Group 4 Project-Design and Technology

By Snigdha Khurana

Group 4 project is an integral part of the IBDP, this type of collaborative project teaches us crucial skills that we need to develop over the course of the IB. Group 4 mainly focuses on the way the students are able to create a project with little to no teacher aid. This year’s project was to create an environmentally sustainable green house. This project was the integration of the science disciplines with the collaboration of the economics and the business students. This project was intended to be a proposal for the school to change and rebuild the existing green house, to make it green and sustainable for a longer duration. The existing green house was made of cloth which was not the best material to use, as where the school is located there is constant unannounced rain which can contaminate and create an extraneous cleaning process. There were other discrepancies, as this green house was an open greenhouse without elements of an enclosed environment or ecosystem.

The main idea was to create a better version of the existing green house, that would satisfy the needs of all the disciplines. The idea had to be moderately priced, the inside temperature should be accommodating to the plants, addition of new elements that would increase the yield of the green house, most of all the right materials to use and how to make use of the latest technology. I was part of the Design and Technology group; we were the bridge between all the disciplines and were responsible for liaising with everyone. We had to build a model that would accommodate the needed specifications, the model had to be 5 by 4 by 3 feet. We planned to use materials such as PVC roofing, polyethylene, polycarbonate for the other clear cover. The inner structure was to be made with either aluminum or steel. The final material was decided after the physics and chemistry students had experimented with all the materials. Inside the greenhouse there needs to be plants, which were experimented by the biology and the environmental sciences, this gave the design students the specifications of the environment that we were supposed to create for the longevity plants.

The process began with writing down research points. the research points were an integral part of the process as it gave us a direction that we could hypothetically take in the way we design our greenhouse. In the points, we looked at the existing designs, what material was used, the pros and cons of each of them, how they were built and what were the key features that a greenhouse needs. After gathering all the information, the group discussed the possible features that we want to provide in the green house and what is feasible in the time span given. Then we came up with 3-4 design ideas, we checked them against the specifications to see which one was the best option. When we had finalized the design, we had to create a cutting list which included all the materials that we needed from the aluminum to the hinges. This also helped us narrow down on the material that we will be using, we ended up with an aluminum structure and polycarbonate as the cover. This lead to us making a Gantt chart, which helped us track our progress plan, it also helped up create a timeline that we need to follow in order to compete the task on time. This was not like the projects that the students of our school have attempted in the past therefore we had very limited references for the time management aspects to create a project like that. After we had planned everything the economics and the business students joined us to calculate the costing of everything that was being used. The next step of the process was to start measuring and marking all the aluminum angle bars. As I was one of the group leaders it was our job to make sure everything ran smoothly therefore I was responsible for cutting the aluminum bars to make the structure. The team assembled the base and then they started attaching all the metal bars to the base. It took us a whole day to complete the metal framework.

 After we had the metal base ready we measured and marked we started working with the polycarbonate, this created challenges for us that we were not expecting. The challenges ranged from the movement of a massive piece of polycarbonate to the fact that it took 3-4 people to cut the polycarbonate. We had to measure the exact areas of polycarbonate as the resources we had were limited. Later in the process we cut the polycarbonate, we went on and riveted everything together, the riveting process took a lot of time yet we drilled and rivet a lot in the time we had. Finally, we had to clean up all the edges and add the draining system to the green house. The draining system was a PVC pipe cut into half and attached to the slanted roof for rain water harvesting, this water would be filtered and used for the water based plants that go inside the greenhouse. The final project took 3 days with 6-7 students working on the green house. On the final day, as we had 2 team leaders both him and I stayed back in school till 6 pm to finish up the model, that was exhausting as we had been working in the workshop nonstop since the morning as well.

This was a stimulating project for the brain as it required a lot of the skills that are needed in the real world, collaboration, communication, problem solving skills and logical thinking. This project helped enhance these aspects of my learning as well as the learning I had for the subject. There were many challenges we faced with the equipment not working as we would like it to but that gave us the opportunity to learn to improvise and adapt to the requirements of the situation.

