Smart Birdhouse

Summary

ID Lab in Ewha Womans University developed STEAM education program "Building Smart Birdhouse" for elementary schools that encourage outdoor activities in urban areas. This program aims to learn enviromental issues of birds habitat in urban area and let students have a chance to design possible solutions using technology.

STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. ID Lab proposed a 4-subject integrated education program based on 3rd-4th grade curriculums of science I, science II, mathematics, and art. This education program had developed through 8-month research. The 8-week pilot program was conducted for usability testing at Imae Elementary School with 2 teachers and 34 students.


Students made the birdhouses using cardboards and various craft materials. To help students see how many times birds visited, we provide them a light sensor, small CPU, and flexible numerical display screen. The light sensor was located right under the birdhouse entrance, so it detected birds’ visit when the bird block the light on the sensor while passing through the hole. Then small CPU calculated the total number of light blocking and the number is shown up on the FND display. Students can get the net number of the birds' visit by dividing total number in half.

role

  • Identified research topic and designed user study that address user behaviors and attitudes
  • Conducted usablity testing using various of qualitative methods and a subset of quantitative methods
  • Designed surveys and conducted statistical analysis
  • Worked cross-functionally with design, engineering, and project management

Methods

  • Mockup testing and interactive prototyping
  • Qualitative: field observation, diary study, group interview
  • Quantitiative: questionnares and post-experimental surveys
  • SPSS analysis (T-test)

Procedure

Developing curriculum
One-semester long curriculum and 8-week pilot program was developed based on the contents from the four regular subjects(Science I and II, Math, Art).
My team reviewed 3rd and 4th grade curriculums including textbooks and teaching material from 5 different publishers with elementary school teachers.

Creating mockup and testing interactive prototytpe:
I developed interactive prototypes using cardboards with circuit boards, electronic sensors and modules.

Field study
Week 1-2:
Students learn urban environmental issues and understand the problem of bird habitats.

Week 3-5:
Students learn basic principles of electronic devices and make Smart Birdhouses

Week 6-7:
Students set up Smart Birdhouses, write obervation diary and track the number of birds' visits
*One additional ordinary birdhouse was installed to compare with the smart birdhouse

Week 8:
Students make presentations, share observation diaries and discuss the results

Results

28 out of 34 students answered that they were satisfied or very satisfied with our 6-week pilot program.

Students were motivated by observing how their idea created the changes in their school environment. Outdoor hands-on activities encouraged students to engage with group assignments more actively.

STEAM program was also well received by teachers as the program offered after-school curriculum that included group activities having many intersections with their school curriculums. Since majority of program contents were drawn from their textbooks for the semester following the order of the chapters, teachers felt that it was easier to accomodate the program and utilize teaching resources in parellel.