Applied Learning Programme – Thinkers With Heart
Programme Objectives:
Lakeside Applied Learning Programme (ALP) - Thinkers with Heart, adopts the Design Thinking (DT) Approach and principles of Values-In-Action (VIA) Project work to design interdisciplinary learning experiences for the students.
Our vision and school strategic goals espouse our commitment to prepare our students to be future-ready, imbued with the values, dispositions and 21st century competencies and skills such as Computational Thinking needed to thrive in a VUCA world. We strongly believe the Design Thinking approach and the application of the Principles of VIA Project work with an interdisciplinary focus will help us fulfil our commitment.
Through the ALP, the students transfer ideas from one context to another and make creative connections between them, exercise social responsibility, take ownership and effect change. Design Thinking being a human-centred approach to creative and critical problem-solving using real-life contexts and problems will facilitate the development of the requisite attributes in our future-ready Lakers.
Overview:
The scope of values, skills and competencies that students will be exposed to through the ALP will be widened and deepened progressively over the years.
The main aim of the ALP is to develop students’ critical and creative thinking skills and reinforce values taught through the use of DT processes for progressively complex problems and situations. The focus at P1 and P2 is on creating awareness of 2 DT phases – Empathy and Ideation. From Primary 3 to 5, students will be introduced to the remaining DT phases – Define, Prototyping and Testing as well as creative thinking protocols such SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse) and Paul’s elements of thoughts. Our P2 to P4 students were involved in the pilot ALP in 2019. In 2020, the ALP will be implemented at all levels.
The following table shows an overview of our ALP focus across the 5 levels.
| Level Area | P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | Tier 2 | P6 |
| Phases | Phase 1 Building Awareness |
Phase 2 Deepening Application |
Phase 3 Scaling Up |
Phase 3 Scaling Up |
Consolidating Learning | ||
| Sphere of Influence | Foundation Building | Within the Class | Within the School | Within the community | Within the community | Environment | |
| Project Theme & Details | My Emotions! Design a diorama & recognize, express & regulate emotions |
Empathise with Characters Dramatise a plot & recognise, express & regulate emotions |
Classrooms as We Like It Redesign learning environment in the classroom |
Our Stories Create fractured stories and eBooks for the P1 students |
iChange Create Art installations & virtual gallery to deliver messages on building a conducive neighbourhood |
Toys4All Design a toy for the physically handicapped children |
Reduce Food Wastage Address food wastage concern |
| DTI Phases | Empathy (Interview Skills) Ideation |
All Phases | All Phases | All Phases | All Phases | All Phases | |
• Interview the P1 students
• Building prototypes with LEGO bricks
• Reading eBooks created by P4 students
• Designing a toy
• Creating Google Form to interview the parents
• A prototype to process leftover food