G4 Project

By Gaurang Lamba

As the team for business and economics we set out with the aim to look at all the resources and do the pricing. As I was the leader of the group along with my mentor who was miss Poonam, we split the students into groups and each student had to look at the economic as well as business aspect of the of these various science-oriented groups. As soon as this was done, we faced a certain set of issues. These were that groups were looking at resources that were not economically efficient and therefore lead to a total price which we felt was above the budget we had discussed.  

Thus, we took a new approach, to understand the requirement of these resources and find alternative’s which would to the same function leading to a lower opportunity cost. For example, I was with the physics group and there had decided for Polycarbonate for the Panels, however, that was 600 Rs per square meter which was extremely economically inefficient. Therefore, l after taking the specification I found Corrugated PVC. A similar, plastic which had a higher transparency rate compared to the previous, thus, proposing that instead. This saved the project 300 Rs per Square foot. I had encountered many issues like this and with constant discussions with then Physics leader as well the Design Technology leader we negotiated and found that best resources which would help make the greenhouse efficient as well as economically suitable.  

Along with negotiating the pricing, my aim was to create a communication flow with each team as there were many issues arising within each group. As in the group 4 project each team was dependent on the other. Subsequently, I set up meeting with each group and the individual allocated from the economic group to analyze the situation. After meeting each group, I understood that there were issues based on how each team was dependent on the other leading to a slower progress. As communication is an important role in making sure the time we use is spent productively, I arranged a meeting with all the group leader making sure that all the group were on the focused on the criteria and it helped. I saw problems getting solved such as the issue of the ESS group on the structure of the greenhouse to the Physics group on where to add the ventilation systems.  

Now, the lack of communication no more an issue and each group had their targets set, however this led to new resources that were added. So, after this there was a lot of research to be done. As a student of Physics, I understood the issue the team was facing with insulation as well as the issue of the materials to use. Sitting with the physics team I understood all this and the first thing I did was talk to the teacher in charge proposing a range of ideas such as to help combat these issues and after a productive session I had a clear idea of what should be done which is look at plastics which will trap the heat and allow maximum sunlight. 

After I had completed the list and engaged in a debate with the Physics team over the materials and finalized the use of Corrugated Polycarbonate and plastic PVC Panels, I help a meeting with the whole Physics team where we discussed what we had done and how it was beneficial. During this meeting we started to create our business plan which was a collation of all our research and work done.  

After showing it to Miss Poonam, and getting it approved in the first go, we started to create the board. As a student completely unknown to Art I advised Unnati the only student who had taken art to lead the board making process. Under her supervision as well as some inputs from the team we finalized the board. Thus, leading the whole G4 process to the end. 

Towards the end I reflected that as the leader of the group, my job was to aid in communication as well as help the group in all overcome issues. If the group is having issue’s I spoke with the team leader and made sure everything was in place. Therefore, conducting leader meetings where I talked to each leader and made sure everything was going smoothly and efficiently. Lastly, I felt that being a leader of a group is not easy, but if the group is willing to work it does help create a flow. And with this team for my G4 project I feel everyone worked responsibly and carefully. Be it Parth and Faisal going and talking to the gardener's and taking charge of the economic aspect of biology, be it Aryan and Himanshi helping out ESS students find plants that are much more economic and less variable. Be it Unnati, who worked extra time on making our board as well as took charge of the Computer Science team, be it Chitrali who was looking at different aspects and aiding the group move forward. Design technology, where Diksha and Ashwin worked on helping find cheaper prices as well as do costing and provide extra support to them therefore helping complete work on time, and lastly I who was assigned to physics working on finding cheaper prices for goods and using my Physics knowledge to help make more economic decisions and make the team more functioning. As a leader I believe every team has its ups and Downs, but I believe that my team worked to their best and reached their potential as wanted by the IBDP program. 

