Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes	Part B: Understanding Technology
15 minutes	Part C: Global Problem Solvers Use Technology In The Solution
25 minutes	Part D: Alternative Solutions
5 minutes	Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Differentiation:

Where students have completed the previous lesson (Generating Solutions to Problems):

Remind students of the Global Problem Solvers team and how they developed a solution for the problem with the wells in Malawi. Invite students to reiterate this problem and the solution developed by the GPS team.
You can also invite students to remind themselves of the solution their group created in response to the same problem.

Where students haven't completed the previous lesson (Generating Solutions to Problems):

Explain to students that in this lesson they will be exploring a problem that is based in a part of Malawi. This problem will be identified and discussed by the characters of an animated series called Global Problem Solvers:
“Meet the Global Problem Solvers: Adrien, Beela, Cristina, Kelile, Putri, and Satoshi. They are teenagers who each possess a unique skill to solve social problems. Putri, the team leader, summons the teens to an airship and identifies their first challenge: to provide access to clean drinking water in Malawi. With guidance and help from the Malawi people, the team devises a solution: sensor technology that will notify local technicians when a well needs repair.”

You could share Episode 1.3 The Solution with students to give them a deeper understanding of the issue being addressed by the GPS team:

(Source: https://vimeo.com/259753818)

Further information about Malawi and the GPS team can be found here (Background Information - Series 1).

Part B: Understanding Technology

Step 1.

Now invite students to record their responses to the following statements (also available on the Student Worksheet):

Three thoughts or ideas I have about technology
Two examples of technology that I use regularly
One question I have about technology

Create a table with three columns on the board. Label one column as ‘Ideas’, the second ‘Examples’ and the last ‘Questions’.

Once students have had the chance to respond to the statements, invite them to share their responses to the statements and record key points in the table. Discuss student responses and invite students to answer the questions of other students.

Keep a record of student questions. These could be used to guide further discussion or inquiry.

Through this process explain the following to students:

The definition of technology is science or knowledge put into practical use to solve problems or create useful tools. We use what we learn through science to invent tools that we can use to help us with problems big and small.
For example, think about a lightbulb. Before there were lightbulbs, people had to use things like candles to create light at night. The inventors of the lightbulb were experimenting with electricity and realised it could be used to create a source of light that was brighter and more reliable. This meant that people could work in the evenings and that people could travel safely at night. In that sense, the electric lightbulb is arguably one of our most important technological inventions.
There are many other types of technology that we rely on. Take a moment to consider the following types of technology and invite students to suggest what problems these technologies help to address:
- Fridge - Unrefrigerated food is likely to rot quicker. A fridge and a freezer can keep food good for quite a long time.
- Car - Without cars we would need to travel everywhere on foot or bike, which would be very tiring. Bicycles are also a type of technology; before bicycles, people had to travel on foot or on horseback.
- Phone - How did people communicate before phones? Perhaps by sending a letter or a telegram, or by shouting or knocking on someone's door. Phones allow us to talk to people all over the world right now.
- The wheel - Before we had the wheel people had to drag things around. With the wheel it became a lot easier to move things, including bigger and heavier things.

Step 2.

Now remind students of the problem identified by the Global Problem Solvers team (i.e. wells with broken pumps). Explain to students that the pump used in these wells is a type of technology. The pump is used to draw water up from the well. Before there were pumps, people would have used buckets on a piece of rope.

Invite students to suggest how having a pump would have benefited the people who were relying on the wells. Answers could include:

It’s easier to use a pump than to lift heavy buckets of water, meaning the pump can be used by younger people or people who aren’t as strong
Wells can be dangerous - people can fall down them. You can’t fall down a pump.

Next, explain to students that one of the problems with technology - like the pump - is that it can break and the people who rely on it often don’t know how to repair it. However, in the case of the wells in Malawi, the GPS have come up with a solution to the problem of the broken pump.

Part C: Global Problem Solvers Use Technology In The Solution

Step 1.

