Our Center Director Prof. Hon-Ming Lam, in collaboration with the Big Education Platform, initiated an innovative STEAM Education project – STEAM@Soybean for Hong Kong secondary school students. The comprehensive project incorporates all-rounded learning activities for students to experience, observe, record, analyze, and create, with soybean as the focused research plant.
During Phase 3 of the STEAM@Soybean Project, students were expected to develop their own investigation or innovation plan on soybean cultivation based on their observation and experience in Phase 1 and 2. To kick-start Phase 3, two parallel workshops were organized on 9 October 2018 to equip students and teachers the necessary knowledge and skills in further scientific investigation with soybean.
One workshop was on DNA markers. Participants learnt the basics of DNA Markers, how to use DNA markers to identify Legumes, as well as future prospect of the technology. Apart from the listening to talks, helpers from Prof. Lam’s Lab also demonstrated to participants real application of PRC & Gel loading, meanwhile visualized successful results using pre-run gels.
The other parallel workshop was on Do-It-Yourself Smart Farming by Prof. K.H. Wong (Faculty of Engineering, CUHK). Prof. Wong introduced applications of handy engineering tools in smart-farming, and demonstrated on how to capture farming data with programmable circuit board (Arduino) to inspire students on their upcoming project.
