The Knowledge Building Design Studio (KBDS) from October 14th to 16th, 2024, brought together a vibrant community of 25 students with their accompanying teachers from Rosyth Primary, Oasis Primary, St. Hilda's Primary, and Fairfield Methodist Primary. This dynamic, three-day event centered on cultivating a mindset of sustainability.
Day 1 started well with an introduction to the design studio by Dr Teo as the students were sorted into the different groups that was a mix of people from different schools. In order to help them build cohesiveness, the students engaged in a specially curated icebreaker activity was prepared in order to prime and excite the senses, students were given the opportunity to work together to look at some plants and identify the different features and scent.
They then set off for the exploration of Yunnan Gardens as well as the sustainable buildings in NIE like the Hive and Gaia. These man-made constructions embodied the “City in Nature” theme, serving as a living model of sustainable urban design. This excursion provided students with both inspiration and an immersive sensory experience of what it means to live with nature. Equipped with weather trackers, the students also gathered data from the natural environment, an exercise that helped them realize the significance of data-driven decisions in order to identify and tackle real-world challenges.
A metacognitive talk was then conducted by Dr Katherine when the students returned from the excursion in order to help the students consolidate their learning and identify their authentic sustainability issue that the group would like to find a solution to.
Day 2 took the form of a collaborative think tank, where the students from different schools united in their groups to brainstorm, ideate, and share perspectives on sustainable solutions. An important segment in the early part of the day was also the engagement with the international Knowledge Building Community and listened to a sharing by Amanda, a student in the University of Pennsylvania on the affordances of DataX. The students also had the invaluable opportunity to learn from expert insights, with Professor Bodong from the University of Pennsylvania and Professor Gaoxia from NIE, offering advice and sparking new ideas for effective problem-solving strategies. This day reinforced the importance of design mode thinking and the sharing of knowledge as critical components of sustainable solutions.
On Day 3, the students completed their designing of their group artefacts and refined their solutions, transforming their ideas into tangible representations of sustainable problem-solving. This final day also allowed students to proudly present their creations to their peers, teachers, and the broader KBDS learning community, showcasing the remarkable synergy of creativity, collaboration, and commitment.
To end off the day, the students went through a metacognitive talk where they sat in a circle with Dr Katherine and expressed what they have learnt over the three days. The participants expressed that they were not only inspired but have also become equipped with essential tools and a forward-looking perspective to contribute positively to their communities.
As we conclude this year’s KBDS, it is clear that these young thinkers have taken the first steps towards becoming conscientious problem-solvers, ready to foster a sustainable future for their communities and beyond.