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Art Unit engaged KSP for Film Making lessons for Sec 2. It focuses on the creating stylistic transitions inside a narrative plot.
This is the display of what students can do after 3hrs of lessons:
https://padlet.com/woon_sher_lin_sheralyn2/Bookmarks

This lesson meets our objective of developing a inter-disciplinary curriculum.
We can consider
1. collaborating with Art Unit, by providing funds for this lesson
2. carrying out this lesson for Sec 1 2022 during post exam, as part of Tier 1B. This will be a good chance to introduce them to filming. Skills learnt in this programme can be applyed in their docu-drama production in Sec 2 2023.

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The Art teachers taught the Sec1s basic photography skills (using mobile phones) during the first 4 lessons in Term 1. If we wish to move towards Photojournalism (instead of infographics), then we can tap on what students have learned in Art lessons too, to get them started. Though we may still want to engage a vendor to support our ALP teachers.

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This year, we did not manage to implement a more structured training session for our ALP ambassadors. We have a rough plan in place: see link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QDsrgolSGwXzRcZPcPp78nY400JL1h-i31sOrbTHzXw/edit?usp=sharing

Developing our ALP ambassadors is something we will need to focus on next year. Possibly 2 Teacher I/Cs to develop our ALP ambassadors?

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NUS Professor Koh praised our students for having a good understanding of issues in the Middle East. She said it was clear our students have empathy for the people in the region, as they raised many questions during the Q&A about whether it was just to suppress the Palestinians and if the conflict can ever be resolved. There were many good questions during the Q&A which showed strong Sec 3 student engagement. The 2 hosts  - Glenda and Bazil - also moderated the Q&A session well.

SS teachers prepared their students beforehand with a simple form to pique their interest about the region. We also stressed the rules (no frivolous texting in the chat) to students to ensure a smooth session. Key takeaways were also reinforced in SS lessons - concepts of diversity, identity, stereotypes. The session was nicely timed in July to also coincide with RHD.

Areas for improvement - perhaps differentiated resources to be given beforehand as optional reading materials to Geog/History students. HY students learned about the Holocaust and could make the links to their return to the Middle East after WWII, but the Geog students do not.

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We initially approached the ALP ambassadors to recruit them for the ApLM on Social Innovations for Future Change but many were not keen and preferred other ApLMs like underwater robots. In the end, we cast our net wider and opened the module to anyone interested. But by then it was a bit difficult as many students with potential had already put their names down for other modules.

Next year, perhaps we can start by casting our nets wide to begin with, rather than just trying to give priority to ALP ambassadors. We could also do up a Google Site with Q&A beforehand (follow Science) to hook students early.

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More hardcopy materials for N(A) students

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More hardcopy materials for N(A) students

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NA class teachers gave feedback that hardcopy materials worked better for their students. Farhanah created her own hardcopy materials for her class in Term 1. We could take a look and gain inspiration from her resources as a base.

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Good new resources on relevance of ALP to students tertiary education, future jobs etc

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Good new resources on relevance of ALP to students tertiary education, future jobs etc

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ALP teachers shared that students enjoyed the new lessons in Sem 2, which we used to end the year. We ended with helping students see the relevance of our school ALP to:

1) Certain EAE/DSA media courses - one lesson. Students also created a Google Drive portfolio to start storing their SIL work, art work and any other products for future use
2) Future jobs in terms of Smart Nation - one lesson
3) Smart Nation & the link to sustainability - one lesson

For 2022, maybe some of these lessons could be shifted earlier, to create buy-in of the ALP.

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Concurrent timing for both Sec 1 & 2 - keep!

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Concurrent timing for both Sec 1 & 2 - keep!

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Sec 1 ALP teachers gave feedback that having a concurrent session gave the Sec1s a better sense of what to expect next year

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Spacing out of ALP events - clustered in Term 3

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Spacing out of ALP events - clustered in Term 3

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While we started planning for the Fiesta in Term 3, we had to also split our focus on many other ALP events in Term 3 - the Middle East workshop, filming Publicity Video for the ALP, NLB-SURE competition.

Next year, we should aim to space out some of these activities / shift them earlier in the year, so as to protect some space/time for the ALP fiesta planning in Term 3

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52% rated 8-10: I was able to celebrate the learning achievements of my fellow schoolmates.

