Faraday 08 challenges

Whenever you visit a school before December 7^th 2007, we would like you to promote the challenges. Even if you are only allocated a short time slot, we would like you to spend a few minutes enthusing about the competition so that teachers and students are sufficiently motivated to enter.

Challenge information

• There are two challenges per topic.
• Each challenge is curriculum-related and can be worked on during lessons.
• Each challenge contains problem-solving activities based in the real world of science and engineering. The challenges are primarily about ideas but students should demonstrate an understanding of the science behind their solutions.
• In each challenge students have to make a video that they then upload onto the website.
• Students can vote (January) for their favourite video online.
• Look at challenge support for teachers for further information.

Schools compete against each other for a range of regional and national prizes including:

• Taking part in the filming of a Faraday video.
• Winning student places on a three day engineering course.
• Cash prizes ranging from £500 - £5,000.

The deadline for entries is 14^th December.

Challenge demonstration

Once you have outlined the procedure for taking part in the challenges, it might be useful to focus on a specific example.

All of the challenges follow the same format:

• 'What’s the story?' – setting the biomedical issue within a narrative context of time, place, people
• Further information on the issue
• 'What you need to do' – ideas for the structure and content of the video
• 'Here are some questions to get you started' – triggers to open the debate prior to finding solutions to the problem
• 'Want more information?' – links to supplementary research and information both within the site and elsewhere online
• 'How will your entry be judged?' – strategies for impressing the judges.

If you have been demonstrating features from a specific topic within the Faraday 08 website, then it would make sense to choose one of the challenges from that topic.

In the Demonstrating Faraday 08 website section we used Nature reinvented as an example and suggested opening and then minimising ‘The other organ challenge’ at the start of the lesson.

The 'What’s the story?' section of each challenge offers the greatest opportunity for dramatic scene setting.

If you are able to engage the students in the context of the challenge, then generating debate about the issue should follow.

In this challenge, key things to highlight could be:

• 2060 – it’s the future! However, it’s not so far away that we’re talking about science fiction. Most of your student audience will still be around
• Synthetic implants are being chosen instead of our natural organs – from the film clip we saw earlier we know that advances in implant and bionic technology mean that this is not pure fantasy
• When does improving your body from the inside become a problem? Is it cheating or is it a natural impulse to be as efficient as we can be?
• The website lists athletes, military personnel, pilots and astronauts. Who else can you think of that might benefit? Who do you think should do so? Are there any groups of people that definitely shouldn’t?

Note how the 'Growing organs?' section asks the question:

“If you could afford the operation, would you be tempted? What if having that operation gave you a big advantage in your job?”

If you have time, divide the students into small groups and ask them to really try and consider the issue from their own point of view. If they can use their imaginations and empathy they will produce more authentic responses to the challenge.

You don’t need to get the students working on the challenge then and there but just make them feel that they will be using science and engineering as a springboard for an important date.

And that, most importantly, submitting a video in response to the challenge will be fun.

As it is important that schools which Faraday Engineers have visited are not perceived to have an unfair advantage, suggesting direct responses to the challenges should be avoided.

Challenge synopses

A short summary of each challenge follows:

Tomorrow’s water

Students have to develop an idea for a water conservation system for a street of sustainable eco-homes. They must present a video proposal to World Water.

Less water

There is a drought and fresh water supplies are running low. Students must devise a campaign to get people to save water. The campaign must be promoted via an infomercial aimed at families.

Body builders

It is difficult for doctors to generate new tissues because it is hard to create new blood vessels. Students need to invent a new way to deliver nutrients to an organ so that new ones can be grown. Their video should outline their plan.

The other organ

If synthetic organs can be developed that work better than our natural human ones, should they be available to everyone? Students need to decide and produce a video outlining their position.

Global surgery

An Italian hospital patient is about to undergo heart surgery delivered by a surgeon who is operating remotely from London. Students have to produce a video reassuring the patient that this is the best course of action.

Hospitality

Students work for a company that produces remote surgery systems. A potential client has a number of queries regarding the technological reliability and capability the system provides. Students have to produce a video response to the queries.

Sensing illness

Students have to design a sensor system that will detect infectious diseases. They then have to develop a showcase video that will present their system within a competitive tender.

Mind scanner

An efficient mind-reading machine has been developed. Students have to produce a video advising the Government who should be able to use the machine and for what purpose.