Above: Health Campaign – Fatigue (Felicia Ho & Alia Salgado, 2023)
It was intended to be viewed as an Instagram story which is easy for people to see, and access again if you ‘highlight’ it on your profile, and is a format that can quickly and cheaply reach many people. It is also useful if people want extra information, as, in theory, they could message the profile posting it. You may view it as a PDF format – above, or as a HTML embed below.
The RAC bstreetsmart excursion featured a crash scene re-enactment attended by emergency services, as well as testimonials from those directly impacted by road trauma; a man who had lost his legs as they lay twenty metres away, someone who became wheelchair bound, and someone whose group of high school friends had all died. Pupils were also given the opportunity to talk with the emergency service personnels. The excursion demonstrated the consequences of distracted driving, speeding, and drink and drug driving.
For me, this excursion highlighted the far-reaching effects of ‘personal’ decisions, such as drink driving, carelessness, and fatigue. Additionally, it emphasised the potential ramifications for yourself, and those around you; one could end up as a quadriplegic, with no further opportunity to play sport or walk, as well as a loss of independence, dignity, and freedom. Overall, this excursion served as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and care to ensure the safety of ourselves, and those in our circles.
Hence, young drivers should always err on the side of caution if unsure. This is crucial in preventing regrettable consequences, which could range from large amounts of debt to the loss of a friend. By critically considering the potential effects of actions, individuals can be kept safe, and the loss of independence, dignity and freedom can be prevented.
When I begin driving, I pledge to only drive when I am alert and not tired, and when I am not distracted. I will stick to these commitments by making effort to get adequate amounts of sleep each night, especially when driving the next day. This is instrumental in preventing fatigue, which would serve to keep myself and others safe; when energised, I will be able to respond quickly to any dangers around me, and make informed decisions; this could be the external surroundings, other drivers and passengers, and people who may make risky decisions. By committing to this pledge, this will help keep myself and others safe; this is crucial to preserving the quality of life for each person, as well as preventing regrettable consequences.
The destructive and unpredictable nature of earthquakes can not only wreak havoc on buildings but negatively impact surrounding societies, causing uncertainty and fear. In addition to injuries, organizations and infrastructure may be disrupted. Hence, the long-term repercussions of this are socially, economically and environmentally unsustainable. This was demonstrated through the Nepal 2015 earthquake. In the 2 year aftermath, less than 5% of the destroyed houses were rebuilt, leaving 800, 000 families to take refuge in temporary shelters. If we understand how to engineer earthquake-safe buildings, we will be able to better resist the inevitable damage brought upon us, which would save lives, infrastructure and organizations, creating a safer society for all to reside in.
To end our science course, we were tasked with designing, building and testing a model that would withstand a major earthquake. To be considered successful, this model:
was to be made out of spaghetti and blu-tack
had to remain standing after an earthquake, as simulated by the 10-second shake of a table. Ideally, it had to be left undamaged after P Waves, S Waves & Surface Waves.
had to be quick and easy to assemble
constructed using scissors and a ruler
It was required to have
a maximum base of 30cm by 30cm
a minimum height of 60 cm
a 5 cm by 5 cm platform at the top
a cost less than $60, where each spaghetti strand or gram of blu-tack costs $1. (This was given twice for the initial prototype and once for the second prototype.)
Concept sketches of our intended model that was unsuccessful.
We first engaged in a 50-minute design sprint, and then researched, created a plan and engineered a model based on this. Throughout the process, we kept in mind the design features that would help improve building resistance. As a result of this, our final model was drastically different.
While our building was stable, a piece of spaghetti snapped, dislodging others.
Our building was able to withstand all types of waves, however, due to unforeseen circumstances arising from snapped spaghetti, the fragility of the materials and the interactions between the blu-tack and spaghetti, we were forced to alter, adapt and change our plan. This caused us to have a lack of resources as we neared the top of our model, meaning that we missed the height requirement by a few centimetres. However, we learnt that having a top that is flexible and able to sway on a rigid base is not necessarily a negative. Overall, though the building could not be implemented in real life, it fulfilled most requirements, with the exception being the height.
I thought that our research was thorough, however, as it couldn’t perfectly correlate to real life, it was partly for naught. In terms of teamwork, I thought that we collaborated by distributing the work evenly and taking initiative as required.
