Spreading STEM among students in Quang Nam

First prize awarded to 3 products. Photo: Xuan Phu

Impressed with the ideas

The set of safety driving support equipment to prevent mistakenly pressing the accelerator pedal and warning about alcohol concentration in the car by Pham Gia Huy - Nguyen Van Nhu (Le Loi Secondary School, Tam Ky City) was evaluated to have many outstanding advantages, along with 2 other products, surpassing more than 60 products participating in the contest to win First Prize.

Sharing the idea of ​​creating a product to participate in the contest, two 9th grade students from Tam Thang commune said that the solution comes from the reality of traffic accidents caused by cars, the common causes of which are human negligence, drivers mistakenly stepping on the gas pedal, drinking alcohol and falling asleep at night.

“From that worrying reality, we decided to research and design a product to support safe driving, prevent mistakenly pressing the accelerator, warn of alcohol concentration in the car, and warn of driver drowsiness to help overcome traffic accidents,” said Van Nhu.

Gia Huy said that many people have chosen different solutions but so far they have not reduced traffic accidents. Therefore, the product with sensor module, although not the first time, we are confident that it has a different implementation and can be widely applied in practice.

The process of preventing the wrong accelerator pedal is to use Arduino, potentiometer and servo. When the driver steps on the accelerator steadily, the car operates normally, but when the driver steps hard and suddenly increases the accelerator for a short time, the system will automatically turn off the engine and activate the automatic brake.

Or when the driver gets into the car, if there is alcohol concentration, the system will sound a warning horn and cut off the starter, making the car unable to operate. Similarly, if the driver falls asleep (closes eyes for more than 3 seconds), the speaker system will sound a warning.

Meanwhile, the product Self-study software for localeducation grade 8 and digital handbook on culture - history - tourism of Quang Nam province by Phan Do Xuan Phuc - Nguyen Ngoc Gia Quynh - Vo Quoc Thang (Quang Trung Secondary School - Dien Ban) also convinced the jury to award the first prize.

This is a modern and useful software for students and the community. The application of the software helps to improve the interest, quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning local education subjects. Digitizing content not only supports education but also contributes to preserving and promoting the cultural and historical values ​​of the province; arousing love for the homeland and local cultural identity.

The application not only helps to improve initiative in learning but also creates motivation to learn about one's homeland through digital technology , in line with the current digital transformation strategy of education.

Spread

Evaluating the contest, Head of the Department of Secondary Education, Department of Education and Training - Mr. Chau Van Thuy said that the number of participating products this year has increased and is more even in many fields, attracting all localities in the province to participate, especially mountainous districts with many products.

Pham Gia Huy - Nguyen Van Nhu (Le Loi Secondary School - Tam Ky) won First Prize. Photo: Xuan Phu

The quality this year is also higher with many new and diverse products showing that students are confident and have mastered their knowledge. The topic system this year is also rich, closely following the content of STEM subjects of the 2018 General Education program. Many products are of quite good quality, apply interdisciplinary knowledge well, are environmentally friendly, and meet the criteria of STEM products.

This is demonstrated through highly awarded products such as the Safe Driving Support Device Kit to prevent mistakenly pressing the accelerator pedal and warning of alcohol concentration in the car by Pham Gia Huy - Nguyen Van Nhu or the Smart Parking Model by Huynh Manh Quynh - Nguyen Tran Khanh Ngan (Quang Trung Primary and Secondary School, Hoi An City).

According to Mr. Thuy, the advantage of this year's competition is that it covers all 6 fields of technology, physics, chemistry, biology, including mathematics and fine arts. In general, the products show a significant change in the approach to teaching and learning STEM, so most of the topics are suitable for the general education program, applying the basic knowledge that students have learned.

Many products are related to real life, opening up new ideas. Typical examples include the Self-study software for local education for grade 8 and the digital handbook on culture - history - tourism of Quang Nam province by Phan Do Xuan Phuc - Nguyen Ngoc Gia Quynh - Vo Quoc Thang (Quang Trung Secondary School - Dien Ban) that have connected digital technology, supporting students' learning.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nam - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, STEM teaching is an interdisciplinary integrated educational model, helping students apply knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to solve practical problems; thereby forming and developing their capacity and qualities.

Previously, the department organized a science and technology competition for high school and middle school students, but then organized a separate competition for middle school students called the STEM teaching product competition.

This year’s competition saw 64 entries from 168 students from 17 education and training departments of districts, towns, and cities and 3 ethnic boarding schools. Notably, the competition shows that the movement is increasingly spreading among secondary school students across the province; thereby, contributing to improving the overall quality of education for students.

The Organizing Committee awarded 3 First Prizes, 10 Second Prizes, 16 Third Prizes and 35 Consolation Prizes to the products participating in the contest. In addition to the plains, it is worth mentioning that this year the mountainous areas also had many products participating in the contest that were invested in a lot and won high prizes such as Phuoc Son (2 Second Prizes), Dong Giang (1 Second Prize), Bac Tra My, Nam Tra My, Tay Giang (each district has 1 Third Prize).

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/lan-toa-stem-trong-hoc-tro-xu-quang-3155122.html