19th century gender roles still applicable in the liberal 21st century?

By Nishtha Rampuria

Today, living in the 21st century as a feminist and liberal person, I find the strong significance of appalling gender roles in the society of 19th century Europe truly oppressing. It makes me realize how far we have come as a society however also that mindset change is still an issue we face even after all these years. I believe John Stuart Mill, a 19th-century philosopher describes the situation quite accurately in his essay titled "The Subjectification of Women" where talks about women's role in society saying they are "wholly under the rule of men and each in private being under the legal obligation of obedience to the man with whom she has associated her destiny". In the 19th century, the norm was that women were made to do housework, babysit, serve their families, be selfless etc and this did not seem absurd as most were oblivious to the issue. Women were not allowed to work, not supposed to study beyond high school, dependent on men all their lives (fathers before marriage and husbands after), they could not hold responsibilities in terms of land, money, power, banks, debts. Even if a woman had to work and take responsibilities, she was pitied and it was out of need. It seems completely unorthodox now. Females were raised with the thought that they are enslaved to the gender roles to them. Henrik Ibsen's play-A Doll's House- served as an eye-opener to the society as he addressed the then-unconventional issue. I perceive Ibsen to be a very bold person as he was able to step out of society's boundaries and talk about such an imperative issue. A Doll's House and the characters give a deep insight into how gender roles were integrated into society. While the gender roles that Ibsen blatantly discusses in his play may seem obnoxious at first, I believe it is still quite relevant and applicable in the backward Indian society even today. Laws may empower us and women may be allowed to work and study but I believe at the end of the day a majority of parents still want their daughters to "get settled". I have personally experienced and seen various incidents wherein when thought about, Nora's situation seems relatable. The notion of control surrounds us still.

In my view, this play is not about Nora's extraordinary journey of finding herself but instead is about the shocking treatment of women in the 19th century. Every character, in my opinion, represents a particular aspect of society: Nora - suppressed and oblivious women, Torvald - strong, dominating, stereotypical man of the 19th century, Krogstad - man oppressed and pressured by society into responsibilities a man must fulfill, Mrs. Linde - view of society in general. This characterization plays a key role in unfolding the theme of Ibsen's story. In this play, Nora is perceived as a doll and does exactly what she is told to do. She is Torvald's doll of pleasure. The idea of men to command and women to obey is seen greatly in Act one. For instance, Torvald does not like Nora eating macaroons hence she hides behind the Christmas Tree to do so. What to eat should be a person's personal choice and this shows how Torvald controls every little aspect of her life. Even today men in India and across the globe want to control what women do, think, say etc just like Nora and Torvald. I personally have seen similar situations around me. Just like Krogstad, there are frustrated people pressured by society and their expectations which results in losing themselves. This can be prominently seen in the young generations and in young women in India today. Nora, as she has never seen and been responsible in life, is quite reckless and naive. In the first act it is seen that when the delivery person comes, she pays him almost the double amount as she is too impatient or does not understand the value. This shows she is still quite like a child. Fiscal irresponsibility in Nora caused her the problems she was in as well such as not understanding the degree of trouble she may be in for not repaying a loan or forging signatures. Today as well many husbands treat their wives as their children hence disabling them from maturing. A small yet intriguing thing to notice throughout the play is that Torvald always has a "my" connotation before any nickname he calls her. This shows her passiveness and how Torvald sees her as his property. Similarly, today many parents and husbands see their children or wives as their property as there is a strong sense of control involved. 

When I first read The Doll's House, I felt a strong sense of rage within myself seeing the injustice and the wrongful treatment of women in the play however after when thought about, Ibsen's perspective on society is still quite prominent. While we have made significant progress-abolishing demeaning laws, allowing women to work, getting access to education, getting to make their own choices and simply getting some freedom-we still in the back of our heads hold back as women because we are afraid of the society even today just like Nora and Mrs. Linde. No matter how many women's marches and pride parades we do, the one thing that needs to change in order to ever truly progress is mindsets. If not, our society at the end of the day will remain just like the one in The Doll's House-opressed, unfair, unjust and not liberal.