To improve the outcomes of the project, it would have been beneficial to spend less time observing, deliberating and researching, to allow more time to iron out any inevitable problems or experiment more with bases that would work and think about how theory applies to real life (by taking into account the specific materials we have on hand).
On the day, to give my audience an idea of what I had envisioned, I decided to produce prototypes of each design. I debated on producing new designs, but in the end, I did not. This was because I already had functioning, in-demand designs and too much variety could cause more opportunity cost.
The email correspondence about booking the laser cutter.
I first had to email Mr Scotti about whether there was any spray adhesive available. Although there was none in the E6 workshop, I managed to procure some by borrowing from Ms Brookland (Art Dept.)
After loading my designs onto a USB, I made my way to the laser cutter. I first went to the Hangar workshop, then had to make my way over to E6. I ended up wasting 20 minutes, but admittedly I should have clarified the exact place beforehand. To improve, I must communicate with other humans more effectively online, and not assume information.
Once I had located said teacher and machine, a few of my designs were printed. I already had the general gist of placement and specific settings, so I used this again successfully.
Inside Designs I had in mind
In the finishing room, I used spray adhesive to assemble the cards. This was to seal the inside decorative card in between the laser-cut card and the writing surface. This was a simple case of following instructions, so this turned out well. I also tested which designs would look most appealing by prototyping them on spare paper. I learnt that specific patterns would not look very appealing behind the laser-cut stencil. This included dark colours or patterns with artificial glitter. After creating my prototypes, I gathered different inside designs and put them onto a grid. This would help later on with preorders. In the finishing room, the cards tended to fly around due to the large exhaust. Next time, I would bring in something to hold the cards down to ensure a smooth production process.
The successful prototypes together
I was quite pleased with the production of my prototype due to how the cards came out with the new type of paper. However, next time I would clarify the exact time & place, so as to avoid wasted time or confusion, and to be more prepared with spare items (in this case, something to weigh the cards down). While designing and creating a prototype, I experienced the importance of effective communication (specifically through online means like email), organization (by staying on track to meet set deadlines), and the importance of being proactive (as I am the only person running my business and so cannot rely on others as much).
The Leadership & Innovation course is designed to be flexible and work around the participants’ various skills and interests. This proved to be true; the class was given the opportunity to run a “side hustle”. I chose to combine this with my Passion Project as I enjoy the side hustle, and also because it maximized the time I was given.
Fuelled by success from selling previously, I was keen to continue my greeting card business. This year, however, the start up cost was $50, which meant more flexibility, but most importantly, more stock.
Receiving the $50 loan.
In order to determine whether there was demand, I needed validation. This would minimize unnecessary spending and allow me to connect with my audience. Additionally, I would also get real-world data so I could tailor my product accordingly. Hence, before selling at the larger Wanju Community Christmas Market, the class decided to use the September Runway Market as a product validation. In particular, I wanted feedback on my pricing. Before the outdoor market, I got a vague idea about what people thought through asking my class.
To organize ourselves for this, the class was introduced to the Microsoft Planner. Bearing similarities to Trello, the planner was like an online scrum. I used it to track task completion.
My Planner
At the validation, I needed a prototype and a means to obtain feedback. Before I could make a prototype, I needed materials. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to maximise my loan, finding the most valuable material options. This was eventually whittled down to a few key materials. Utilizing the school’s laser cutter and spray adhesive, I successfully created 2 prototypes, one of each design.
While sorting out my finances, I also projected my profit with my previous prices. Last year, the product was sold for $5 (laser cut) and $1.50 (printed). This year, I wanted to sell my product for a price that people would be willing to pay, but that I would also be happy to accept.
After considering my options, I settled on using a survey, conducted through Microsoft Forms. I also created advertisements to draw people in. On the day, I used sweets to lure people so they would give me feedback. This turned out to be a useful tactic, as many were willing to stop by, if only for a mint.
The 2 sides of my Poster Board. On the day, it was face up on the Free Candy side.
The product validation provided many insights. Apart from learning about how to bait potential customers, I was able to gain a rough idea about pricing, as well as who my target audience was. I deduced that people thought highly of my product and that my target audience was mainly girls, specifically those in Junior School. In the process, I experienced the importance of peer feedback. All things considered, I have benefitted from this course and gained valuable feedback.
