A STEM approach utilizing ICT and Educational Robotics: Quality control on fruit and vegetable preparative processing.

Submitted by AsMln71@ed' on Wed, 07/04/2021 - 00:08

General Info


A STEM approach utilizing ICT and Educational Robotics: Quality control on fruit and vegetable preparative processing.
Abstract

This paper deals with an educational interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary scenario on food quality and safety, focusing on controls during the preparation of plant products and the usefulness of automated food sorting machines.

Considering that the unit should be approached both theoretically and practically, emphasizing the experience and previous knowledge of students, we designed this constructive scenario to be applied in an interdisciplinary perspective, through exploratory activities based on the pedagogical use of collaborative ICT tools in teaching. practice, the use of WebQuests, the pedagogical principles of Inquiry Based Science learning, but also the use of the STEAM and the CLIL methodology, aiming to discover and assimilate new knowledge as autonomously as possible so as students to acquire the 21st century skills .

The topic of the module is intended to inform students about how quality control systems that are appropriate for the preparatory processes could affect the quality of the final product. For this reason, in order to provide a specific example, we will ask students to think about the preparatory work we do in our homes and then make a comparison with the industrial ones, in order to identify the similarities. They will then wonder about their impact on food quality and safety, look at the factors that could affect quality, conduct experiments, and be invited to discover how imaging technology and automatic food sorting machines could ensure food safety and quality faster and at a lower cost by reducing food waste. Eventually they will design, build and program a food sorting machine using the Lego Mindstorms EV3.

The expected goal is for students to enrich their knowledge of preparatory processing methods, types and components of a food classification system, quality controls in these systems, and the types and use of sorting machines in a food industry. At the same time, those involved in the design, construction and programming of a food sorting machine will understand how it works. Thus, they will know how the new technologies used in food systems could help meet the growing need for high quality food taking on mind planetary boundaries. Finally, we hope that they will recognize that the knowledge they have acquired in STEM subjects, such as Mathematics, Engineering, Physics and Chemistry, Technology (Food Technology, ICT, Robotics) is applied in their daily lives and the skills that will be acquired will be are important for their future careers.


STEAM2021 Conference
On
Practice's Language
Greek
STEAM discipline
Science
Technology
Arts
Mathematics
Science Area/Topic
Chemistry
Technology Area/Topic
ICT
Operating Systems
Educational Robotics
Engineering Area/Topic
Chemical engineering
Electrical engineering
Coding , Programming
Art Area/Topic
Digital artefacts
Mathematics Area/Topic
Algebra
Calculus and analysis
License
CC BY-NC-SA
Leading author of the practice
Mylona Aspasia
Author's occupation
Educator
Author's organization
EPAL Nafpaktou

Audience and Educational Framework


Audience
Students
Audience competence
Capable
Educational/EQF level
4
Age Range
15-19
Educational/Training framework
Middle/junior high school
Initial VET

Educational Details


Educational Subject
Food Technology, Food science, Chemistry, Analytical chemistry, Engineering, Specialised English, Technology, Mathematics
Description of the practice

45min: Students are following a lesson dedicated to the subject “Preparative treatments in fruit and vegetable processing” in the context of quality controls in the initial product. While analysing how and why these are applied, the factors and possible effects to the last product, the development of the learning scenario will start by using an initial google form survey so as to identify possible cognitive gaps. Students are called to work as teachers independently as possible based on a webquest of three steps: In the first step students attend an interactive presentation -created by using genially, and with the use of some mentis -created by using mentimeter-, where will be used our real-life questions such as stated before we will start -according to the answers of the students during the brainstorming, and guiding the discussion in relation to preparatory operation on receipt of the product to the industry- to state our topic. In this presentation will also be a self-evaluation quiz. In the second step is given an article and some resources so as to find, analyse, and synthesize information on our topic. In the third step students are called to create a poster on preparatory operations during fruit and vegetable processing. Then their posters are presented and discussed.

