Nadia

Day 1

Pre-Trip Reflections @Changi Airport:

1.   How do you feel about the upcoming trip?

I feel eager to experience the learning opportunities of Penang through this overseas programme.

2.   3 Things that I am looking forward to

I am looking forward to the school visit as I wish to gain a better understanding of the learning culture in Penang as compared to Singapore. I am also looking forward to the observatory visits and the cultural aspects.

3.   3 things I hope to learn from Penang

I hope to learn about the cultural differences, ease of the study of astronomy in Penang as compared to Singapore and lastly, the actual studies conducted here.

4.   3 things I hope to learn from my friends

I hope to learn more about them, firstly. I also wish to strengthen my leadership skills through the interaction. Lastly, I hope to have the opportunity to share our knowledge with each other.

5.   3 things I hope to learn about myself

I hope to learn about my weaknesses and how I can overcome them, and the same for my strengths. I also hope to gain a better understanding about my character.

6.   3 challenges I give myself

I hope to speak out more such that I am able share my thoughts. I will also challenge myself to explore this field more readily and ask more questions during this trip.

7.   What are my expectations of Penang?

I expect it to be rich in culture, interest and experience when it comes to astronomy.

Daily Reflections:

Every night, you will be typing a one-paragraph reflection using the sentence starters from each section below. Post the reflection on the blog upon completion daily.

As a Record of What Happened

The most important event that happened for me today was the night observatory where I gained a chance to get close to the night stars and was introduced to astronomy.

Insights Into What You Think and Feel About the Ideas or Issues

One of the things that surprised me was the visibility of the stars. I did not expect to be able to spot the constellations so easily. I feel that this cleared up a few misunderstandings I had about astronomy, such that it was something that needed expensive equipment to be studied.

Thinking About Your Own Learning

Something I have found out about myself is that I enjoy branching out on the topics that were given to us during the trip. I had shown more initiative than I had expected as I reached out to the instructors to ask more questions often.

Thinking More Deeply

I believe that I can research on this subject when I return to compare with Singapore. Looking at the difference between the two similar islands will allow me to improve and deepen my critical thinking through thorough examination.

Thinking About Alternative Points of View

When I heard what the others in my group thought I was surprised because I had not expected to be so similar. It showed that we shared the same thought process despite the fact that we started the trip with different levels of efficiency.

Conclusions

In the future I would like to look deeper into the subject of astronomy so as to be more familiar with the night sky.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how my thinking has changed because I have now gained a deeper interest in astronomy.

Day 2

Daily Reflections:

Every night, you will be typing a one-paragraph reflection using the sentence starters from each section below. Post the reflection on the blog upon completion daily.

As a Record of What Happened

The most important event that happened for me today was the Window at the Top. It allowed me to take a step to conquer my fear of heights.

Insights Into What You Think and Feel About the Ideas or Issues

One of the things that surprised me was experience at the Window at the Top. I did not expect to enjoy walking over the clear platform as it was intimidating at first glance. 

Thinking About Your Own Learning

Something I have found out about myself in the electromagnetism exhibit is that I need to have more initiative when it comes to experiencing new things so that I do not miss out on knowledge. 

Thinking More Deeply

I believe that the exhibit allowed me to explore electromagnetism. I would like to research more on static electricity and plasma.

Thinking About Alternative Points of View

When I heard what the others in my group thought was interesting as I learnt more about the different exhibits after hearing about there experiences with certain phenomena. 

Conclusions

In the future I would like to look deeper into the subject of astronomy so as to be more familiar with the night sky.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how much depth there is in the topics. For example, just a simple phenomenon such as floating hair can be used to explain static electricity.

Day 3

Daily Reflections:

Every night, you will be typing a one-paragraph reflection using the sentence starters from each section below. Post the reflection on the blog upon completion daily.

As a Record of What Happened

The most important event that happened for me today was the school visit. I gained a lot of insight after speaking to a member of the school's astronomy club. It was interesting to see how they viewed the subject and the research they had done.

Insights Into What You Think and Feel About the Ideas or Issues

One of the things that surprised me was how similar the culture was to that of our school's. Both had students with strong passion towards astronomy and a stable foundation in science. The idea of research through passion was one that appealed greatly to me.

Thinking About Your Own Learning

Something I have found out about myself is that I am able to focus better on a subject that I am passionate about. The hands-on activities that sparked interest in me were the ones that I could focus the most on and learn about. I will be using this to improve my own learning in future.

Thinking More Deeply

I believe that this will allow me to explore my own learning methods thoroughly. For example, in drier subjects, I will try to find aspects with a little more excitement such that I can concentrate and have more depth in my thinking.

Thinking About Alternative Points of View

When I heard what the others in my group thought, I was heartened to see that they felt that same. It showed in their queries and enthusiasm. 

Conclusions

In the future I hope to use my experience here to reflect on my learning back in Singapore. Pen and paper are not the only things that matter when it comes to studying, and I definitely see it in the students in Penang.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised at how much I can apply to my life back in Singapore. It is eye-opening and an exciting journey to becoming a better student.

Day 4
Daily Reflections:

Every night, you will be typing a one-paragraph reflection using the sentence starters from each section below. Post the reflection on the blog upon completion daily.

As a Record of What Happened

The most important event that happened to me today was the temple visit.

Insights Into What You Think and Feel About the Ideas or Issues

One of the things that surprised me was the rich culture of Penang. During the past three days, we had experienced little of the traditions and diversity of the island and it was eye-opening to finally see Penang for its history.

Thinking About Your Own Learning

Something I have found out about myself is that I am able to connect to the heart of the island. The history of the temple and the blessings that monks conduct to reach out to all people, even those who are not religious, was touching. I feel that this is important in our learning as it allows us to empathize with others to see their lives more clearly.

Thinking More Deeply

I believe that I can use this knowledge to improve my learning style as I need to be able to consider other points of view with more ease. Furthermore, I should also be able to apply what I glean from others to complete tasks.

Thinking About Alternative Points of View

When I heard what the others in my group thought I was surprised to see them be so eager to dive into the culture. I felt that the enthusiasm and initiative in them was important to their trip and future learning opportunities.

Conclusions

In the future, I would like to look deeper into the culture of the city so that I can compare and contrast it to Singapore, another similar island.

When I read over my journal reflections I am surprised to see how well my trip has wrapped up in a short four-day journey. I feel that my experience has become more complete with this.