After more than 12 years of wrongful imprisonment, Scott Austic has a shattered life to rebuild.
The Australian Legal System incorporates several principles of justice, such as the presumption of innocence, high-quality evidence, and the right to a reasonable appeal. These principles ensure that all people are treated equally under the law. By abiding by these, the police, courts, and other authorities ensure that justice is upheld in an effective, ethical, and impartial manner. The Scott Austic case demonstrates how several principles were both upheld and compromised. In 2007, young and out-going Noongar woman, Stacey Thorne, was tragically stabbed on a neighbour’s front lawn. Scott Austic, casual lover and father of Stacey’s unborn child was charged with wilful murder and was given a life sentence in 2009. Wrongfully imprisoned, Scott was later acquitted after it was revealed that incriminating evidence had been planted. The 14-year ordeal that proceeded this fateful night reveals the strengths and flaws of the Australian Legal System.
To ensure that a verdict is based on accurate information, presented evidence needs to be of high quality. Without evidence that is relevant and reliable, an unjust outcome will be reached. In the Scott Austic case, this principle was heavily compromised and justice was not upheld. In 2009, Scott Austic was found guilty of wilful murder and he spent more than a decade behind bars as a result of planted evidence. Among the planted evidence was a cigarette packet smeared with blood, a drink can, a bloodied folding knife, and burnt clothing.
Digital evidence of the Jim Bean drink can and the folding knife
Initially, the clothes were said to have been burnt to conceal evidence. However, it was discovered that Scott had not lied about his clothing, and the burnt clothes were the remains of his roommates starting winter fires. The police also fabricated a motive – that Scott Austic did not want Stacey Thorne to have his child. This was based on a message that Scott had sent 10 days prior, detailing how “he would do anything for her [Stacey] to not have the child.”
A comparison of the video and photo footage shows the mysterious appearance of the cigarette packet.
In November 2020, a retrial was ordered after concerns about the integrity of the evidence. The police continually affirmed the unlikely assertion that the evidence had been missed in the first round of inspections. At the retrial, further inspection of the bloodied folding knife revealed that it was implausible that the weapon had caused the deep wounds suffered by Stacey. The weapon in question was found in a paddock between the homes, despite being absent previously, and Scott’s DNA was not present on it; only Stacey’s blood. The defence also claimed that the cigarette packet was only visible in digital evidence that was taken after original video footage from the day of the murder. This inconsistency suggests that it was placed deliberately, to make Scott Austic seem guilty. Moreover, as it was a police protected area, it is highly likely to be the police who tampered with the evidence (although this is unproven). The Jim Bean drink was found post investigation by an officer not part of the initial search team. Scott’s defence team also argued that he could not have been the killer, as he was at home at the time of her death. This disregard for high-quality evidence resulted in the wrongful imprisonment of an innocent man.
Another such principle of justice in the Scott Austic case was the presumption of innocence. From the moment someone is charged (with a crime), to the moment they are tried or found guilty, they should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. The same applies to the granting of bail unless there is a legitimate concern, such as being a threat to the community. This vital principle allows each person to receive a fair, unbiased investigation and trial. In the absence of this, a suspect may be wrongfully incriminated and sentenced, leading to the true offender not receiving justice. The Scott Austic case contained a heavy breach. The police failed to thoroughly investigate other potential suspects as they focused on the one they thought to be responsible, building a case around them. Since they were convinced that they “had their man”, the investigation was wrapped up within a week (a short time for a murder investigation). As stated by Scott Austic’s barrister, David Edwardson (QC), this failure to observe the presumption of innocence, ” … laid the foundation for the conduct that ultimately condemned him”. This refers to the planting of evidence, (most likely by the police), which relates to the presumption of innocence as it shows how they desired for Scott Austic to be convicted and found guilty. This resulted in an unjust sentence. However, after his conviction was quashed, Scott Austic was granted bail prior to his retrial. This was not a breach. However, collectively, the presumption of innocence was heavily compromised in this case.
