2018 Sino-USA Education Forum Session 2: Beijing No.2 Experimental Primary School Yongding Branch

Light up the classroom with technology

On November 15, 2018, the second session of the 2018 China-US Education Forum hosted by BTC took place in Yongding Branch of Beijing No. 2 Experimental Primary School. This exchange is a Sino-USA STEM curriculum exchange activity with the theme of "Lighting up the classroom with technology". It also provides   demonstrations for backbone teachers in the three places of Inner Mongolia, Beijing and Hebei. Zhang Ya, director of Sports and Art Department of Mentougou Education Committee , and Zhou Qiang, Vice President of Mentougou Teacher Training School, participated in and guided this session.

Director Zhangya and Vice Principal Zhou Qiang

BTC Director Edward Wang leading the team

As soon as they entered the school, the professors were warmly welcomed by the school teachers, and the professors were also infected by the passion of the teachers. They delivered an enthusiastic self-introduction before class and the introduction of American schools.

Du Haiyan, Vice Principal of the school delivered a welcome speech

Vice Principal of the school Du Haiyan delivered a welcome speech and extended a warm welcome to the principals from the United States and the leading teachers in the three regions. The school cherishes this rare opportunity. Not only for the exchange activities with friendly schools in the United States, but also for members of the Inner Mongolian and Hebei learning group to share STEM curriculum training. This broadens their international horizon, and let them experience innovative educational concepts and methods. She hopes every participants can gain something and feel something in this event.

In order to further explore the path and method of STEM education in elementary schools and increase Sino-USA educational exchanges, the event focused on technological innovation research with the theme of "curriculum co-study to brighten the classroom", and conducted in-depth exchanges of STEM courses through classroom display and exchange.

First of all, teacher Kamie taught a lesson with the task as the core, which is to make the gloves light up . She used the activity to let students review the direction and process of current flow in the closed circuit first, and then released the task of this lesson "Let the gloves "Light up". Students discuss the plan in groups, and started their production . When they saw the success of their design, they couldn't help jumping excitedly.

After understanding the principle, the teacher asked the students to use the materials already provided on the table to make their own glove LED lights. Every student started to create with interest, some students succeeded after one trial, and raised their hands to show to the American professor, some students, after continuous attempts, even if it was unsuccessful many times, completed their gloves LED lights with the encouragement of the teacher!

After the break, we also launched the basic principles of "Exploring Newton's Law", "Nanotechnology: Design and Shape Matters" and other courses. All the students actively participated in the class, as if they understood every sentence taught by an American professor, and understood every body language of the professor. Teachers watching as audiences can’t help   to use their mobile phones to record the class during creative activities. This made our organizers also deeply feel the significance of this event.

The collision of two balloons demonstrated Newton's principle of gravity.

The two courses are naturally connected, and both used task-driven teaching methods. The initiative of design and production was returned to the students, so that they can complete the tasks in the inquiry and complete the learning happily.

In the third section, Through balloon transportation activities, principal Julie allowed students to fully

participate in it, verify it, experience Newton's third law, and feel the equal and opposite forces.

Let the students do their own work and design their own solid nano-bearing structure to see who has the most load bearing design.

In the second section, Mr. Tang Guolei taught the school course based content "double lights flash alternately". He took the 2018 National Day light show as a wonderful two-minute demonstration, and the gloves that lit up in the previous lesson as an entry point, to let students know that if they want to make the LED light illuminate by themselves, they would need to use program control without manual operation, so as to introduce the new class "double lights flash alternately". In the review section, Mr. Tang used the courseware first to intuitively help students to recall the hardware construction method and program principle of controlling a LED light, and then arranged today's learning task "double lights flash alternately". The students designed their own hardware construction and programming methods based on the review, and gradually formed correct ideas under the collision of students' thinking. Then the students started their actual operation according to the method they designed. Finally, many groups completed the task, and the joy of success was filled with the students' smiling faces.

The enthusiasm and creativity of the students are fully mobilized and exerted. Both the classroom atmosphere and the display atmosphere are full of enthusiasm for learning.

After the classes, the three teachers who lectured gave lectures one after another, introducing teaching intentions, design ideas, post-class extensions, and understanding of the STEM education. Teachers who participated in the class actively participated in interactive communication. Principal Zhou made wonderful comments in the form of a comparison between Chinese and American classrooms, and interpreted it from the perspective of "learning", "school", and "students", and raised hopes for future education.

Professor Julie introduced the development and implementation of the STEM curriculum in American schools with specific examples. The teachers used pasta and marshmallow to experience the curriculum. Everyone teamed up to exchange ideas, make full use of the knowledge of space geometry and triangle stable structure, and experience the fun of creation.

In the pleasant atmosphere of communication, our journey came to an end. Finally, we took a group photo with teachers from Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Beijing.

The Winner！

The exchange of passion for education made everyone feel that time is so short. In the sunset, we had to say goodbye to the teachers and students. Although the communication was short, learning from each other is eternal. A day of joint research and sharing activities enhanced wisdom and provoked thinking, opening a new chapter of the school’s international exchanges. BTC is willing to serve as a bridge to continuously make new contributions to the school’s internationalization of education!