Invite students to share what they remember about the solution to the broken pumps proposed by the GPS team. Clarify student understanding by explaining that the GPS team has proposed sensor technology that will notify local technicians when a well needs repair. But what does ‘needing repair’ actually mean? How could a sensor tell if the well was broken?

Students will now watch Episode 1.4 Technology of the GPS series. As they watch, invite them to take note of anything they find interesting or important:

(Source: https://vimeo.com/259753960)

Once complete, invite students to share their observations about this clip. Use this time to clarify that in this clip, the GPS team are testing the technology they are hoping to use in their solution. And it’s good that they do, because they realise there are quite a few issues that need to be addressed before they can start implementing their solution.

Step 2.

Now ask students to work collaboratively in pairs or small groups to suggest what these issues are. Students can use the following questions (also available on the Student Worksheet):

Environmental challenges - At the start of this clip some members of the team identified a way that the natural environment was challenging the success of the sensors. Can you remember what it was? Describe it here.
Social issues - There seems to be an issue with the people whose job it is to install the sensors. Do you remember what this issue is?
Year 4 - Laws and regulations: One member of the team - Adrien - finds himself in trouble. Can you describe why?

Allow students time to answer these questions. Then engage them in a class discussion around their answers. Use the following points to clarify any issues (clip timings also provided if you want to revisit the relevant parts of the episode):

Environment - 00:15 to 00:50 - Lake Malawi was interfering with communication signals of well sensors, meaning that the GPS team weren't getting the messages about wells being broken when they should. This is an example of how the environment can have unexpected impacts of the use and success of technology.
Social issues - 2:06 to 2:48 - Some types of technology require training to use and to repair. In other cases, people might be concerned that the technology will take away their jobs. It’s common these days to hear people say that they’re worried about losing their jobs to robots.
Year 4 - Laws and regulations - 1:20 to 2:05 - Different countries have different rules about how some technologies can be used. This means getting approval from the government of the area you are hoping to introduce the technology into. Without approval you might not be able to install the technology, let alone use it.

Step 3 (optional).

Remind students of the end of the episode where Kelile is watching the fish swim in the lake and comes up with an idea (2:49 to 3:38). This episode doesn’t reveal what that solution is. However, you could invite students to speculate about what it might be, reminding them that Kelile is inspired by a school of fish all swimming in the same direction. Record student answers on the board, and keep a record of these answers to compare with what is revealed in the next lesson.

Part D: Alternative Solutions

Differentiation:

Note: Explain to students the technology they propose doesn't need to already exist or be realistic. The aim here is to think creatively and to think about how technology could be used to address the problem of broken wells in Malawi.

Extension: You could also invite students to suggest some of the challenges to success of their technology, based on social and/or environmental factors. These could be recorded on an extra piece of paper that could be presented alongside the drawing.

Step 2.

Invite students to share their work with the class. After each group has presented, the class could give feedback based on the following points:

What I liked about this idea
How I think this idea could be improved

Reflection

Step 1.

Invite students to work independently to answer the following question (also available in Column A of the table on the Student Worksheet):

Why do you think it might be important to test a solution to a problem before implementing it?

Share the following clip with students:

(Source: https://vimeo.com/259754236)

Once complete, take a few minutes to allow students to share their observations about this clip.

Step 2.

Now ask students to return to the question they answered in Step 1 of this activity. What new ideas would they like to add to their initial answer? Invite students to record these new ideas in Column B of the table on the Student Worksheet.

Ask student volunteers to share their ideas with the class through class discussion. Ensure the following points are addressed in your discussion:

Testing an idea allows us to address any issues that might stop our idea being successful
Doing the work to address these challenges at this stage is much easier and more efficient than trying to fix something that’s already been implemented
It can be hard to be patient when you’re excited about your idea, but try to remind yourself that you’re hoping for a successful project, and not a project that flops at the first hurdle.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Cisco GPS - Using Technology for Good

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