SINGAPORE: Schools will be incorporating design education in their curriculum by 2050, with the aim of getting students to use design to solve complex problems.
The move will go towards nurturing Singapore’s next generation of creative thinkers, who are expected to use their design know-how to address real-world issues such as climate change and an ageing population.
Already, some schools have made design education a part of the curriculum. Their students’ inventions have also made a difference, especially for seniors, according to the schools.
At Northland Secondary School, students use specialised goggles and simulators that recreate the effects of ageing, such as deteriorating eyesight and hand tremours. These tools help students put themselves in the shoes of seniors who face mobility and visual problems.
The school in Yishun offers an Applied Learning Programme (ALP) that focuses on using technology to improve the well-being of the elderly. ALPs are meant to help students learn through hands-on experience.
UNDERSTANDING PROBLEMS
Student Kyara Akber said she got to learn about ageing and the challenges that seniors face, including the simple tasks “that we can do easily in a few seconds, but they take minutes to do”.
“Now, I understand what the elderly face daily, and it is not easy,” she added.
The students, with some guidance from their teachers, have also come up with different inventions to help the elderly.
For example, they have created plant stands to remind seniors to water their plants. Simple coding is used, with a red display showing when the soil is dry and requires watering.