45min: Students will be prepared for what they must do in the following lessons in different STEM and non-STEM lessons according to our learning scenario, emphasizing to the use of automatic machines, in order to to develop how imaging technology and automated food sorting processing machines work and how these could ensure faster and in a low-cost the safety and quality of our food, reducing food waste. There will also be a brief presentation so as to be better prepared for the engineering lesson. They will also be informed on the way that their work will be evaluated and we’ll create together the rubric.

 

90min: Briefly repeat the terms of qualitative and quantitative control of delivered vegetables and fruits, and students are asked to brainstorm on quality measurements, the major causes of deterioration, the reliable methods for evaluating the quality and quantity at the reception, and mandatory processing operations and practices. After that, students are divided in two groups: the worksheets are given, explained, and discussed. Students take place on the same observations: a) effect of dehydration temperature on the quality characteristics of the dehydrated apples and b)effect of blanching on the quality of dehydrated vegetables BUT those are dehydrated in different temperatures.  Students are presenting their observations, and their meaning for the quality of their product, and the way that treatments applied at the preparatory processing treatments affected the product.

 

180min: Briefly repeat with the students the terms standard solutions, quantitative concentration, significance and connection of analytical chemistry with quality control of fruits and vegetables, gravimetric and volumetric methods used in the fruit and vegetable industry. After that, interpret the procedure of work in the laboratory exercise Determining the acidity and vitamin C. The students will be divided into groups of two students. Each group will determine the acidity of a different fruit juice. To determine the acidity will use a method based on titration with sodium hydroxide solution in the presence of phenolphthalein indicators. Two analyzes are performed. Students write a report on Determining Fruit Acidity and sort out the results. After that, in the final part of the class, students will compare and discuss the obtained results for different types of fruit juices.

180min: Students watch an interactive video, and answer the questions that it includes. They write their ideas and suggestions in a padlet for the construction and operation of the sorting machine that they will build. The teacher appoints three students "engineers" three “electricians” and three "programmers", depending on the content of their posts on the padlet. Students are divided into four groups so that each group has an "engineer", an “electrician” and a "programmer".  Group A: Undertakes to build the chuteGroup B: Undertakes to build the gyro sensor, the color squares and the tracksGroup C: Undertakes to to build the color sensor 1, the color sensor 2, the touch sensor and the turntable. Students in their groups decide which pieces of sensors and machines they need and record them. Then they build the parts of the machine assigned to them. The three "engineers" work together to connect the individual parts of the machine. The "programmers" with the help of their team members discuss and decide with which software they will do the programming. The "programmers" with the help of their team members and the software they have chosen make the programming so that the machine sorts the pieces in the containers according to their color. Meanwhile, the three "electricians" work together to connect the cables to the machine. The "programmers" test their codes on the machine. The best is chosen. The machine is started and any errors are corrected. There is a discussion about the problems encountered and possible improvements. Each student scores the teams on a scoreboard.

 

 

 


Duration of practice realisation
12 hours
Difficulty
Medium
Educational Use
Curriculum, group work for an Erasmus/eTwinning project

Learning Outcomes

Food industry has a strong connection with a lot of STEM careers, as for all the jobs needed knowledge and understanding of science, technology and engineering principles. Here are presented some of these that our students could think about while implementing this learning scenario:  Food Chemists ; Agricultural Mechanics ; Industrial Engineers ; Electrical and Electronic Engineers and technicians ; Chemical Engineer ; Food Engineer

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

Chemistry:

  • Interpret meaning of chemical equations in terms of the amount of matter

  • Interpret the preparation of standard solutions of molar concentration

Analytical chemistry:

  • Describe the association and importance of analytical chemistry with fruit and vegetable quality control

  • List the methods of analytical chemistry used in the fruit and vegetable industry

  • Distinguish gravimetric from volumetric methods

  • Apply analytical methods to control the quality of fruits and vegetables

Engineering:

  • Recognize the parts and functions of a sorting machine.

  • Build a Lego Mindstorms EV3 with a sorting machine to sort fruits by colour.

  • To find out their mistakes and correct them

Programming:

  • To program their machine to be functional.

  • To find out their mistakes and correct them

Food Technology:

  • List the preparative treatments in the fruit and vegetables industry.

  • Distinguish the ways that each treatment could be applied.

