STEP 1 : Create a definition for "mobility" (10 mins)

Type “mobility” into a Google search engine and select one image that will best help you to explain what mobility means. Share your image and definition with your group.

STEP 2 : Read and Discuss (20 mins)

Read/view and discuss the core readings and videos that are linked below to find out more about physical mobility.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

What moves?

• People move from point to point, location to location. Objects also move according to how and where we use them. Can you think of other examples of objects that move that help to improve efficiency or the quality of a person's life?
• How do we know how mobile something or someone is? How easy is it to move something? How fast can it move?
• What is a mobility device? What examples can you think of? What about this?
• Is mobility only important to the elderly or people with disabilities? How about in this area?

Accessibility

• What is the best way to get from one point to another? Does it have to be the fastest way? What about the shortest way? How else do we decide whether it is a good way to move from one point to another?

Vehicular transport and systems

• Current examples of vehicles and amenities that increase accessibility for different people: Wheelchair-friendly buses, Family-friendly parking lots, Cycling lanes. What other examples can you think of? What other types of accessibility do we need in Singapore? Do you think there are sufficient amenities to improve accessibility for everyone?
• Promoting mobility increases accessibility for different people. But can mobility be misused as a result?
• What can we learn from China's plans for an intelligent transportation network?

STEP 3 : Create a mind-map (20 mins)

With your IDS group, create a mind-map to summarise what you have learnt from the discussion on the core readings and videos. Upload your mind-map through padlet:

201-202-203

204-205-206

207-208-209

210-211-212

Panel: The mobility challenge

Each IDS group has one member who is experiencing a form of mobility impairment.

Which constraint do you think poses the greatest challenge?

• Limited ability to walk
• Complete inability to walk
• Limited ability to use hands
• Physical weakness
• Blindness

K-W-L:

What do you know?

What do you want to know?

What have you learnt?

Exit ticket

STEP 1 : View and discuss (10 mins)

Watch the video linked below and then discuss your responses to the question:

Is mobility a mindset?

STEP 2 : Additional reading (25 mins)

Each group member should select at least 1 additional article to read, from the range of categories below. Use Think-Puzzle-Explore to help you summarise and deepen your learning. Every member in the group should select a different article.

Present your article's key ideas to your group, as well as your views on how these ideas are relevant to a Singaporean context.

Overview

• History of Transportation - understand the development of how people tried to improve the way we get around. The Wikipedia entry is also a good starting point.

City planning

• How does HDB ensure that residents with multiple steps entrance remain mobile?
• How does LTA enhance physical accessibility for all?
• There's also Intelligent Mobility. Can you find the article about Singapore on that page?
• The United Nations thinks mobility is important too!
• For a comprehensive City Plan for mobility, you can look at the Los Angeles (USA) Mobility Plan for 2035. This is a long read, so you don't have to look at every word in it. Instead, look at the Chapter listings to zoom in on the aspect of mobility that you would like to know more about (e.g. Section 1.3 is Safe Routes to Schools, Section 2.6 is Bicycle Networks, Section 3.2 is People with Disabilities, etc.)

Mobility and the environment

• How does public transportation help the environment? - some knowledge to give you ideas on how we can improve transportation and mobility in a sustainable way. Also see the idea of Mobility and Space in urban environments.
• This article is about how Helsinki, Finland hopes to "transcend conventional public transport by allowing people to purchase mobility in real time, straight from their smartphones."
• Mobility for animals around the world and in Singapore

Plans for the future

• Are personal mobility devices essential?
• You might also want to look at Personal Mobility Devices, such as this one by Honda.
• Robotic exoskeletons bring hope to paralyzed people.
• Some things are still in development, like this Stair Climbing Wheelchair.
• What about driverless cars? What plans do we have for Singapore?
• Elon Musk's Hyperloop - a new way to move people and things

STEP 3 : Reflection (15 mins)

In your IDS groups, think about the community that you are currently serving. How can promoting mobility improve their quality of life?

Upload your responses on your online journal.