Download - Children into research
Getting Children into Research
Prof Mamokgethi SetatiVice Principal: Research and
Why this session?
• The FIRST® LEGO® League program is designed to show kids how exciting science, technology, and engineering can be.
• Research and problem solving are integral parts of these fields and keys to the success of any real-world engineering team.
The FLL Real-World Problem themes
• 2009 Smart Moves – the transportation of the world.
• 2010 Body Forward – the trends in Bio-Medical Engineering.
• 2011 Food Factor – the issues of food contamination as a world issue that affects all nations.
• 2012 Senior Solution – how to keep old people engaged and integrated in the community in which they live.
What is research about?
Why do research?
Why get children interested in research?
• To satisfy their curiosity.• To encourage them to think critically about
the problems that they confronted with• To Increase their general knowledge and
world knowledge about real-world issues.• Prepares them for an academic
environment (post school)• Helps them with their school work projects.• Consider solutions from a ‘young’ mind
perspective – no bias, preconceived, conformed …
Teaching children to do research is important because
• Core Subjects: Children must learn beyond the BASICS REQUIRED.
• Learning Skills: they learn to use what they have learned, e.g. critical thinking, application and implementation, thinking of new things, communication and collaboration.
• 21st Century Tools: they learn how to use technology to find answers
• 21st Century Context: REAL world …• 21st Century Content: Discerning and
analyzing the body of knowledge available
How to do research
How to get children interested?