  • Distinguish each machine used on this food system.

  • Describe which are the factors that could affect the quality of our product in each treatment.

Food science:

  • List quality measurements.

  • Observe making conclusions on quality control procedures in fruit and vegetables.

  • Apply sensory evaluations that are suitable for use in fruit and vegetable processing industries .

Mathematics:

  • Familiarize with classification and data tables.

  • Propose programming algorithms for their robots

Technology:

  • Familiarize themselves with the use of Lego Mindstorms EV3.

  • Familiarize themselves with the use of PC as a means of searching, recording and presenting information

  • Adopt a positive attitude towards the use of the computer as a learning tool.

  • Understand the value of using ICT in the learning process.

Specialized English:

  • Students will be able to understand and use an accurate specialized vocabulary in order to describe, define, explain, present their products.

  • Scan the information that is given to a scientific article.


Orientation/Focus
acquire new knowledge
develop new skills
attain attitudes
Life long learning, students awareness about what they know and what they're able to do
Delivery mode
Blended learning

Hardware/Software/Other Resources

For the teaching and learning activities (synchronous and asynchronous) there’s a need for a PC – Internet connection – projector – students’ mobiles (or tablets) – common account for the used apps –LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 – cups to hold the sorted objects

For laboratory exercises there`s need of chemicals, and laboratory utensils

Online tools: WebQuest, Kahoot, Mentimeter, Genially, Postermywall, YouTube, Edpuzzle, Padlet


Implementation

(where and how the practice was implemented)


Framework/οrganization that was applied to
This learning scenario was to be applied in six countries: Greece, Serbia, Austria, France, Turkey and Italy that are partners in the Erasmus/ eTwinning project "Eat Smart Save Your Land".
Audience size
256

Description, evaluation and lessons learned

Evaluation was designed to be based on reliable rubrics which will have been co-created with students prior to the learning and teaching activities. We will also use formative assessment, and observation in order to measure the achievement of planned activities or meeting goals or/and topics that they would like further development, student’s engagement, etc.

Initial assessment a google form was to be used to collect student answers to knowledge questions in a spreadsheet so as to identify possible cognitive gaps.

Formative evaluation For formative evaluation was to be used a variety of web2.00 tools, like: mentimeter, padlet, edpuzzle, genial.ly

Final assessment A rubric designed prior to the lesson (for and with the students) that was to be used at the end of the implementation to this learning scenario. Criteria used will be: teamwork (communication, shared roles, cooperation, etc), research, and understanding (creative thinking, knowledge), presentation, final product (outcomes, innovation) 

Student feedback A printed questionnaire form was to be used to collect student answers in a spreadsheet so as to express their opinions on the planned activities, instructions, cooperation, etc.

Teacher feedback  A document report was to be used so as teachers answer some questions expressing their opinions on the achievement of planned activities, what worked well, what didn’t work as planned and why, what was missed, what they could change, etc.

Unfortunately, due to school closure we didn't manage to achieve all the planned activities, but hopefully we'll implement this in the next year.


Educational material/resources (file/URL) accompanying the practice


Educational material/resources
Effect of dehydration temperature on the quality characteristics of the dehydrated apple separately for color, aroma and texture.

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
experiment
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
experiment_0.doc 29 KB

Effect of blanching on the quality of dehydrated vegetables.

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
experiment
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
experiment2_0.doc 29.5 KB

Acidity

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
experiment
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
experiment3_0.doc 23.5 KB

FEEDBACK

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
questionnaire
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
STUDENT FEEDBACK_0.doc 21.5 KB

BUILDING, PROGRAMMING AUTOMATED SORT MACHINE

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
exercise
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
CODING_0.doc 238.5 KB

Rubric

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
questionnaire
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
RUBRIC_0.doc 25 KB

Initially survey

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
questionnaire
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English


Interactive Video

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
presentation
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English


Making comics

License
CC BY-NC-SA
Educational Resource Type
exercise
Interactivity Type
active
Language

English

Educational Resource File
Attachment Size
WORKSHEET_0.doc 800 KB

Rate this Practice

1 votes with an average rating of 5.

English