Putting Meat Into The Matter

Dear Cactus Juice and Marist United,


At the previous meeting, we have discussed how you could approach your respective themes of Earthquakes and Global Cooling.


CACTUS JUICE on DEFENCE AGAINST EARTHQUAKES - The devastating prowess of Earthquakes causes tremendous damage to human cities. Thus there is a pushing need to invent and create ways to soften the effects of earthquakes. The research will be on the various type of Earthquake-proof buildings and how they are believed to prevent the destruction during earthquakes.


MARIST UNITED on GLOBAL COOLING - Global Cooling is a concept first developed in 1975. How has the theory been developed until now? Are scientists still looking for signs of this phenomenon? Are all the recent changes in the Earth evidence of Global Cooling, or do they prove otherwise? The research will be done to answer all the questions as well as the greatest one on our minds : can we prevent Global Cooling from happening?


Right now, you should be sourcing out all the relevant information and compiling them on your blogs. You should be also developing flow diagrams - time-lines or sequence of events - to give your readers a sense of history in what you are doing. Very soon, you will begin to type out the actual full report.


Remember - the final report is to be finished BEFORE the term ends.




Thanks and best regards,
Mr. Kan

Final Product

Dear Marist United & Cactus Juice,

Now is the time to start to think about what you would like to do as your final product for all the research that you have done. Streamline your ideas such that you are only handling one, at most two major themes.

Cactus Juice - The latest update on the effect of the Chile Earthquake is pretty impressive as it shows that earthquakes are not one-off events as previously believed but they may affect the world as a whole. This may be a great angle to work for your final report.

Marist United - No graphics? I'm still waiting for your flow chart and graphics. As again, the website lacks interest and punch with too many words and too little pictures.

Since there is no indication that you would be doing experiments or videos, I am assuming that you would end up with a typed report. More on that later.

Regards,
Mr. Kan

Examples of Project Flow Diagrams

Dear teams,

Here are some good examples of how flow diagrams should look like. It could help you in drawing your own flow diagrams for either your content or your actual project.



Example taken from http://www.clitheroethefuture.co.uk/performance_plan.html.

This is a very good example of an engineering flow chart. The rectangles signifies fixed stages whereas the diamonds signifies the possibilities of branches. It could be because of 'YES'/'NO' or 'HAPPENED'/"DID NOT HAPPEN" etc.







Another example of flow diagram could be like this:



Example taken from http://www.southeastrestoration.com/cust_cntr.htm.

This is a little bit more interesting to see as it is more graphical in nature. But do note that there is no "what if..." in this particular flow. It may work for something more definite rather than for process of multiple outcomes.



Finally, another example:



Example taken from http://www.octalsoftware.com/octal-work-approach.html.

This type of flow diagram is mainly targetted at end users. A lot of interest generated but not easily read. This is also mainly used for cyclical processes.


Use the correct flow chart for the correct purpose!!!!



:)

Heartened by your recent updates

Dear Marist United and Cactus Juice,


I'm very heartened by your latest updates to your blogs:

Cactus Juice:
Very appropriate diagram and video imbedded into your blog!

Marist United:
A lot of information that you can use for your final report.


Just take note of the following:

1) Whenever you extract information from a website, be sure to acknowledge the source. It could be either the TV broadcasting station or the website which you got the picture/video/information from.

2) Do not just "copy and paste". Cut away the unneccessary information and reorganise the rest into a coherent read.


Some ideas for you to continue your project:


Cactus Juice:
Do some data analysis for your survey. Calculate percentages for responses and deduce how the people thinks. Do more in-depth research into other earthquakes apart from the Haiti one.

Marist United:
Do some data analysis for your survey. Calculate percentages for responses and deduce how the people thinks. Find or devise some diagrams or flow chart to show how does Global Cooling works.


Please continue to download the worksheets from the main GRACE site and do the necessary screen captures in your blogs.

Thanks and best regards. See you during IPW period.

Creation of Survey

Dear Marist United & Cactus Juice,

Please refer to update in GRACE blog Term I Week 7 Lesson 6.

Part of your research of the environment involves crafting a survey and seeking response from people who may be interested in what you are researching in. For a survey you must:

1. Identify your target audience (could be the same as your research eg. teenagers who are studying geography, adults who are working in related industries etc.)

2. Think of at least 10 questions that are related to your research. It might by questions relating to people's misconceptions, their awareness of issues, their feelings towards certain issues etc.

3. Extract out 3-5 best questions.

4. Create a survey.

5. Seek out respondents with the survey. Ensure that they are of the correct target audience.

6. Collect back survey.

7. Tabulate results.

8. Find conclusions.

For the upcoming lesson, brainstorm for ideas of questions that are related to your project. At the end of the lesson, you must begin to craft out a suitable survey for your research.

Thanks and best regards,
Mr. Kan Kong Keat

Looking forward to updates

Dear Team Cactus Juice & Marist United,


Please update your blogs with the following information before the next lesson:

1. Screenshot of your worksheets, namely Worksheet 4 & 5 on your theme and your planning.

2. More research that you have done since last update.

I would like to see the direction at which your groups are heading.


Team Cactus Juice:
For now, my idea is that your group is researching on why Singapore has been experiencing tremors recently. You will be also researching why earthquakes has been happening at places which are least expected (eg. Szechuan, Haiti etc.)

Team Marist United:
Your group has been researching on Global Cooling. Perhaps you can do some history searching. Where did this idea come from? Who came out with this idea? What was the response then? How about now? Do you agree with the theory?

Spend some time brainstorming over all the ideas and come out with the framework of our project.

All the best!

Latest update

Based on our last meeting, we have concluded the following:


Team Marist United will be doing a project on Global Cooling...


Team Cactus Juice will be doing a project on Earthquakes...



Gentlemen, the devil is in the details.... DETAILS!!!! Let me know the following:

1. What EXACTLY are you researching on Global Cooling and Earthquakes?
2. What is the end product? Are you doing a knowledge-based website? A typed report? A video? A play? A game?
3. What are the roles of your individual members?



Fill up those worksheets and get cracking!