64% rated 8-10: I was able to learn about a variety of social issues through the work done by my fellow schoolmates.

62% rated 8-10: I feel proud that ALP is an AI Distinctive Programme.

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Students wanted to watch more (but is timing/pacing an issue?)

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Students wanted to watch more (but is timing/pacing an issue?)

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They enjoyed the docu-dramas the most, and reflected they wish they could have watched more. However 1. we asked for 4 periods but only got 3 periods 2. prioritised live awards ceremonies over showing full videos - is this a good balance? Can we have our cake and eat it all?

However, video-heavy events tend to have lag which makes the viewing experience frustrating too. Is there a more high-tech way to mitigate this?

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If it's more frequent (but let's save ourselves - not necessarily so frequent like 1 per term), it lends itself to being synonymous with ALP.

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Green Capitalism (collab/inquiry with uni students?)

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Green Capitalism (collab/inquiry with uni students?)

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https://schoolynk.com/media/articles/51cc43ef-89ca-4d3d-955e-cb7b33828330

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A one-on-one with Dennis Chia, the man behind Boundless Sosei-Partners who is working with locals in Japan to revitalize urban areas from an international and sustainable perspective.

Like any other international student whose first brush with Japan started with learning the language, Dennis Chia, born and raised in Singapore, learned Japanese in his middle school. It was still rare for schools to offer Japanese language classes, but then he also had the opportunity to go on a homestay in Hokkaido and spend a couple of weeks in the Kanto and Kansai region of Japan in 2004 for a school program. It was also the same year when Waseda University established the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS), which they also visited as part of the program. Much like a coincidence, in his 2nd year of high school, Waseda came to his school to promote the new department. Before he knew it, he was enrolled in the SILS program. Studying in Japan was not his initial plan after high school, but he made the most out of his first four years as a university student traveling to all 47 prefectures in Japan.

A Fresh Pair of Eyes

However, in his 4th year of studies, the Great East Japan Earthquake devastated the Northeastern region of Japan, and he felt strongly to help through volunteering. In the last week of April, he headed to Tohoku and spent some time in Ishinomaki where he lent his time and skills in cooperative efforts. It was through this experience that his eyes were opened to a different way of seeing the places he has visited. Before, he traveled around simply as a touristーgoing to the typical 'touristy' places, overloaded by "billboard culture", and simply seeing the facade of towns and cities. Now, he sees through that and has found himself in the midst of local communities and their honest way of living. It was a new-found experience with traveling that kickstarted his passion to 'see' Japan beyond the surface. As such, he partook in translation work for Japanese craftsmen; translating explanations about traditional Japanese crafts. It was through his immersion in this environment that he learned what he believes is the whole philosophy behind Japanese culture and the Japanese way of thinking which has always been connected to sustainability.

Another Turning Point

Most of the traditional Japanese crafts are a dying form of art, and his contact with the reality of rural Japan and its decline proves how these two almost go hand-in-hand, prompting him to look further into the growing social issues in Japan.

Upon graduating, Chia went on to work for companies but ultimately decided to return to further his studies. While preparing for graduate school, he spent his gap year working part-time and doing various volunteer work. He also spent his internship at Peace Boat, a Japan-based international NGO working to promote peace, human rights, and sustainability in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through activities centered on experiential learning and intercultural communication. He shared that through this internship and the people he has worked alongside this program, he learned that life is more than just working for a company. He recounts how he was surrounded by professionals from different fields who all have the capability to work for bigger companies and yet chose to dedicate their time and skills to a unified cause. This inspired him to step outside the corporate world and work towards something that will serve an even greater purpose.

Chia went back to continue his studies at the University of Tokyo, pursuing a Masters of Arts and Science in Interdisciplinary Media Studies. His research was focused on disaster prevention and recovery mainly in Ishinomaki, the Philippines, and Indonesia. He then started rethinking his options after graduating; he previously set his course towards a career working for the UN but redirected it to fieldwork that would allow him to be more in touch with local communities and work alongside locals.