Unlike the negligence to uphold the presumption of innocence and right to high-quality evidence, the right to a reasonable appeal was successfully upheld. This principle of justice allows parties that are unsatisfied with the outcome of their case, or those wishing for a case review, to lodge an appeal on reasonable grounds. The case will then be reviewed by a higher court, to quash the sentence, be acquitted or otherwise alter the outcome. The right to a reasonable appeal can eliminate any potential errors or bias that occurred in the first hearing and it attempts to ensure that the court arrives at a just decision for all parties. In 2010, Scott Austic submitted an appeal, which was denied. Although refused, this was not a violation, as the inquiry for appeal was heard. Following a failed investigation in 2011, a further petition was submitted and the case was referred to the Court of Appeal after several discrepancies (in evidence) were found. Finally, in 2019, the court of Criminal Appeal quashed his convictions and ordered a retrial, which was won in May 2020. This led to the 2020 retrial in the Supreme Court, where the jury only needed a few hours to reach a verdict of not guilty. The endorsement and continued support of the right to reasonable appeal allowed Scott Austic to be justly acquitted after more than 12 years of imprisonment.
As part of the Australian Legal System, many basic principles of justice are embodied, including the presumption of innocence, high-quality evidence, and reasonable appeal rights. These are crucial, as, under these principles, everyone is treated equally, with access to the legal system. As long as these are adhered to, the authorities ensure the effective, ethical, and impartial administration of justice. Collectively, the Scott Austic case was deeply unfair. Several principles were heavily compromised to the extent that an innocent man was imprisoned for over a decade for a crime he did not commit. It also caused heartbreak and sorrow for each of the families involved, with unending grief and years of relationships to mend. While it gradually became fairer towards the defendant- Scott Austic, the victim’s family were unable to find closure as no one was held responsible for Stacey Thorne’s death, and consequently, the family and wider society have less faith in the workings of the legal system.
This is my Individual Pathway Story, detailing my present and how this might lead to my future aspirations. This revolves around 3 main themes: The Self, My Learning and My Working Future. The intended outcome of this task was to allow the student to explore their current self and their future opportunities in the professional world.
The Self
The first section of this task explores personal identity and perception. I believe that the values form a basis for identity, as one relies on them heavily to make decisions, and this influences what one holds in esteem as well.
My values can be summed up as integrity, persistence and conscientiousness. My first value, integrity, ensures that I can live in an authentic and honest manner with those around me, by following effective rules and behaving in a morally correct manner. My second and third values, persistence and conscientiousness, are quite closely linked. I prefer to make deliberate choices and work towards long term goals in an efficient manner so I might fulfil my highest need, Self Actualization. Another part of this is that I strive to be faithful to the promises I make, and, as, I frequently find myself desiring to do well in what ever I do, persistence and conscientiousness are values that I rely on heavily. In the same perspective, I dislike inefficiency and closed-mindedness.
Another aspect to my identity is my personal attributes and interests. I perceive myself as a curious and ambitious person, and I would say that others may perceive me as slightly reserved and unusual (although I may be horribly incorrect in both.) I am quite interested in soaking up knowledge and learning about different perspectives and analysing the world around me. Skills I believe I possess are the ability to learn quickly, to see implied meaning and to investigate.
My Learning
My learning pertains to what subjects I enjoy, how I learn and my future educational goals. Although I thoroughly enjoy learning (as stated in the former paragraph), I would not be able to point to a favourite subject(s) as I find different parts interesting. For example, I like that maths is objective and speaks to relationships between numbers, however, I also appreciate the interpretation and creative factor in English. I enjoy Humanities and Science because they give me information about the world around me, including the natural world and society. Electives I undertake are French and Drama. I enjoy seeing the language and cultural differences in French (as opposed to English), and in Drama, it is exciting to embody a new character in a different world. In addition to the core subjects, I learn Religion & Philosophy, Health, Life Skills and Sport. Through the VARK Model, I would say that I learn well through Reading although I think that they are all quite balanced. Through Carl Jung’s Model of Learning, I learn in an Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking and Judging manner. (This also links to Carl Jung’s Personality Model). After high school, I wish to attend university and study law.
My Working Future
The final section of this task sums up by letting the students explore different future options, which gives them a goal to work towards with tangible steps. The occupation I chose to explore was Law, as I find the matter interesting. You can study law by obtaining a Bachelors Degree (you can do this via Juris Doctor) and after that, it is fairly common to complete a Masters Degree. The standards of entry to Law School and or assured pathways are rigorous, requiring a high ATAR and after this, a high GPA. Following this, lawyers work in private and corporate legal offices, and some work for government.
