深美国际学校在巴西圣保罗市分享教学理念

Shenzhen American International School (SAIS) went to Sao Paulo, Brazil in February to study the philosophies and practices on Project Based Learning (PBL) there.

SAIS Director of Maker Education Carrie Leung represented the school and participated in Campus Party Brazil, an annual week-long, 24-hour technology festival that provides a platform for tech enthusiasts from all over the world to share and gain knowledge.

Through hands-on workshops, talks and discussions, Leung shared how SAIS implemented 100 percent PBL methodology through various fruitful methods such as makerspaces, design thinking and maker-embedded classrooms, and the purposeful integration of tech.

“The Sao Paulo government, schools and communities are all addressing the need for educational innovation through the maker movement, PBL and design thinking,” said Leung as she communicated with Brazil’s universities and MIT Media Lab.

Sao Paulo has funded 12 free and fully-equipped makerspaces throughout the city for the public to use for creating and sharing, according to Leung.

In order to promote the PBL model for state-funded schools, Sao Paulo authorities are now piloting PBL in a few schools, said Leung. Taking Insper University as an example, engineering students spend more than half of their time learning through practice, such as creating viable solutions to problems in their community and with industry experts.

“Shenzhen and Sao Paulo share the same goal on education — to educate a person who is academically, mentally and emotionally equipped to face challenges in the future, said Leung. “All humans should make efforts towards this.” (Nan Nan)