Term 1 reflection

Okay, it appears that this blog has no reflections yet, so I shall get the ball rolling, this is my term 1 reflections. Here goes.

What idea do you get when you hear: “developing a set of braille graphs and diagrams”? or something like that. That was our RESL (Research Education Service Learning) topic.  I don’t know what ideas you get, but to me i believed that i was going to create some tool for the visually challenged to draw graphs.  Like in school, we have our geometry set with our protractor and stuff, and for drawing curves and graphs, we have our flexible curve and french curve. But, so far, what we have done so far was quite disappointing. This is because, so far, we were just tasked to emboss a board game and draw and emboss a map. It was far different from my ideal “mathematical tool” mindset.

Anyway, there could be a serious difference in ideas between us and the SSVH. Perhaps, to them, developing a set of braille graphs and diagrams is just embossing diagrams, and stuff for the visually challenged to use. But for us, we set our sights further and think of creating tools for them to use in their maths lessons. We should really go clear these misunderstandings.

Our task now is to clarify with the SSVH about what we are actually tasked to do. If their mindset is really what we guessed: just embossing diagrams and pictures, perhaps, we should propose something bigger than just embossing, to add some colour to our RESL. Also, if we are looking to creating mathematical tools for the visually challenged, we can’t possibly do that we our current set of skills. I think we need to do some research on how we can go about creating these kind of tools. One suggestion would be that, since we have all undergone the tediousness, of embossing diagrams from our past work at SSVH, perhaps, we could come up with a tool to make this job of embossing much easier. Then the visually handicapped will then be exposed to a greater variety of graphs, diagrams, etc.

Looks like this is the end of my reflection. Once, again, this is my reflection for the whole of term 1. Look forward to the reflections of my other group members.

YIWEN =)

Jia

Yea, im back. This is definitely a good way to expressing our thoughts and entries, and it is also a good platform for us to keep track of the reflections and things we had done over the year.

As for today, I find that the brainstorming was better than the previous one. After it, I had more idea on the focus and nature of the topic. At first, I thought we are going to help out and do all those stuff that we are doing for the past few weeks for the whole Res-l, the process of it can be quite an experience, but i feel that if so, it will be more of service and not much of learning. Hope this res-l experience will be da best!

Things to do over the next 2 weeks

1. call ssvh to confirm project nature/ focus.
2. request for lesson observation to see how they teach maths
3. braille diagrams

4. how students learn, how teachers teach, health aspect (causes of blindness, how they learn to speak, what r the different levels of blindness, how do we see the way they see? diagrams? pictures?), interview parents / students (include non-maths area), what sort of difficulties they face (socially, environmentally, financially…), when do they start learning (age/ ability), what should family members do to support

5. know everything abt SSVH, difficulties they have , question level of assistance given to this (small) group of people, how much is the sch fees?

6. how they learn maths, what are the maths topics they like best?, look at their exam papers

To do
1. proposal a possible Math braille tool
2. carry out research (go to NLB)

Changed our Blog Skin

Hies..

I have changed our blog skin so that we can view the entire picture whenever we post them up. The previous one would cut off half the picture. So this is the new one. Any objections?

Yi Wen

Day 04

Date: 05 03 2008

Members present: Yi Wen, Jia Jie

Firstly, I will like to clear some misconceptions. To Jing Yuan: ” even though his mother bans his from joining societies” This was a LIE!.. And to All: It’s Pang’s Sehciety not Pang’s-seh-ciety. And to Jing Yuan again: its leading my three good buddies, not four because you don’t count yourself.

Anyway, it appears that no pictures of last weeks meeting was uploaded, so I shall upload some now.

Here’s the board game that we were supposed to emboss.
Yi Wen, the professional Braille typist.

Jia Jie, Jing Yuan, Charles pasting and embossing the board game.

Jing Yuan’s black hands.

Charles gives a try at the braille typing machine.

Ok. sorry for the lack of pictures for Day 03.

I uploaded less due to the slow uploading time.

Now for the Day 4 reflection. Jia Jie and Yi Wen went to SSVH, Jing Yuan and Charles had other commitments and were unable to join.

On the way there, Jia jie and Yi Wen were caught up in a heated conversation about the escaped terrorist, Mas Selamat, who was sighted near SSVH.

Upon reaching there, we were given the task of copying parts of a map from a textbook and emboss it. During the course of drawing, and gluing wires for embossing, we were unable to get any photos as our hands were too dirty with glue and stuck tissue paper. Therefore, we only took photos after completion of the map sections that we did.

Here are the photos.

Jia Jie with his map of Philipines

Yi Wen with his map of a huge part of SE Asia.

Both maps placed together.

Ok… The maps are not completed, as we haven’t stuck stickers to label them yet. We will do it during the next meeting.

Here’s a bonus photo for the blog. Its a photo of the 黑社会.

Jing Yuan’s face has been censored off by word press as it is too unsightly.

Note that we do not really have a direct picture of Jing Yuan’s face on this blog yet as we are afraid that people might sue this blog. =)

P.S. Mrs Lim, we need you to sign our “Permission to leave School Early” Form for this week and last week. (Its for record purposes)

This entry was written by Yi Wen…

The Leader is back

Hi all, I am Jing Yuan, leading my four good buddies down a year of research education. As a leader of course I expect nothing else but to get into the RE congress and i defintiely believe that with the talents in my group, 3 from “黑社会”, one from ”Pang’s-Seh-ciety”, who will eventually come back to “黑社会”, even though his mother bans his from joining societies.

But that’s beside the point. Charles has definitely done a good, or rather wonderful job posting our RE meetings regularly on this website. (I told you my group was pawange, ownage altqqpunzaltF4) And I guess after this post, my subsequent posts will also be about my group’s RE meetings. Anyway, I guess i should talk a bit about myself, given the opportunity to type so much after how many million ccts and projects have passed.

Basically, my hobby is dancing, all sorts of dance, from modern to contemporary to hip hop. We were initially given a dance RESL project to do, but I guess it didnt become feasible. Well, that just killed my good friend charles’ dream of learning dance from me. But not to worry, you can always learn from me during the June Hols when I will be preparing for Rafflesian Spotlight. =) Besides dancing, i love maths and of course playing hockey. So thats abit about myself and i hope my other 3 group members will post something about themselves too.

On a seperate note, i do appreciate if interesting events beside RE are posted on this blog to add flavour and spice to it. But do remember, when posting events related to RE pls include RE in the title. Like – RE Day 3. That would be easy for reference.

So thats all from me. And i will end of with a quote.

”LIfe is really all about choices and hope. Our lives should be our candy store, filled with scrumptious goodies and our choices should be how to best invest our limited resources. When we get right down to it, the choices we make determine the quality of our lives and the quality of our health.” – Paramahansa Yogananda