12th November Day 4 Reflections - Chiu Chen Ning

Posted by Anonymous at 2:11 am

  1. 2 words to describe today's experiences
Meaningful and eye-opening.

  1. 2 highlights of the day
I enjoyed the informative research presentations conducted during the farewell ceremony in Busan Science High School, as they gave new insight into the wide range of possible topics to investigate. The presentations given ranged from coral-growth technologies to robotics, covering many of the sciences in the process. I also enjoyed the visit to Gyeongju province, where we had the chance to visit many historical landmarks important to Korean history. These visits deepened my understanding of Korea's rich cultural history.

  1. 2 things you have learnt about Korea
I learnt that the students in Busan Science High School are very dedicated to their research projects, as seen from their passionate presentations. From their detailed explanations of new concepts to us and enthusiastic response to our questions, I could sense that the students were eager to share the work they had done. Additionally, I saw that Koreans are proud of their cultural history, as seen by their efforts to maintain and upkeep their surroundings while inside the temple. Some historical monuments are designated as UNESCO world heritage sites, reflecting the high regard Koreans give to their history.

  1. 2 things you have learnt about yourself
In my opinion, I feel that I have successfully forged a strong bond with my Busan Science High School buddy throughout these 3 days of interactions. Through this, I have gained fresh new perspectives on student life in other countries and how knowledge can be conveyed in the classroom. Also, I was asked to present on my research project during the closing ceremony. Through this experience, I have learned techniques to conduct an engaging presentation as well as how to respond to criticism without sounding rude or impolite.

  1. 2 things you didn't do so well
I feel that during the visit to Gyeongju province, I was too engrossed in admiring the scenery and taking pictures that I had forgotten about the trip's objectives of technology and industry in Busan. Thus, I did not visit these places of interest in the right frame of mind. As the trip draws to a close, I would like to keep my research scope and trip objectives in mind as I visit the final places of interest in order to gather relevant information. Also, I failed to notice the language barrier between myself and the students in Busan Science High School As such, my presentation included terms that may have been too complicated for them to understand. I will be mindful of my target audience's needs and limitations in future hosting sessions and presentations.

  1. 2 things you look forward to tomorrow
I look forward to tomorrow's trip to Busan National Museum and Busan Science Centre, where I hope to inquire more into the history of Busan and how it has influenced the city's current approach to the sciences and technology. I also look forward to the trip back to Singapore, where we can consolidate our learning throughout these 5 days in Busan. We can then use this information gathered and apply this to real-life problems in Singapore, ending this trip on a high note.

Connect
Through the research project presentations given during the farewell ceremony at Busan Science High School, some of the project content made use of previous knowledge already taught in SST lessons. For example, the Bio-Rock technology presentation utilised some basic metal ion chemical reactions that we had learned in SST but applied them to serve a different purpose of accelerating coral growth. Thus, the presentations allowed me to make connections to prior subject knowledge but apply them to real-life scenarios.

Extend
The research project presentations in Busan Science High School also extended upon information I had already gathered in SST lessons. An example of this was a presentation on the perpetual spinning top, which utilised electromagnets to wirelessly supply spinning forces to the top. Since we had already learnt about the electromagnets in Secondary 2 physics, this presentation extended my understanding of electromagnets and the various properties they exhibit on magnetic materials nearby.


Challenge
The overall trip to Gyeongju province challenged the way I associated technological advancement with a country's heritage. Initially, I thought that the more technologically-enabled a country became, it would begin to lose its connection with its cultural heritage. The many monuments I saw within Gyeongju province made me realise that Busan did not lose its cultural heritage despite its efforts to become a 'smart' city. Thus, I found that with careful management, a country can progress in the technological age without sacrificing its rich cultural history.

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