STEM News
Quantum Victoria excursion
On Friday 30 May a group of 45 students travelled to Quantum Victoria in Bundoora. Students participated in one of two workshops: Programming with Arduinos and Forensic Investigation.
In the Programming with Arduinos workshop students explored Physics and Engineering concepts including circuit theory, designing and creating circuits, analogue and digital inputs and outputs, and controlling circuits with a microcontroller and microcontroller program. They used LEDs, LDRs, potentiometers and an Arduino Uno to create a dexterity game.
Students were required to exercise problem-solving skills whilst programming and working with electronic circuits to solve problems related to real-world applications. A visual programming language; Snap4Arduino was used throughout the day. The workshop culminated in the students creating an authentic electronic device.
In the Forensic Investigation workshop students undertook the role of a forensic scientist and investigator by utilising their skills in deductive reasoning, observation, data collection and analysis, as they solved a crime. Students were immersed in different aspects associated with a crime scene and the role undertaken by a forensic investigator/detective.
Through an inquiry-based scenario, they were presented with a series of challenges that required them to collect, analyse and draw conclusions based on evidence collected throughout their investigation. They participated in lab testing such as fingerprinting, blood typing, soil pH testing, hair strand analysis under a microscope, shoe print comparison and virtual DNA gel electrophoresis.
Student feedback
This excursion gave me the opportunity to learn through practical experiments which was very interesting for me as a kinaesthetic learner.
We really appreciated the ability to participate; it was both enjoyable and educational.
The excursion taught me how to use a bread board and code an ardunios.
The forensic investigation excursion was quite enjoyable as we solved a crime investigation by conducting several experiments such as blood testing and fingerprint analysis.
This excursion was fun and challenging. It was a very good learning opportunity.
We would like to acknowledge Rotary Manningham City for their generosity and continued support of our STEM programs.
Sally Polidano
Leading Teacher Science/STEM