Below is my Digital ICT Video for Task 2b: How data travels through a network. Please note that my video has sound and text. It was made using a combination of Canva & Powtoon. I did not use any templates. It is all my original work.
Impacts of my asthma plan of ASC students and staff:
The students and staff have to be considerate of the asthmatic and follow all the rules in place for the asthmatic’s safety. The healthcare centre and teacher will have to know about the condition and get educated in the proper precautions and first aid. They will also have to have the plan with them, and understand it. The relevant teacher would have to carefully monitor behavior, intervene where needed and marshal a calm atmosphere to avoid flareups. The students and adults will need to be considerate and accommodating. The staff and students would no longer be permitted to wear or have strong scents on/with them. The cleaners would also have to make sure that the ventilation system is clean and functional. They would also have to make sure that the air conditioning (if there even is any) is clean and equipped with an asthma and allergy friendly filter attachment. The relevant people would also have to be prompt in identifying and fixing unwanted leaks. The pool would also have to be clean and with a working pool system. The staff would have to be careful and keep in mind that the student cannot handle large amounts of very vigorous exercise. The swimming teacher would also have to (maybe) modify their class structure to accommodate, warmups, stretching and cool downs.
If a young person had asthma I would suggest that they seek reliable support and assistance from:
People: For concerns, one can book an appointment with their local general practitioner for further assistance and advice. They will review your asthma plan, answer any questions and measure your breathing.
Your carer is also a vessel that can give you emotional and physical support as they should be educated about your condition.You can also call 1800 278 462 (1800 ASTHMA) to talk to an educator who can answer your questions and provide support for asthmatics and their carers.
Digital Resources:Websites such as asthma.org, asthmawa.org.au or healthline.com can provide comprehensive and reliable information about asthma management. There is a website with linked resources, https://asthma.org.au/what-we-do/how-we-can-help/resources/
There is also an Asthma First Aid App, which, as the name suggests, is an app that provides first aid for emergencies and reviews of the four first aid steps. t is an educational tool, useful for asthmatics, their families and carers.
Kiss My Asthma is another app developed by “young people” for “young people.” It has access to your asthma plan, the ability to track your asthma symptoms, severity and attacks, making it easy to inform your doctor or specialist accurately about your asthma, a mood tracker, a goal setter and assistant that can deliver support, reminders to take your asthma preventative medications, first aid instructions and emergency contacts and resources so you can find out more about asthma, medications/devices and how to manage anxiety. There is also an Air Rater App (https://airrater.org/) that can rate the air quality so you can make informed decisions.
We are researching the opinions on Maths/ STEM of students who are doing year 9 mathematics. We chose this as STEM is a field growing in size, and mathematics and STEM are now seen as more than a subject in school. The categorical question we had was “The topic in Maths I find the most enjoyable and interesting is…” and the numerical question was “In your life beyond school, how many days per week do you foresee yourself using mathematics (for work or life)?”. Some of the extra avenues for parallel data analysis that we use include by gender and by class. These results are needed to investigate what the students doing year 9 mathematics think/ do/ need/ want.
Validity and Reliability:
The non-probability sampling method used in this project was a convenience sample (non-probability sample method) which is everyone learning year nine mathematics.
This sampling method is prone to bias because the participants don’t represent a cross section of the population as all the participants are of the same/similar age group. The sample size was the 141 people, and there was sampling bias as the only people sampled were students learning year nine math. The generalization that is made is that because we only surveyed people learning year nine mathematics, this means that we can only draw conclusions and make statements about this type of people (the certain age bracket of 12-14)
The non response bias in the survey:
Question Order Bias:
People would have become tired and bored by the end of the survey (as it was very long and contained many questions)
The owner of the survey tried to avoid the problem of the questions affecting each other, but there was not anything to do to minimize/limit boredom.
