Introduction

"Tech Bees : Yanshui Educational Innovation Team" is a diverse team with members from various professional backgrounds, led by the principal. The team consists of professionals in English, information technology, arts, music, and reading promotion. They are dedicated to educational innovation and have two years of experience in digital deep learning. With extensive teaching and research experience in the field of education, they excel in integrating knowledge and skills from different professional domains into teaching practices.

On one hand, they emphasize student-centered learning and participation, encouraging students to explore and discover knowledge while cultivating their innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities. On the other hand, they focus on the application and research of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and PBL (Project-Based Learning) teaching methods. They adopt diverse learning styles and instructional approaches, allowing students to learn in various contexts and connecting education with real-life situations.

The team also places importance on the sustainable development of education, emphasizing the social responsibility of education and environmental protection. They actively incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into their teaching practices.

Educational Perspectives

Emphasis on interdisciplinary integration; cultivating practical abilities; valuing innovative thinking; strengthening collaboration awareness; and focusing on social responsibility. 

What's the authentic work?

n the 1940s, with the Japanese military's expansion in the South Pacific, many plants underwent a silent transnational migration. The native blackboard tree of the South Pacific began to take root in Taiwan, and Yanshui Elementary School became one of the first settlement points for these new visitors. In the precious old tree registry of Tainan City, Tree 122 and Tree 123 are two veteran blackboard trees located on the campus. However, these two old trees have faced a life-or-death test in recent years. Experts have issued a warning that the accumulation of chemicals from the long-term use of firecrackers may be the culprit behind the injury to these two old trees. At the same time, with the rise of environmental sustainability awareness, firecrackers are also facing challenges. Should we maintain the traditional practice of smoke and gunpowder, or should we combine emerging IoT technology to integrate traditional customs with digital art trends? How to strike a balance between tradition and modernity has become a real question of the present.

While preserving traditional values, we need to explore new directions for development. The team attempts to combine modern technology and art to create experiences and values that not only preserve tradition but also embrace diversity and environmental friendliness. For example, by using IoT technology to monitor the changes in PM2.5 caused by the release of firecrackers and combining Arduino development boards with servo motors, ultrasonic sensors, buzzers, and other modules, we create a technological firecracker city that simulates the traditional firecracker experience in an analog way. We also strive to make the technological firecracker a more contemporary and artistic form of performance.

Lastly, we continuously reflect and learn from our thoughts. Through the exploration of balancing and integrating tradition and modernity, we can better understand and respect different cultures and values, and at the same time, we can better respond to current and future challenges and changes.

Approach Based On PBL

Our project-based learning follows five design thinking steps: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, allowing students to experience innovative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. In the course "Old Trees and Firecrackers," students conduct field research to understand the significance of firecrackers in local culture while exploring the potential environmental pollution caused by firecrackers. They define improvement directions. This step is the Empathy phase in the design thinking process, where students empathize from the user's perspective to understand the needs and challenges behind the problem.

In the course "Digital Firecracker City Symphony," students use tools such as Arduino and Micro:bit to generate creative ideas and create prototypes of technological firecracker cities. This step involves the Ideate and Prototype phases of design thinking, where students generate creative ideas and design prototypes based on the improvement directions defined in the previous step, allowing for further testing.

In the course "Exhibition Space of Firecracker City," students open their technological firecracker city prototypes for other students, teachers, and community members to experience and gather improvement suggestions through field interviews. This step is the Test phase in the design thinking process, where students test their prototype designs with actual users and improve the designs based on feedback to better meet user needs.

Through the learning in these three courses, students not only understand the significance of firecrackers in local culture and the potential environmental pollution they may cause but also learn innovative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Additionally, students experience the importance of project management and teamwork by gradually completing a real project through project-based learning.

