Date: Monday, 6 July 2026
Venue: South Asian Science Education Programme (SASEP 2026), Paro, Bhutan
Participant: Ugyen Dorji, Babesa Higher Secondary School, Bhutan
Group: C
According to the official SASEP programme schedule, Group C attended Module 5 – Critical Analysis Workshop during Session 5 (9:30–11:30 a.m.), followed by Module 4 – Design, Technology and STEM Project-Based Learning during Session 6 (1:30–3:30 p.m.). During the late afternoon, Group C participated in the Panoptes Citizen Science Workshop, while Groups D–F attended the CERN Cloud Chamber workshop.
Session 5 (9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Module 5 – Critical Analysis Workshop
Facilitator: Jude McCarthy
The day began with an engaging Critical Analysis Workshop facilitated by Jude McCarthy. The session challenged participants to examine how critical thinking extends beyond acquiring knowledge and instead requires questioning assumptions, evaluating evidence, recognizing bias, and making informed judgments. The introductory slide and discussion emphasized that critical analysis is rooted in logic, intellect, evidence, communication, curiosity, reflection, wisdom, and passion, encouraging educators to cultivate these dispositions in their students.
Jude highlighted that critical thinking is not simply about finding the correct answer but about understanding why an answer is reasonable, how conclusions are supported by evidence, and how alternative viewpoints should be considered. Participants discussed the importance of moving beyond common belief to evidence-based reasoning while maintaining openness to different perspectives.
A central theme of the workshop was the development of learners who can:
question assumptions respectfully,
distinguish facts from opinions,
analyse multiple sources of evidence,
communicate their reasoning clearly,
identify contradictions,
establish meaningful connections between ideas,
and reflect on their own thinking.
The facilitator encouraged teachers to deliberately create classroom situations where students justify their reasoning instead of merely recalling information. Such an approach nurtures intellectual curiosity and prepares learners for solving authentic real-world problems.
As a Physics teacher, I found this particularly relevant because scientific inquiry itself depends upon questioning observations, testing hypotheses, analysing evidence, and revising explanations based on experimental results. The session reinforced that critical thinking should become an everyday classroom practice rather than an isolated skill.
Session 6 (1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
Module 4 – Design, Technology and STEM Project-Based Learning
Facilitator: Daniel Auger (Canadian–Swiss Educator)
The afternoon session was facilitated by Daniel Auger, an experienced Canadian–Swiss educator with over twenty-five years of teaching experience in Design, Technology and Computer Science. Daniel shared his extensive work in digital mapping, satellite imaging, LiDAR, remote sensing, educational technology, and teacher training with organizations including the Canadian Space Agency and international schools in Switzerland.
Daniel began by discussing the rapidly changing role of technology in education. Although artificial intelligence is transforming many aspects of society, he emphasized that computer science has become even more important. Students still need to understand programming, computational thinking, algorithms, logical reasoning, and problem-solving because these are the skills that enable them to use emerging technologies critically and responsibly.
He stressed that:
AI has not replaced computer science;
understanding code remains essential;
logical and strategic thinking are increasingly valuable;
future careers will require skilled programmers and problem solvers;
and technology education should help students understand both the potential and limitations of AI.
STEM Project-Based Learning
Daniel introduced the philosophy of STEM Project-Based Learning, demonstrating how authentic engineering challenges motivate students to integrate science, mathematics, technology, and engineering into meaningful learning experiences.
Examples included:
robotics,
Scratch programming,
game design,
3D printing,
laser cutting,
electronics,
graphic design,
model construction,
and engineering design projects.
He explained that successful STEM projects provide learners with authentic contexts rather than isolated classroom exercises. Students learn best when solving problems that resemble real scientific and engineering challenges.
Mission 2 Mars – Robotics Investigation
The highlight of the afternoon was the Mission 2 Mars activity, developed in collaboration with EPFL University, the Swiss Space Agency, and educational partners using the Thymio educational robot.
Participants worked with programmable robots to simulate a Mars exploration mission. The activity integrated mathematics, physics, engineering, robotics, and computational thinking into a single interdisciplinary investigation.
