learning
Extrinsic activate - threats, rewards - only for short term learning

Panel discussion 1
Sli.do/GYPA1
https://app2.sli.do/event/ozs5urwy/ask

Panel discussion 2

Sli.do/GYPA2
https://app2.sli.do/event/rx1veqwu/ask

Frame for good teaching.. Alignment or contradiction?
As a geography teacher, geography education is robust

Mr Yuen

There is competition for attention from ICT
Playing music without knowledge of reading notes
Using app to learn music very diff fr traditional way of learning from notes
Using a new pair of lens
Experimenting w our students
Can we be more sensitive? Responsive teaching

AP Chang

TC Chang
Whirlpool and swirl pool of change

The still centre what it takes to be a geographer

Unchanged core
As we embrace changes we must strengthen the foundation
As we look outward we also need to look inward
As we change we must not forget the uniqueness of geography

The geographical mind that is sensitive to spatial perspective of geographical issues and impacts

Spatial way of thinking and seeing
Links to places and space
Awareness of scale
Appreciation of the field beyond the classroom e.g observing
Sensitivity towards environmental implications
Embraces changes but remind us the essence and core of Geography

What do we need them to learn?
Engage them  and get them to think about the issue and take a stand

Fun vs geographical knowledge

Learner sense of neighborhood
Awareness of personal geography to topics in class
What they experience in their daily life to connect to the geographical issue

Passion in the subject inspires the students
Provide them w hope
Continue to believe in yourself.. the passion

Applied learning

Start a scenario maybe non geographical e.g. Pokémon craze
Phenomenon infuse w geographical perspective
Ponding in orchard road
GE in Malaysia
MAP modules

Infuse unchanging geographical perspectives to scenario
Power of relevance
Power of metaphor
Uae of media e.g. cultural diffusion.. Aids from....
Outbreak 1996
Contagion 2000 SARS
Clips 5 mins

Power of the field
Engage students senses not just observation
Smell, feel or sense
Every moment is teachable moment

E..g Taiwan plan in RAMs prepared for earthquake
e.g. Hualien
Earthquake Drill as a lesson though there is no earthquake

The value of concept will stay

Place base without being one dimensional
Just leaving the classroom and going to the field.
Out of classroom just looking at maps displayed at the carpark
Mistake. Biasedness etc. Social construction of map. In trying to make maps attractive, they play out certain places
Pedagogical  Content Knowledge (PCK)
How do we tie content knowledge with what we know about our learners.

Unbox the gift

Complexity of learning more visible
Using examples

Do we have PCK?
If we are passionate, to unbox ourselves to prepare ourselves for changes in time