Creating Interdisciplinary Connections and Advantages

In recent years, curriculum design has shifted away from being limited to single subject areas and has embraced a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach to address real-world situations. Our curriculum combines multiple fields such as science, mathematics, art, and social studies. This interdisciplinary curriculum design helps expand students' perspectives and knowledge, while also preparing them to better face future challenges. In addition to interdisciplinary design, our curriculum incorporates external resources, such as support from the Quanta Culture & Education Foundation, providing equipment and technological assistance. This not only enriches the curriculum content but also exposes students to cutting-edge technology and enhances their practical skills and ability to adapt to future technological developments. Furthermore, community bamboo weaving and parental resources are integrated through cross-domain connections to provide a foundation for students' artillery city projects, facilitating subsequent technological interventions. This approach not only enhances students' hands-on abilities but also allows them to experience the charm of community culture, promoting communication and cooperation between the school and the community. In summary, cross-domain linked curriculum design offers various advantages, enabling students to have comprehensive development in different subject areas, while also enhancing their practical skills and ability to adapt to future technological advancements. The incorporation of external and community resources enriches the curriculum content and fosters communication and collaboration between the school and the community. Therefore, cross-domain linked curriculum design is an important direction for future educational development.  

System for Sustainability

As we enter the second year of implementing our innovative curriculum, it is a challenging yet opportunistic period for any school. Once the curriculum design is completed and implemented, the team members continue to engage in ongoing internal reflection and optimization to ensure that students achieve the best possible outcomes in their learning journey. Additionally, we expand the influence of the curriculum to bring about transformative changes in other teachers and courses. For example, when designing the flexible curriculum for the sixth grade, we incorporated the modules created by our team, such as "Old Trees and Firecrackers." The design and implementation of this curriculum allow students to explore the historical context and causes of tree diseases, deepening their understanding and knowledge of the natural environment and cultural history. This successful case has also had a positive impact on surrounding schools. For instance, the nearby Jingliao Elementary School has adopted our technological approach and introduced the use of Arduino and other technologies to drive away sparrows and protect rice fields. This not only sustains the continuous development of innovative curriculum but also demonstrates an active diffusion to external communities. Through this approach, schools can strengthen their connections and collaboration by learning from and sharing with one another, thereby promoting overall improvement in the quality of community education. Through the aforementioned examples, we can see that a successful innovative curriculum not only generates positive impacts within the school but also has significant influence on neighboring schools. By sharing successful experiences and best practices with other schools and teachers, schools can further drive improvements and advancements in the education system, while providing students with better learning experiences and opportunities. 

The Next Step?

In the wave of globalization, we have become aware of the importance of cross-cultural communication. To absorb more ideas and expand the influence of our curriculum, we will engage in multiple international exchanges this year with Fuji Elementary and Middle School in Saga City, Japan, and Qidong Chinese Primary School in Malaysia. The theme of these exchanges will revolve around the learning process of observing and solving our own problems, with the aim of fostering students' awareness of local and international affairs through this collaboration.

This international exchange activity will provide students with a unique opportunity to interact with peers from different cultural backgrounds, broadening their horizons. During the activities, students will learn how to observe problems from different perspectives and apply innovative thinking and methods to solve them. This will help them to face various challenges in their future academic and professional careers.

Furthermore, this international exchange will encourage students to be more concerned about local and international affairs and cultivate their awareness as global citizens with a global perspective. Throughout the activities, students will jointly explore social, environmental, and economic issues, thereby enhancing their understanding of common international problems.

More about SDGs? 

As a traditional cultural practice in Taiwan, Yanshui Beehive Fireworks has always attracted a lot of attention from audiences and the media due to its unique local characteristics. However, in the context of globalization, this traditional culture also faces the pressure of transformation, especially in the wave of increasing emphasis on environmental protection and carbon emissions. Against this backdrop, we have begun to contemplate how to better adapt this traditional culture to modern needs and challenges. Therefore, our curriculum combines the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, particularly the "Sustainable Cities and Communities" indicator, with PBL and STEAM approaches, aiming to inspire students to think about "constructing inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban and rural areas." Through such curriculum design, we hope to enable students to better understand and respect different cultures and values, while also equipping them to address current and future challenges and changes. We believe that only by finding a balance between respecting tradition and adapting to modern needs and challenges can we achieve true sustainable development. The preservation and development of Yanshui Beehive Fireworks, as a traditional culture in Taiwan, not only involves cultural heritage but also encompasses the development of sustainable urban and rural areas. Therefore, we need to think about how to strike a balance between tradition and modernity, innovate development, and achieve sustainable development. In this process, the "Sustainable Cities and Communities" indicator of the SDGs provides strong support and guidance. We need to continuously learn and explore, derive lessons and growth from it, and integrate the concepts and practices of sustainable development into cultural heritage and urban-rural development. Only in this way can we achieve true sustainable development and ensure the continuation of traditional cultural practices like Yanshui Beehive Fireworks.