Social Desirability Bias:
This wasn’t really avoided as there wasn’t anonymity of the responses and the students wanted to give the socially acceptable answer. There was apparent anonymity as names were not shared with the students, however, it was easy to see who was who, and this is obvious when viewing the results ( as the results all lined up to show a nameless profile of each student learning year nine maths. This would not be able to be avoided because in the event that the results were randomized so it didn’t show up in order for each person, we wouldn’t be able to have parallel data analysis.
There wasn’t any Yes-man phenomenon as the students didn’t know what the owner of the form would have wanted.
Ways Bias was avoided:
There were no double negatives
There was no/ limited jargon and technical language
None of the questions were leading to a specific reply
Ways Bias was included, and how to not be biased:
“What is your favourite topic in maths?” – The list of topics which could be chosen was long, and people might get bored and stop reading. This can be fixed by ordering it into rows so there would be multiple options on the same row.
There is no option for people who do not like mathematics or have another favourite do not have an option, and will therefore need a ‘other’ or/and ‘none’ option.
Sampling bias – only using year 9 mathematics students. This could have been avoided by surveying a larger range of people, such as sending the survey to the whole school. It probably could not be avoided that we only surveyed students from All Saints’ College as it would be hard to get people out of the All Saints’ community to take part in the survey.
Sample size – to get more accurate results, a larger sample size would be beneficial. This would be especially important in some places, such as when using parallel data analysis with gender, as there were not many people who were non-binary, and therefore, their views could not be represented properly.
Favourite Maths Topic
Algebra and equations
56
Functions and graphs
5
Geometry
17
Measurement
22
Probability
23
Rates, ratios and percentages
6
Statistics
12
MODE
Algebra and Equations (56)
Days of Math beyond School
MEAN
3.709219858
MEDIAN
3
MODE
7
RANGE
7
Quartile 1 – 25%
2
Quartile 2 – 50%
3
Quartile 3 – 75%
6
Quartile 4 – 100%
7
INTER-QUARTILE RANGE
4
Days of Math beyond school according to gender
FEMALE
MALE
NON- BINARY
Mean
3.01515152
4.30555556
4.666667
Mode
1 and 2
7
all
Range
7
7
6
Quartile 1- 25%
1
2
3.5
Quartile 2- 50%
2.5
5
4
Quartile 3-75%
5
7
5.5
Quartile 4-100%
7
7
7
Interquartile range
4
5
2
CATEGORICAL
For the categorical question “Which topic in mathematics do you enjoy the most?”, 56 people chose algebra and equations; 23 people chose probability; 22 people chose measurement; 17 people chose geometry; 12 people chose statistics; 6 people chose rates, ratios and percentages and a mere 5 people chose functions and graphs. The mean was algebra and equations, which was 39.72% of the students who took the survey. Topics such as Functions and Graphs, Measurement, Probability, Rates, ratios and percentages and statistics are less challenging, and therefore it will be more enjoyable for the less mathematically inclined students that take Applications. Methods students find more challenging topics such as Algebra and Geometry (which are Methods students modal topics) more stimulating and exciting, therefore these are their most common favourite topics.
By Course:
Algebra: 50 Methods students and 5 Applications students chose Algebra. Not surprisingly, those in the Methods course most commonly chose Algebra as their favourite topic.
Functions and Graphs: 4 Applications and 1 Methods students chose Functions and Graphs. This could indicate that this topic is less challenging.
Geometry: 4 Applications and 13 Methods students chose Geometry as their favourite.
The Methods students seem to gravitate towards Algebra and Geometry, which may indicate that these topics are more stimulating for them, as it is more challenging.
Measurement: 11 Applications and 10 Methods students chose Measurement as their favourite. Measurement is challenging for some, but easy and enjoyable for others as seen in the results, where nearly an equal number of applications and methods students chose Measurement.
Probability:13 Applications and 10 Methods students chose Probability.
Rates, ratios and percentages: 2 Applications students and 4 Methods students.
Statistics: 6 Applications and Methods students chose Statistics. Statistics is equally popular between the 2 courses. This means that perhaps it involves less complex math, as it understandig and comprehending the data.
Topic in contrast to gender:
Algebra: 27 females, 28 males and 1 non binary.
Functions and Graphs: 2 females, 3 male and 0 non binary.
Geometry:4 female, 13 males, 0 non binary.
Measurement: 11 females, 11 males, 0 non binary.