The Beginning of Boundless

Chia's desire to stay in Japan and address social issues in rural areas lead to the decision of starting his own organization here. He gathered information on Regional Revitalization (地方創生) , a project by the Japanese government that conducts research on the population change in all the towns, cities, and municipalities in Japan in the span of 20 years. Out of 1,741 municipalities, 896 are in the category of "disappearing municipality". The idea behind this project is to redistribute the population of Tokyo and to stimulate economic and social growth in urban regions. He did further research on this project and found an obstacle that was creating the gap between local people and 'global' people: all the information provided was in Japanese. This limited the input of ideas and solutions to just locals, and Chia wanted to expand that scope in order to push forward with the aim of this project.

Thus, the birth of Boundless , a social enterprise serving to connect great minds from overseas to locals in the countryside of Japan. Under Boundless, the flagship project Sosei Partners creates an opportunity for the international community to also contribute to the regional revitalization efforts in Japan. International students and working professionals in Japan or from outside Japan who partake in this program are taken to rural areas and collaborate with locals in finding sustainable and effective solutions. For Chia, this project is not your typical sightseeing trip to Japan but rather a close-up into the local life and making meaningful contributions towards the community. For Chia, "Regional Revitalization (地方創生) is very global but the thing is it's hard to make it global because everyone working is very local and the focus stays there." He aims to open up and strengthen the platform for cooperation between Japanese and international members of communities across Japan through area-specific projects.

Coming Full Circle

The first part of the experience is to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a local area by engaging in discussions. The next step, which to Chia is the key part to making this project meaningful, is to contribute by brainstorming feasible solutions and attempting to solve problems through actual application. He emphasized how most similar programs simply go to these areas, learn, and leave. For him, he aims to keep his projects more practical, concrete, and on-the-ground. Boundless also offers short term and long term internships, connecting people to local areas such as Ishinomaki, Urahoro, Shimokawa, Minami Ashigara, and Seiyo.

Tokomuro Lab exterior

One of the successful solutions that came from the Sosei Partners program in Urahoro, Hokkaido is the TOKOMURO Lab, which used to be an old elementary school building shut down years ago; now repurposed as a collaboration space, cafe, woodworking shop and is still currently in development and expansion. This space is now being utilized by locals through various events and community get-togethers.

Tokomuro Cafe interior

For Dennis, he wants Boundless to also spark interest among local youth to partake in these projects to help their own community. He hopes to have everyone actively engage in preserving and at the same time developing urban areas in Japan.

Take-away for International Students

According to Chia, "Most international students grow up in big cities in their own countries, and so maybe even in their own country, they don't know much about their own rural areas. This is important because when we talk about sustainability, in a sense it's going back to our roots, going back to nature, which is one way to achieve that."

In addition to this, he emphasizes three things he's learned throughout his study abroad experience in Japan and now as a contributing member of society:

1. To have fun and enjoy themselves in Japan. If you're not happy, you shouldn't be here.

2. Be open. Don't be stuck in your way of thinking. You will learn about good and bad things about Japan and that's all part of the experience. Don't be stuck with your own preconceptions.

3. At least be aware of social issues around and if possible do good or do something good.

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From Waseda-UTokyo Student to Social Entrepreneur | SchooLynk Media

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Like any other international student whose first brush with Japan started with learning the language, Dennis Chia, born and raised in Singapore, learned Japanese in his middle school.

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Suggest placing students' work on Google site to allow students to access all the winning infographics and videos. This link can be shared with students to view during their holidays (or even during PTM, while waiting for their turn). Having a platform to showcase their work is likely to encourage students to do their best!

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topic on food sustainability for sec 1n/1t may be too difficult. may need the teachers to  unpack the content for them.  if possible to include games or other types of activities that can engaged these classes better.

for 1E classes may be slightly better. Content is okay.may need to engage other "fun" activities instead of just a zoom sesion.

can consider Forum theatre?

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1) need to be clear what teachers are supposed to cover and what vendor supposed to focus on - so there's no overlap of skills and activities
2) watching the netflix video fr a span of 3-5 weeks (i think) is too long.
3) hardcopy of materials,not just sls. can i propoose ALP teachers/ comm to sit together and plan the resources.
4) can the skills be taught prior to the alp lessons/vendor coming in for lessons - making charts and graphs, google docs, excel
5) having the checklist was very useful for the video production.

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1) Good trigger to have students to watch The Social Dilemma, however most of them claimed they had watch during Sec1.

No. of lessons catered to this part is also too long, unless questions/activities planned together can be more meaningful/engaging.

