Senior students explored the world of hydroponic growing, learning how plants thrive without soil and how innovation can drive sustainable food production. Through hands-on inquiry, they discovered the science, benefits, and essential components of different hydroponic systems. Working in teams, they designed and built mini hydroponic setups from up-cycled materials to grow basil, green lettuce, and red lettuce. The project strengthened their collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills, inspiring them to reimagine the future of food and sustainability.

Turning Waste into Worth: Sustainable Furniture Design
In this STEAM unit, students take on the challenge of proving the saying “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” wrong. They begin by exploring questions about waste, sustainability, and how design can change the way we value materials. Through inquiry, students research recycling practices, investigate the properties of PET plastic (Polyethylene terephthalate), and experiment with creative ways to repurpose the materials as joints and connectors for scrapwood to create unique and functional furniture. Working collaboratively, they design and build furniture that gives new life to what others see as rubbish. The project culminates in a school exhibition, where students proudly present their upcycled pieces and reflect on how thoughtful design can turn waste into something meaningful and beautiful.

This transformative unit inspired students to become innovative changemakers committed to creating positive social impact. By exploring real-world issues, they developed practical solutions through research, prototyping, and compelling pitches, building confidence and skills to lead with purpose and compassion. The team-based experience fostered collaboration, empathy, and ingenuity as students design impactful products and services that serve communities worldwide. Throughout the weeks, they cultivated entrepreneurial spirit, resilience, and purpose-driven thinking, preparing to make a meaningful difference in a complex world. With focus, creativity, and determination, they crafted research-backed social enterprise proposals, bringing ideas to life with prototypes and investor-style presentations that demonstrate the practical application of social entrepreneurship concepts, inspiring hope and action for a better future.

This learning experience fostered scientific curiosity, collaboration, and environmental stewardship by connecting classroom learning with authentic field research. In partnership with the Marine Science Department, students designed and engineered a deployable environmental logger for the Tai Tam Reservoir.

Drawing inspiration from reef survey methods used by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, students built four Ocean Monitor Buoys equipped with BBC Micro:bits programmed in MakeCode. These devices collected time-series data on sunlight, temperature, and salinity, giving students firsthand experience with environmental monitoring and data-driven inquiry.

Through this interdisciplinary project, students strengthened their skills in scientific investigation, coding, prototyping, and collaborative problem-solving—while developing a deeper understanding of how technology can support real-world ecological research.

The Shadow Puppet unit integrates Language Arts, Art, and Technology, empowering students to blend creativity with technical skills. Students designed and built a sophisticated 2-3 minute play, co-writing scripts with AI to fuse fairy tales and genres, and using coding with Circuit Playground to program synchronized lighting, creating mood and motion. They crafted backgrounds and puppets using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for laser-cutting, assembling them with pins and skewers. Over 8-10 weeks, students developed original scripts, built sets, and performed, practicing language to communicate their ideas clearly. This opportunity allowed them to produce original shadow puppet productions efficiently and using AI ethically, combining technology and artistry, and empowering students’ creative agency throughout the process.

This interdisciplinary unit focused on Sustainable Development Goal #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, where students explored how infrastructure affects daily life and the environment. Together with my colleague, I guided students through inquiry-based activities and a field visit to Agongdian Reservoir (阿公店) to observe sustainable systems such as solar panels and floodgates. Using design thinking, students developed and prototyped ideas like a dam concept for flood management in Nigeria and a smart car for roadside waste collection. Through hands-on making with LittleBits, Legos, and simple materials, they gained practical skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable innovation

I've led students through toy design units that emphasize collaboration and communication skills. From creating educational STEAM toys to designing Gacha capsule toys, these projects help students work as teams, define roles, and document their creative process.

By using tools like Tinkercad or Blender, students not only build playful, meaningful toys but also strengthen their teamwork and communication skills. These experiences showcase how creativity can spark collaboration and how students can communicate effectively through design.

In my textile design units, I've guided students through projects that merge traditional sewing skills with cutting-edge design technology. By integrating tools like Adobe Illustrator and laser etching, students learned to turn their fabric designs into tangible products. At the same time, I've encouraged them to step outside their comfort zones, whether they were new to sewing or new to digital design.

One example is a unit where students created custom bags, learning both the intricacies of sewing and the use of AI tools like Google Lens for fabric research. Throughout these projects, I provided a mix of one-on-one guidance and group collaboration to ensure students documented their processes and developed confidence in both independent and collaborative settings.

In an early adaptive design project, inspired by mentor Mark Barnett, students collaborated to create a customized game controller for a Grade 1 student with cerebral palsy. By interviewing the student and analyzing his specific needs, the students in Grade 5 developed prototypes and made data-driven design decisions. They engaged in hands-on prototyping and tested various control mechanisms, fostering a strong sense of student agency and empowerment. This project not only highlighted the importance of user-centered design but also left a lasting impact on both the students and the end user.