Probability: 14 females, 9 males
Rates, ratios and percentages:3 female, 3 male, 0 non binary
Statistics: 5 females, 5 males, 2 non binary
NUMERICAL
For our numerical question “In your life beyond school, how many days per week do you foresee yourself using mathematics (for work or life)?”, 11 people said 0 days a week, 21 people said 1 day a week, 22 people said 2 days a week, 17 people said 3 days a week, 13 people said 4 days a week, 20 people said 5 days a week, 4 people said 6 days a week and 33 people said 7 days a week. The shape of the distribution was irregular – there wasn’t much of a pattern. However, when looked at with parallel data analysis using gender, we can see that females tended to choose less days a week then males. This may be because of their ideas for what they would like as a future career. A surprising feature of the results was that only 4 people chose 6 days.
The data we had from the survey allowed us to relate and understand many things about the results. Some limitations of the work, however, include the bias, especially the sampling bias as we could only find out the results from students doing year 9 mathematics at All Saints’ College. For future research in this area, it would be beneficial to survey a wider range of students, and assess the survey questions more thoroughly for bias. Overall, I enjoyed this task because I was able to learn about the opinions of students on STEM and mathematics as well as using mathematics in the research.
Project Utopia was an integrated task that involved application of knowledge gained in Humanities, English and Science. The project started with a novel study of the book Giver, learning the liveability factors and researching and making our sustainable houses. The UN Global Goals for Sustainable development brought this project to life. They gave us perspective into the real world and tied the liveability factors, the geography concepts, the civics and citizenship concepts and the sustainability and put them into a realistic context. Further along Project Utopia, we learnt about the importance of the Constitution, and we later wrote our own Constitution for our utopian societies, which we could name. Project Utopia put us all out of our comfort zones, and by applying the ASC capabilities and skills we already had, we were able to present our work over the 2 terms at an exhibition held after school for the teachers, parents and guests such as Mr Anthony Spagnolo ( Liberal Candidate for Riverton).
Right: The All Saints’ Capabilities Wheel that shows the various skills used in our world, our community and in our selves.
ASC Capabilities: Effective Communication and Organization.
Effective Communication
During Project Utopia, we had to apply our ASC capabilities. Particularly, we had to develop effective communication skills as we were working with partners for the entire span of the project. I feel that my communication skills were not as effective in the beginning as our group was functioning as 2 people working on the same topic, but this later changed. An example of this is that in the beginning we were working at different rates at different times and since some decisions were group decisions, we would wait until our next lesson to discuss it, which decreased our overall productivity. Knowing that lack of communication was hindering our productivity, we started communicating out of hours via teams. Our group improved our communication skills by creating a Microsoft team. This taught me that communication is a vital part of being a functional team so all our group members were on the same page and knew what they had to do.
Organization
Through out this project, our group kept a detailed to do list that had the task, the due date, the person completing the task and any extra details to remember. During InnovatED when we were three quarters through the project, our group Onenote and all it’s pages was shown on the large wall in the Year 5/6 building for the whole year group to look at. Apparently we were the most organized group and the teacher proceeded to show everyone our pages. I learnt that it is important to note down what you want to do otherwise you could forget and therefore not complete it. We also shared the workload and assigned various tasks to each member.
Right: Going through the slides as a year group in the Occupied Stairs
UN Global Goals
As part of Project Utopia, we learnt about the United Nations Global Goals and had to research creative, innovative solutions to the problems such as Zero Hunger or No Poverty. The solutions were called accreditations and had to be approved by the facilitators. We were required to gain at least 2, but a lot of groups aspired to gained more. This linked to a well-known saying: Quality over quantity. It showed me that the quality of the solution, including the effectiveness of the research and how original the idea was, was more critical than the amount of accreditations gained. This changed our mindsets and allowed us to focus on our progress rather than how many we gained compared to others. Having this in mind, our group was able to round out our concepts with research and present thoroughly though out ideas such as compostable toilets and a hybrid No Currency system for managing needs and wants.