2) pre-production process can start earlier such as researching/script writing & vendor coming in earlier to start the technical shooting skills

3) feels that this year's vendor focused too much on theories. duration allocated for hands-on are not sufficient.

vendor also dont seem to look at students work beforehand (maybe also bcuz students kept dragging to upload to the correct folder). would be good if vendor can use student's work (be it script or videos) as a teaching example.

but vendor is very willing to listen to our feedback & communication with the 'fixed' instructor was clear. would be good if each class's instructor dont change too often.

4) last year even with COVID, there was enough time for students to do group presentation to their own class prior to FIESTA which i thought was really good with a lot of teachable moments.

we can push the timeline forward to reduce The Social Dilemma part

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topic is definitely too difficult & students aint interested.

(recorded) video is not engaging plus students generally cannot sit still.

would be good to have more interactive segments like games/competition or even hands-on.

the Google form content is awesome with many resources (I learnt a lot too!), but i feel that it might still be a little difficult for Sec1 (even 1E).

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1) objectives were met, films chosen were suitable & the director was engaging (according to teachers & some students)

2) activities were 'interactive' even though it might just be through Mentimeter or Google form, if duration permits, can have more open-end activities (provided students dont type nonsense answers) to make students think more

3) would be good to train students ambassadors to host the session with the director (instead of teacher) just like In mAI Opinion. it is also a good opportunity to stretch students.

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As of now, we have found these opportunities: In mAI Opinion, Tier 1B programmes. What other opportunities are there?

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We managed to invite a NUS Professor to have a discussion with our students this year. These invitations are very much uncertain. Are there any "stable" opportunities that is suitable to be held as a panel discussion? (e.g. VIA? CCA? CI? CCE Topics?)

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We managed to engage directors to speak to us about how they see the society differently in their job. Are there other "lobangs" where we can get professionals to share with us how they see the society in a different way? Is there other occupations that we can explore?

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We switched to pair work for the infographic rather than group work, based on feedback last year that there were too many free loaders in a group of 5. Pair work turned out well as kids were more engaged

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Currently we teach the theories first - PACC, wheel of reasoning, SURE - and students only start on the infographics weeks later. By then they would have forgotten all the theories. So it would be good if they could play around with piktochart / canva as they learn the theories

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Piktochart (free version) doesn’t allow students to share their work with one another. As a result, one does the actual work, the other just sits and watches (or does research).
If we pay to upgrade, then sharing can be enabled

Some students suggested we used Canva instead, given the many templates available. Also a good consideration

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For Teachers: With Nurul not around in Term 3, Teachers had to upload materials on Google Classroom. Not all knew how to assign an individual copy to each student. As a result, the entire class ended up working on the same Google doc. Teachers picked this up after a few sessions though. Next year, we will need to think about how to support Teachers for the lessons Nurul used to help - explaining canva/ piktochart etc

For students: will students get any baseline ICT training? On using Google drive etc. Not all know how to

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As we continue to make CSI the niche programme of AISS (along with OLE), we need to ensure there is sufficient "attention" given to the programmes.

Keep: We should continue to invite SL's for the prize presentation.
Improve: We need to ensure that we have 1h 30min of time during post exam activity.

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Currently, we have:
Overall winners: trophy + gift pack + cert
Other winners: gift pack + cert
Nominees: cert

Keep or improve?

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Currently, we have:

Sec 1

1. Brilliant Title

2. Best Design

3. Best PACC

4. Overall Best Infographic

Sec 2

1. Most Educational

2. Editors' Pick

3. Viewers' Choice

4. Golden Lens

Keep or Improve?

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Other than ALP Fiesta, what other platforms are there to showcase award-winning master pieces?

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To make staff aware of what students learn in CSI, we need to request air time to showcase Golden Lens and Overall Best Infographic Award pieces during staff meeting.

This will help inform teachers that students are equipped with the relevant skills by Sec 2 and Sec 3. Teachers can then design assignments that can tap on these skills, without worrying about equipping them beforehand.

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- Students took some time to get excited in  producing their own docu drama as theory/discussion part can be a lil draggy.

- Vendor can excite students with more hands on activities beforehand (content need not be on their project).

- More time to be allocated for students' presentation.

- ALP teachers should brainstorm ideas together.