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Makerspaces in education provide students with hands-on learning experiences where they can explore, create, and innovate. Integrating aquaponics into makerspaces offers a unique opportunity for secondary 1 to 2 students to learn about sustainable agriculture while engaging in practical, project-based learning activities.

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The implementation of aquaponics in makerspaces involves structured sessions conducted after school hours, which can be summarized as follows:

1. Introduction to Aquaponics: Participants are introduced to the principles and benefits of aquaponics, emphasizing its role in sustainable food production and its symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. Field trips to aquaponic farms or research facilities provide real-world examples and insights.

2. Theory and Design: Students learn about aquaponic system components and design principles. Instructors demonstrate setup and operation, while participants engage in hands-on activities to plan their systems, considering factors like space, resources, and crop varieties.

3. Hands-on Building: Participants build small-scale aquaponic systems, working collaboratively to assemble components based on their design plans.

4. Maintenance and Monitoring: Students learn to maintain their systems, including monitoring water quality, feeding fish, and managing plant growth. Online tutorials and support sessions aid in equipment operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

5. Data Collection and Analysis: Throughout the program, students collect data on water parameters and analyze it to assess system health and productivity.

6. Reflection and Presentation: At the program's end, students reflect on their experiences and present findings to peers and teachers, discussing challenges, lessons learned, and aquaponics' potential applications.

This structured approach facilitates hands-on learning, fosters collaboration, and empowers students to apply STEM principles to real-world challenges in sustainable agriculture.

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Who: The makerspace is open to secondary 1 to 2 students who are interested in learning about aquaponics and engaging in hands-on STEM activities.

What: It serves as a dedicated space for students to design, build, and maintain their aquaponic systems as part of an educational program.

When: The makerspace operates after school hours, providing students with opportunities for experiential learning and project-based exploration.

Where: The makerspace is located within the school premises, ideally equipped with tools, materials, and resources necessary for aquaponics projects.

Why: The makerspace aims to foster creativity, innovation, and practical skills development among students, preparing them for future STEM careers and promoting environmental sustainability through hands-on learning experiences.

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1. Free Introductory Workshops: Host interactive sessions where students can engage in hands-on activities and observe demonstrations of aquaponics setup and maintenance.

2. Food Innovation: Explore the culinary potential of aquaponics, enticing students with the opportunity to grow and experiment with fresh produce.

3. Certification or Badges: Provide recognition for students' achievements through certification or badges, enhancing their resumes and portfolios.

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The aquaponics program operates within a structured framework designed to educate participants about aquaponics principles, system design, and maintenance while fostering creativity and independent exploration. The program consists of several key stages:

Theoretical Understanding: Participants are introduced to the principles and concepts of aquaponics through workshops and educational materials.

Design and Planning: Hands-on activities allow participants to design and plan their aquaponic systems with guidance from instructors or mentors.

Construction and Setup: Participants build their aquaponic systems using provided materials and equipment, following instructional demonstrations and tutorials.

System Installation and Testing: Systems are installed and tested under the supervision of instructors or mentors to ensure proper functioning.

Operation and Maintenance: Participants learn how to operate and maintain their systems, with ongoing support provided through check-ins and workshops.

Data Collection and Analysis: Participants collect and analyze data on system performance, using workshops and resources to interpret findings.

Iterative Improvement: Participants engage in iterative improvement processes based on data analysis and personal experimentation, fostering continuous learning and innovation.

Product Development and Showcase: Participants showcase their completed systems and share their experiences with the wider community through presentations or exhibitions.

Throughout each stage, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and hands-on learning are emphasized to maximize participant engagement and learning outcomes.

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To prevent equipment damage and ensure participant safety, makerspaces should implement strict safety protocols and guidelines. Ensure fish and vegetables taken care of properly, don’t die too many times. This includes proper training on equipment usage and maintenance, regular inspections of equipment for wear and tear, and providing protective gear when necessary. While aquaponics systems generally pose minimal safety risks, wear long pants, proper handling of tools, electrical equipment, and chemicals is essential to prevent accidents.

-        Fish tanks

-        Grow Beds

-        Water Pumps

-        Aeration system

-        Filtration system

-        pH and EC Meters

-        Temperature sensors

-        Lighting system such as LED

-        Testing Kits for test water parameters such as ammonia and nitrate. Ensure water quality for fish to grow

-        Planting supplies

-        Fish feed

-        Tools such as scissors, screwdrivers, scissors, wrenches for system assembly

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Makerspaces will need to allocate resources and facilities to support the aquaponics program effectively. This may include dedicated workshop space equipped with tools, equipment, and materials needed for building and maintaining aquaponics systems. Additionally, access to water sources, electricity, and suitable environmental conditions (such as adequate lighting and temperature control) is essential for the successful operation of aquaponics systems. Regular maintenance and upgrades of equipment and facilities will also be necessary to ensure their continued functionality and safety.

Running costs may include expenses for utilities (water, electricity), consumables (fish feed, plant nutrients), maintenance supplies, field trip cost, and staff salaries. Regular maintenance and upgrades are necessary to ensure the proper functioning and longevity of equipment and facilities. Facilities should be designed and equipped to accommodate the specific needs of aquaponic systems, including space for tanks, grow beds, filtration systems, and monitoring equipment. Adequate ventilation, lighting, and climate control are also important considerations to create optimal conditions for plant and fish growth. ($20/person, expect 40 ppl)

-        Educational materials + manuals + guides + instructional videos on aquaponics principles, system design, construction, operation, and maintenance

-        Train instructors, mentors, or facilitators to guide students in aquaponic system design, construction, and operation. 1 teacher, 1 TA (they must know how to code)

-        Coding team to address technical issues, troubleshooting queries, and aid students as needed.

