Enhancing science and technology learning for high school students and teachers

Enhancing science and technology learning for high school students and teachers

Local high school educators recently learned how to design interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) lessons at workshops run by RMIT University’s Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE).

The online STEM workshops demonstrated CODE’s Remote Learning Lab, a new initiative which allows high school teachers and students to program and control CODE’s educational robots online, without leaving their own classrooms.

news-1-enhancing-science-and-technology-learning-for-high-school-students-and-teachers Viet Tri High School students and teachers used RMIT CODE's Remote Learning Lab for their STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) classes.

CODE Senior Coordinator and facilitator, Huynh Thuc Yen, said that the workshops showed high school teachers how to design interactive lessons, online activities and learning outcomes using the Remote Learning Lab.

“During our online workshops, we demonstrate a range of problem-based STEM activities which students can solve using the Remote Learning Lab,” Ms Yen said.

“In this way, students can benefit from fun, interactive lessons and understand more about coding and robotics; while teachers can utilize our advanced equipment within their own STEM lessons.”

news-2-enhancing-science-and-technology-learning-for-high-school-students-and-teachers Students can benefit from interactive lessons and understand more about coding and robotics, while teachers can utilize RMIT’s advanced equipment within their own STEM lessons.

According to Associate Professor Jerry Watkins, Head of RMIT CODE, the Remote Learning Lab is an example of CODE’s continuing commitment to digital excellence in education.

“A big challenge for STEM educators

 around the world is to get hands-on experience with tools like educational robots, which can be expensive to buy and also require specialised teaching knowledge,” Associate Professor Watkins said.

“With CODE’s Remote Learning Lab, high school teachers across Vietnam can easily use our robots within their lesson plans”.

Ms Yen emphasised that CODE is working with high schools across Vietnam to develop interactive learning activities which help students to better understand different parts of the school’s STEM curricula.

“We are proud of the growing number of students and teachers using our Lab to build their digital skills,” Ms Yen said.

“Our longer-term aim is to co-develop new online STEM activities with teachers which are both challenging for their students and relevant to their school curricula,” Ms Yen said.

news-3-enhancing-science-and-technology-learning-for-high-school-students-and-teachers Duc Tri's High School students were leaning about robot parts via RMIT CODE's Remote Learning Lab.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Duc Tri High school teacher Chau Uyen Sa said this program has created a bridge to help students get closer to the Industry 4.0 revolution.

“Despite being a virtual classroom, this program promotes critical thinking and active learning in the classroom. It really encourages students to apply interdisciplinary knowledge for practical problem-solving,” Ms Sa said.

Viet Tri High school teacher Nguyen Thi Lien from Phu Tho Province said that online STEM education is a new way of teaching and learning for her.

“Online STEM education is very new,” Ms Lien added. “With the enthusiastic support of CODE’s facilitators, the program became practical and easily understood.”

Since March this year, CODE has successfully delivered digital learning knowledge to nearly one hundred local educators from many of educational organisations including high schools in both the north and the south of Vietnam, and the American Center’s STEM English Club. 

Story: Thuy Le

21 May 2021

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  • Engineering
  • Digital
  • CODE

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