Page 6 - Newsletter1_2017

EPTS UPDATES
EPTSCURRENT

Mathematical

modelling of infectious

diseases workshop

Dr. Wirichida giving a presentation

ask real scientists about what a by a hands-on, practical activity
Later on in Semester 1 we career in science involves. to model infectious disease
will be holding a workshop for transmission. This involves using
the Matayom 6 Maths-Science This day-long workshop gives coloured plastic balls to simulate
Program students. This will be the students an opportunity to learn the various immune statuses
third year in which myself and about the basics of mathematical of individuals during a disease
Ajarn James have invited Professor modelling of infectious diseases. It outbreak: susceptible, infected, or
Lisa White, from the Mahidol- uses mathematics and computer resistant. This activity generates
Oxford Tropical Medicine Research simulations to model and predict data for the next practical sessions, Professor Lisa helping some students with
their modelling
Unit here in Bangkok, to come the course of infectious disease using a mathematical modelling
and run this workshop for our epidemics, and to investigate the application to begin modelling the
students. Professor White and her effectiveness of interventions such as data. The data generated allow feedback in previous years.
team, which includes both Thai and vaccination. learners to begin working on a
international researchers, deliver simple SIR (susceptible, infected, or By Ajarn Adam, EPTS Upper Matayom
the workshop and provide great During the workshop, there is an resistant) model. This workshop is a Biology Teacher
role models for our EPTS students, introduction to what mathematical great experience for our students,
who get a unique opportunity to modelling is all about, followed who have given consistently positive

Social Studies News

August as part of a research project
to study Early Thai History; they

will also be working on a project
to show how local communities
can work together to protect the
This year, with Ajarn Richard local environment. The M6 Modern
Beattie, the M3 students are studying Europe class will be working on a
geography and history. Students research project to look at the history
recently went on a field trip and and development of the European
are also doing various project work, Union; this will also involve role-plays
including presentations and display and presentations to compare the
of Thailand. This included an in boards relating to Thai History and a EU with ASEAN and consider how
depth look at the various fault lines map-making project for geography. this may affect Thailand and its role
in Thailand and assessing the risk Ajarn Richard’s M4 students will be in the AEC.
posed by a potential earthquake.
In Ajarn Rollin’s M4 social studies visiting the National Museum in
class, students are learning about The M6 World History students
have been exploring the different
ASEAN and geography. Recently, uses of Google Maps. They are
students developed a “strengths
and weaknesses” assessment about using the Google map engine to
study the 6 basic characteristics
a country in ASEAN and presented
their findings to the rest of the class. of a civilization. Students have
successfully developed their own
Each week, students explore the customized Google Maps that they
geography of Southeast Asia while
simultaneously learning about have presented and shared with
the other students. As the semester
collaboration tools such as Google
Slides and Docs. Ajarn Rollin’s progresses, they will dig deeper into
additional Maps capabilities such as
M5 students recently began an importing and visualizing data from
investigation into the geo-history
a spreadsheet.
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