-        Ensure students wear covered shoes to minimize accidents

-        Venues: Science Labs have electricity, water sources, proper drainage to set up portable aquaponics. Or DnT studio since have the workbenches and tools needed to set up aquaponics

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Singapore:

Food Security

Singapore imports approximately 90% of its food supply, making it vulnerable to external disruptions such as global crises or geopolitical tensions. By learning about and building aquaponic systems, students gain practical skills in sustainable food production that can contribute to Singapore's efforts to increase local food resilience and reduce dependency on imports.

Education:

STEM integration

Aquaponics integrates various STEM disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. Through hands-on exploration, students see how these subjects intersect and apply them in real-world contexts, fostering a holistic understanding of science and technology.

Environmental awareness

Students learn about environmental conservation and sustainability through aquaponics programs, understanding its benefits like reduced carbon footprint and minimized water usage. They gain hands-on experience, fostering awareness and appreciation for ecosystem preservation. Aquaponics presents a space-efficient solution for urban environments, empowering students to contribute to local food production while overcoming land constraints through technology and innovation.

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Hands on Learning

Engaging in aquaponic system construction and maintenance enables students to apply scientific principles practically, fostering understanding of biology, ecology, and sustainability. Through hands-on participation, students develop practical skills and knowledge that extend beyond theoretical learning, promoting retention and real-world application of concepts.

Collaborative learning

Working in groups to build aquaponic systems encourages collaboration and teamwork among students. They share ideas, problem-solve together, and learn from one another's perspectives and experiences. This collaborative environment fosters communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and a sense of collective achievement.

STEAM

Students can incorporate artistic elements into their aquaponic designs, such as decorative elements, sculpture, or landscaping features. This allows students to express their creativity and individuality while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of their systems.

-        A visually appealing aquaponics system captures students' interest and motivates them to actively participate in the learning process. It creates a positive learning environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for STEM subjects.

-        Show students how to incorporate LED lights, colored gels, or programmable lighting systems to create dramatic effects, such as simulated sunrise and sunset cycles or underwater lighting displays.

-        Teach students how to create sculptural elements using materials like clay, wire, or papier-mâché. These elements can be added to the aquaponic system to serve as decorative accents or functional components, such as whimsical sculptures of aquatic creatures or plant holders shaped like shells or corals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK-MMe5Cmb8

https://youtu.be/H1RSNCN6mYw?si=xToSzs05fxVD9oz0

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Background

What is aquaponics

stats to show why choose aquaponics (why ppl shuld focus on this topic), due to food insecurity in SG

Rationale: In our case, the rationale is food security in SG context. For education wise, is to learn how different STEM subjects intersect and apply in real world context, and raise environmental awareness. Elaborate how it is STEM related.

Opportunities and Affordances: Hands on learning for practical skills beyond classroom learning and can use in their STEM careers, collaborative learning, constructivist learning, and STEAM.

Designing the process (first phase):

1. Setting up the Makerspace:

who (sec 1 and 2 students since they may not have a clear idea of their prospective careers, at the age where they are discovering their passions). Exposure help them broaden horizons and identify areas of interest without stress of exams or grades and have more freedom.

What (Makerspace a dedicated space for them to design and build their aquaponic to enrich school life)

When (after school hours as a CCA, held once a week maybe at 3.30pm, since most classes end at 2pm).

Where (DnT studio since there are workbenches and tools, maybe can come up with a floor plan? vry basic can alrdy and give brief reasons why chose dimensions for respective resources). Come up with reasons why such venue was chosen. Briefly state what facilities and equipment available.

Why (Makerspace foster creativity + innovation + problem solving + practical skills = foundation for future STEM careers and more environmentally conscious)

2. Lesson Plan:

First 2 weeks: Theoretical understanding about aquaponics and environment sustainability, can be taught in the form of slides and videos. Instructors can have a live system in place so students can interact with it, maybe can have some fun activities to make the lesson more fun.

(to be cont.)

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2nd week will have field trip as students get to explore aquaponics farm facilities that provide real world examples. Could be on a day where class dismissed earlier.

3rd and 4th weeks to learn coding and how to operate aquaponics equipment, design their aquaponics decorative elements on paper and how they want to assemble. STEAM as students can innovate with recyclable materials provided to decorate the tanks.

5th to 7th weeks to have hands on building to build small system, and assemble based on their design sketches. Students still continue to learn coding other parts of tank.

8th to 9th weeks put water and fish now. all systems should have been installed and tested by instructors to ensure they are functioning, students learn to monitor water quality, feed fish and manage plant growth. During those 2 weeks, students can choose to bring the tanks back home and store at places with sunlight, or keep safe in a classroom and regularly monitor for maintenance and data analysis.

10th to 11th weeks reflection and present what they learnt (daily dialogue, journal), discuss challenges faced and how they solved problems. Cooking workshop in one of the school kitchens (most likely need to split to 2 sessions as kitchen v small). Hopefully students already have some crops to work with otherwise teacher can just buy for students to learn the recipe and use in the future once their crops grown.

3. Cost

3.1 Equipment: Mini hydroponic plant kit, arduino board, sensors to measure temp, total around 45? come up with table of equipment needed and the purpose of each.

3.2 Logistics: Utilities, consumables, maintenance supplies, field trip, and staff salaries (1 teacher + 2 TAs?), what other qualifications, are they undergrad uni or seasoned instructors? must have knowledge in aquaponics, and know coding. Class of 40 expected, $20/ppl

4. Safety concerns

5. Incentives to get students to join

6. Considerations of aquaponic makerspace (other incidents other than safety that may happen that result in repercussions, how to avoid or rectify), future implications and potential partnerships and collaborations

7. Why investors should invest in makerspace (reiterate about pts in intro and add briefly)

8. Conclusion