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The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) may be a common mode of transport, but how does it contribute to environmental sustainability? North Spring Primary pupils found out.
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Pupil organisers proved they could take the lead in different roles when they displayed their talents as analysts, researchers, designers, marketers and event organisers in the development of a life-sized board game. |
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The Innovative and Enterprise (I&E) Club pupils in North Spring Primary are eager to share the environmental values of taking the MRT through their ground-breaking programme Moving Right on Track!, which highlights the benefits of using the MRT transport system for environmental sustainability, emphasises social values and grace, and last but not least, promotes the speaking of good English. The programme received the top prize for best innovative project at the 2006 Enviro-Innovate Project Competition held by National Environment Agency (NEA) last November.
Pupils Taking the Lead
Moving Right on Track! takes pupils beyond the classroom to real-life learner-centric processes in which pupils take on roles of analysts, researchers, designers, marketers and event organisers in the development of a life-sized board game.
The board game depicts the MRT stations in Singapore and players need to plan their moves optimally in order to get to their destination in the shortest possible time. As players move from station to station, they are rewarded for tasks related to the learning objectives of the game. They must also be ready to face surprises that may thwart their plans.
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| Pupil marketers try to encourage their peers to participate in the Inter-class Moving Right on Track! competition. |
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In line with the spirit of I&E, North Spring Primary’s new approach to the teaching of life skills and values received overwhelming responses from the pupils.
Primary 5 pupil Gerald was head of the marketers. He learnt to work with his group members in brainstorming for ideas to promote and publicise Moving Right on Track!. “(We are) hoping to attract more friends to join in the competition." Meanwhile, 10-year-old Alveria, another I&E club member shared, “It ( Moving Right on Track!) helps me to understand the MRT system better and I now know that I can play a part in protecting the environment, just by taking the MRT!” Primary 5 pupil Ying Xuan’s team was tasked with coming up with the game structure and the opponent list, “We even thought of the attractive prizes to give, based on the budget our teachers gave us.”
Ms Grace Ho, NE Advocate/I&E Club Teacher-in-charge also learnt a few lessons herself, “ Moving Right on Track! has proven to us (teachers) that pupils can take the lead in the different roles—analysts, designers, researchers, marketers and organisers—well! We are so proud of them especially when the pupil organisers took the lead in inviting the principal up on stage to give out the prizes to the participants. We truly believe that more opportunities need to be given to pupils to take the lead, unleashing their creativity and talents to inspire their peers.”
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| North Spring Primary’s I&E Club members explaining their project to the media during the School Carnival organised by the NEA in November 2006. |
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Partners in the Environment
The development of Moving Right on Track! involved collaboration between North Spring Primary and Singapore River Cruises and Leisure Pte Ltd under NEA’s ‘Adopt-A-School’ scheme. The ‘adopter’ sponsored bumboat rides for all I&E Club pupils and furnished details and information required by the pupil researchers. For pupils, learning was repositioned as exciting and relevant, extending beyond the learning of life skills and values to include lessons in innovation, enterprise, globalisation, and other hallmarks of the future.
Moving on, the North Spring students are happy to demonstrate their game to the community and hope to work with the Land Transport Authority to bring the programme and board game to a wider audience.
The stages include:
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| I&E Club members explaining to Dr Amy Khor, the Guest-of- Honour at the 2006 School Carnival, how their game reinforces the learning of environmental and social values. |
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Phase 1: Pupils as Analysts.
Phase 2: Pupils as Researchers and Designers of prototype.
Phase 3: Pupils as Testers, playing a trial run on the prototype and reflecting on areas of improvement.
Phase 4: Contacting vendors to create life-size game and mass production of smaller versions for public sale.
Phase 5: Presentation of Moving Right on Track! during Schools Carnivals to invite feedback.
Phase 6: Integration of Moving Right on Track! into curriculum, taking a spiral approach to inculcate environmental values, social values and speaking good English to the Primary 4, 5 and 6 pupils respectively.
Phase 7: Pupils as Marketers to promote Moving Right on Track! game within school, using the 5Ps Marketing Mix.
Phase 8: Inter–Class Competition for pupils of Primary 4 to 6.
Phase 9: Partnership with Community (Land Transport Authority) to bring the programme and board game to the national level. |
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