A quick overview of the toilets and No Currency System
Toilets
The compostable toilet system in our Utopia are considered an innovative solution to Global Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. We define Clean water and sanitation as having access to clean, affordable drinking water for all and a sanitary system for sewerage that is available to everyone. This means having a proper pipe/toilet and water recycling system. Currently, all the water shares the same pipe. They are treated if it’s grey water or pumped into the ocean if it’s black water. Black water is waste water and sewage from toilets. An open sewer looks like a bridge, but instead has pipes coming out of the bridge where sewerage comes out and then travels along the open pipe to be dumped in the ocean. Human waste production obviously isn’t something that you can eliminate or reduce the amount of so one must come up with something that doesn’t just involve dumping our waste where it apparently won’t affect us: the ocean. Instead of just pumping the waste into the ocean, which is harmful to the environment, compostable toilets “treat” the water onsite by turning your waste into compost which then can be used as normal compost. As we are a vegan society, our waste will have many good nutrients to help the plants thrive. This is because you can’t compost meat matter, but only organic plant matter. We won’t be able to manage the waste in an effective, eco manner. This eliminates pollutions, aids the life below waters and is over all a more eco option then dumping waste into oceans and rivers. Many diseases such as cholera will be eliminated.
This is a basic diagram of our Compostable Toilets and how they work to process human waste.
No Currency System
This No Currency System (more formally known as Managing Needs and Wants) is aimed at Global Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption. Responsible Production and Consumption is finding a way to satisfy human needs and wants without destroying the planet in the process. With natural resources decreasing and more environments being destroyed for our wants and needs, responsible production and consumption is finding a solution to these problems. It is finding a way to reduce waste, a more environmentally friendly food production that everyone has access to, limiting resources used in production of human wants and needs and other things to do with responsible consumption. In our Utopia we have decided to have no currency, a decision made to stop poverty, promote helping the community and to ensure responsible consumption. With this in place one can not simply go to the shop and buy things they do not really need. Although this may seem great it does mean that people only get their needs, not wants. To stop this but still have no currency, we have a system in place. This system is that when someone decides that they want something that they do not have, a meeting is called. The meeting consists of a representative (of around 5-10 families that they all select). Before the meeting, families are welcome to come up to a person and tell them their opinion which the representative must bring up in the meeting. The meeting discusses whether the object of choice is needed, will make things easier in the community or fulfilling certain desires. If it passes (majority of representatives think it should be in the community) the object is given to everyone in the community. This means that citizens (unlike us) are not just getting things for the sake of getting things, wasting precious resources. Instead, to get something they want they go through a process to see if they need it or not, limiting the number of products unnecessarily produced. A downside to this may be the fact that the one produce is produced for everyone, using a lot more resources then if just one person got it.
Constitution
As part of civics and citizenships, we were required to write our own Constitution for our utopias. The Constitution was required to establish a government outlining our reasoning behind our rights and responsibilities for elected officials and community members, participation, decision making process and how rules/policies can be amended. To do better next time, I would note down my research and list where I got my ideas as there was a part of the rubric that was about supporting evidence. The problem was not that I didn’t research it was that we didn’t note it down on our planning document. For example, for our No Currency system, it was a combination of communism and a representative democracy. We discussed this with each other and we agreed that while communism eliminates poverty, it doesn’t allow for satisfaction of one’s individual greed. However, this relies on the people not moving a toe out of the line, and is very restrictive. It leads to eventual chaos, as the wealth is redistributed to make the rulers rich, and the people poor. So we fused the two government systems together, so that the terms rich and poor were eliminated, and people were still satisfying their greed; although we aimed to change their mindsets about spending on a whim. We also tied in separation of powers as we wanted the people to have the power, and to have everyone’s views heard. However, we didn’t just focus on the majority, but also on the minority.
Conclusion
By applying knowledge from various subjects and our ASC Capabilities, I was able to complete Project Utopia to the best of my ability. The main thing I learned about myself while completing Project Utopia was that I need to be more proactive. This means not responding to something after something has happened but trying to take charge of the situation while it is happening. If I was to complete Project Utopia again, I would try to improve my communication and collaboration skills so our group is all on the same page and we are not just communicating in class. What I liked about this project was that it integrated English, Humanities and Science. This is because I felt that it all linked together and it allowed us to apply our knowledge from different school subjects outside a test/exam environment. It was also very enjoyable and informative to share and present our knowledge to a different audience, which wasn’t just our peers or teachers.
Presenting to some adults of the year group during the Project Utopia exhibition
