Celebrating Innovation: Most Relevant Award at the National Thinkers Challenge 2024!
At Coding Lab, we had the privilege of coaching the talented team from Yew Tee Primary School, who won the Most Relevant Award at the 3rd Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan National Thinkers Challenge 2024! Competing against 66 teams from 40 primary schools, the team’s innovative proposal for “Future Schools” stood out for its creative use of design thinking and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
In this blog, we reflect on the journey behind their success, speaking with our educators behind the winning team about the challenges, rewards, and insights gained from guiding the team. Join us as we celebrate Yew Tee Primary’s achievement and take a behind-the-scenes look at the process behind our #CodingLabStudents competition wins!
Hello, congratulations on the team’s achievement! Can you share the key steps taken to prepare the students for the National Thinkers Challenge?
Thinzar:
Preparation began with introducing the students to design thinking, helping them empathize with users and define problems clearly. We guided them through brainstorming their innovative solutions that incorporated AI, and ensuring their ideas were both creative and practical. From there, we moved on to prototyping where students created the app - focusing on the basics first before adding more features due to the deadline. We also emphasized communication skills to ensure they could present their ideas effectively.
What were the biggest challenges faced during the preparation process?
Yong Ning:
Balancing creativity with practicality was one of the biggest challenges. While the students often came up with ambitious ideas, it was crucial to guide them toward realistic applications of technology. Time management was another hurdle. Helping them think critically about the feasibility of their solutions and prioritize their concepts took effort, but it was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.
How did the students’ creativity surprise or inspire you throughout this journey?
Hovan:
We were continually amazed by the students’ ability to come up with innovative ideas and eagerness to code despite the complexity of their ideas. Their proposals showed incredible foresight and creativity for their age, and it shows that anyone can come up with great ideas that can tackle real-world issues!
What lessons did you, as educators, learn from coaching the team?
Thinzar:
As educators, we learned the importance of listening deeply to students’ ideas and channeling their creativity without stifling it, even if we have to balance their ideas with practicality. This experience reinforced the value of nurturing young minds and supporting their growth.
How do you think this experience will impact the students’ future in technology and problem-solving?
Hovan:
This experience has equipped the students with a problem-solving mindset that will serve them well in any field. They’ve learned to approach challenges methodically, think critically, and see how technology can address real-world issues. It also planted seeds of confidence and curiosity, showing them that their ideas have the potential to make a difference. We’re excited to see how they build on this foundation and become innovators and industry leaders of the future!
The success of the Yew Tee Primary School team at the National Thinkers Challenge is a proud moment for us at Coding Lab, highlighting the creativity and determination of our students. This achievement reflects our effective coaching and the power of combining technical skills with innovative thinking.
As we celebrate this win, we are inspired to continue nurturing young minds and refining our approach to education. Thank you for celebrating this milestone with us—we look forward to more moments of growth and innovation ahead!
Coding Lab offers an award-winning curriculum specially for ages 5 to 18 – check out our courses to begin your own coding journey today!