Technology and nature

Trees can now tell stories

The Year 9 students have embarked on a project to name-tag the trees within the school using QR Codes. QR stands for Quick Response. The image consists of square dots in a unique configuration that provides information for the user. QR Codes can contain text, links (to web sites, videos, files), and much more. Through the interactive technology, the plants can now tell their own stories. 

The main activities within the project were:

• Taking pictures of the trees.
• Researching on the internet and identifying the website with relevant information about the tree.
• Creating a QR code with the URL for the identified site
• Printing, laminating and placing the codes on the trees.

With a short call to action, “Scan here to read more about this tree” simply pointing a at the QR code opens a browser, and a webpage appears with detailed information

The codes are connected to an Internet webpage so that, when scanned with a smartphone camera, or a device with a QR code scanner, the visitor will be brought to the correlated plant’s webpage to learn more about that. The students realized the enormous impact on sustaining the environment by reducing paper consumption. A QR Code allows you to encode as much information as you want. That means you can actually switch from printed documents to their digital copies with QR Codes.

From our discussion, the students discovered that a manufacturer need not give out a printed user manual that tells people how to assemble the product or how to use it and you don’t need to install any cost-intensive set-up to scan a QR Code.

There is so much flora collection available in our school. The objective of this work is to tag each tree in the campus with QR Code and enable the school community to be aware of all the facts and data about the tree from its scientific name to its uses other interesting information and provide a deep learning experience.

Computing/ICT-Game-Based Learning

Key stage 3 students have been designing and creating computer games as part of STEM learning.

When students design games, they develop:

• digital capabilities such as coding, animating, and 3D modelling
• Skills in programming concepts computational thinking
• Discover potential strengths, skills, and talents that they may not have been aware of
• competencies like problem-solving
• game design knowledge, and many skills that are transferable to different STEM areas

Students work toward a goal, choosing actions and experiencing the consequences of those actions. They actively learn and practice the right way to do things. The result is active learning instead of passive learning.

Here are feedback from some Year 8 students

I had a fun time creating my game. I have learned how to code better and I will be looking forward to more experiences like this.

John

When we started making the game, we thought it was going to be a challenge but in time it turned out to be so much fun and a nice experience. This experience boosted our creativity to make our own game. 

Our game is basically a parkour game on Roblox. This game can be used in competition. We'll post the game once we're done. 

Wanjiru, Angel, and Nadia

Games have always been fun for a kid. This experience has been no different, we love games and of course making a game would be so much fun because if I play a game right now, I will probably find something or the other that I dislike about the game. But when we have the opportunity to create our own games, we can manipulate them to the way we would enjoy the games, and we can have the opportunity to showcase our talents, to show what we're capable of.

I will always enjoy playing a fun game. I hope this inspires others to follow their dreams and passions in game development and manufacturing. 

By Devina

My experience about the game development has been exciting and I have

and learned that game development takes longer than you expect

Jeff

We believe that creating games should be exciting and enjoyable. Coding and designing a game has been an incredible experience. We used scratch, and it was great to be able to finish our game in the end.