The practical activity involved several stages.
Measuring Robot Speed
The robot was programmed to travel a straight-line distance of 100 cm.
Participants:
measured the travel distance,
used stopwatches to record the travel time,
calculated the robot's speed using
[
\text{Speed}=\frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}}
]
The activity reinforced measurement accuracy, unit conversion, and the application of kinematic equations.
Mars Map Scaling
The calculated robot speed was then applied to a scaled map of the Martian surface.
Participants compared:
the distance travelled by the robot on the classroom map,
the corresponding distance on the actual Martian terrain,
and used scale factors to estimate realistic exploration distances.
This exercise beautifully integrated mathematical scaling with planetary science and demonstrated how engineers plan rover missions on Mars.
Programming Robot Movements
Participants also programmed the robots to:
rotate through specified angles,
change direction,
navigate toward target locations,
follow planned exploration paths.
By combining linear movement with angular rotation, participants experienced the same basic principles used in robotic navigation and autonomous exploration vehicles.
The activity required continuous collaboration, debugging, testing and refinement of the robot's movements. Rather than following predetermined instructions, participants investigated problems, adjusted their programs, and improved performance through repeated experimentation.
Engineering Design Mindset
Daniel concluded the session by emphasizing that STEM education should intentionally develop:
collaboration,
creativity,
resilience,
communication,
computational thinking,
engineering design,
and systematic problem solving.
He reminded participants that authentic STEM learning is rarely straightforward. Meaningful projects involve uncertainty, trial and error, persistence and teamwork. One slide summarized this beautifully by describing project work as a "roller coaster" of challenges and learning, encouraging students to embrace difficulties as part of the learning process rather than avoid them.
Common Forum (4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Panoptes Citizen Science Workshop
During the late afternoon, Group C participated in the Panoptes Workshop, as scheduled in the official programme.
The session introduced participants to Panoptes, an open-source citizen science platform that enables educators and students to contribute to authentic scientific research through distributed observations and data collection.
The facilitators explained how Panoptes allows schools to participate in international scientific investigations by collecting observations, analysing images, classifying data, and collaborating with scientists worldwide. Examples demonstrated how students can become active contributors to astronomy, biodiversity, environmental monitoring, and other scientific disciplines rather than simply learning about science from textbooks.
The workshop highlighted the educational value of citizen science by showing how learners can:
participate in authentic research,
analyse real scientific data,
develop observational skills,
strengthen critical thinking,
collaborate globally,
and appreciate how science advances through collective effort.
This session complemented the earlier STEM activities by illustrating how technology can connect classrooms with genuine scientific investigations beyond school walls.
Personal Reflection
Day 3 provided an excellent balance between critical thinking, technology integration, and authentic STEM learning. The morning workshop reminded me that effective education begins with thoughtful questioning and evidence-based reasoning, while the afternoon robotics activity demonstrated how interdisciplinary projects can transform abstract concepts into engaging learning experiences.
The Mission 2 Mars activity was particularly memorable because it seamlessly integrated mathematics, physics, robotics, programming, and engineering design. Measuring the robot's travel over 100 cm, calculating its speed, applying scale conversions to Martian distances, and programming rotational movements transformed textbook concepts into practical problem-solving experiences. As a Physics teacher, I immediately recognized opportunities to adapt similar activities for teaching motion, speed, distance, time, vectors, scale drawing, and measurement using affordable educational robots or classroom simulations.
The Panoptes workshop further broadened my understanding of how schools can participate in real scientific research through citizen science. Allowing students to contribute to authentic investigations would strengthen both scientific literacy and motivation by demonstrating that learning extends beyond classroom walls.
Overall, the third day of SASEP reinforced an important message: twenty-first-century science education should develop learners who are critical thinkers, effective collaborators, creative problem solvers, and confident users of technology. By combining inquiry, programming, engineering design, and authentic scientific investigation, educators can create learning experiences that prepare students not only for examinations but also for future scientific and technological challenges.
No comments:
Post a Comment