Women and Men in 19th century Europe - a discrepancy

By Sanya Garg

If one goes through the human history and society through the medieval ages, one thing is common that there had been an imbalance in the relative position of men and women. The nature of society was such that men enjoyed predominant position not only outside the house but also within the house, in all respects. He was considered more powerful, more intelligent, more wise to handle all worldly affairs, so he was the one who required to be educated and most fit to earn and lead the family and society. Women on the other hand were considered weak, docile, not very intelligent so not wise enough to be considered fit for education or to take decisions on their own or even earn on their own. It was presumed and accepted that women were to look after the house, the husband, children as, an efficient caretaker of the house, a loving wife for the husband and a dotting mother for the kids, not ignoring- her role as an obedient follower and implementer of her father or husband’s directions. What a man would decide about matters was, beyond questioning, and what a man would judge a woman’s (wife’s) work was to be doubted about. The power equation even in the nineteenth century was such that man had the final word in every respect.

In the play, “A Doll’s House”, Ibsen has shown this unequal position, of man and woman in the nineteenth century and highlighted their harmony and contradictions while covering human psychology in those times. Daily life in the nineteenth century was full of a number of domestic and social tasks. Most of the tasks were to be carried out by human hand only, therefore they were to be consistently done neatly, in an attractive manner and timely, in order to get involved in the society in a proper way. Those who were good at fulfilling these tasks in the socially accepted and desired way were considered better and accorded higher. This was the reason why women were to look after and focus only on these daily chores, and their position and aspirations as a person or individual were of not any significance. The moral code about women and men in that time also supported this imbalance by the view that men were to be the centre of family life with an honourable position. Men were not to show an emotional weakness. Women, in the nineteenth century society, were to get married ensure harmony and care for the family. They were to be sensitive and emotional apart from being responsible for children and housework such positioning and relationship man and woman were desired and considered morally correct by the society which we now call stereotype perceptions. 

In the play, “A Doll’s House”, Nora, the woman is the protagonist and is placed just like a doll who does what she is told by her husband, representing a man of nineteenth century. Her husband Torvald represents the nineteenth century man who frequently humiliates his wife with the words like “My little lark”, “squirrel” etc. Nora as a wife and a nineteenth century woman has not only to do all the household chores but also to please her husband. This type of wife-husband relationship leads Nora eventually to start questioning her position as a human. She sees herself just as a little, obedient doll who is for pleasure for her husband Torvald and nothing else. She is to do the routine chores, take care of the children and keep Torvald happy, that’s all. She doesn’t have a say in any childish matter often considered unwise and sometimes, she is supposed to be happy with her husband the way he is and the way he behaves. Torvald on the other hand expects Nora to be physically and traditionally perfect. His behaviour quite clearly shows a strong patriarchal characteristics of that time. This also gets reflected when Torvald compares himself to Nora’s father: “My little Nora, between your father and me there is all the difference in the world. Your father was not altogether unimpeachable. I am; I hope to remain so.” Torvald is loaded with self interest and egoism besides being a perfectionist husband. This characteristic gets reflected by his fault finding nature toward Nora’s chores and calling her names of pet animals. He on numerous occasions treats Nora as a child. He always infringes Nora’s ability to live in such a way that sometimes her self esteem seems to crash down.  Torvald like men of that time never allowed Nora to have any freedom even in domestic chores as women in that time in society were only (housewives) and did not have a real job which could bring them money and empower them financially. Nora did not have freedom even to decide about what to wear to the ball. Torvald’s comments to Nora show that she is not wise to understand anything because she was a woman. 

It could be finally said that women in the nineteenth century Europe were considered inferior, weak, less intelligent and wise who were to look after the brutally domestic chores including keeping their husbands happy and were to be dependent on men for everything.   

Group 4 project

By Nishtha Rampuria

The group 4 project is an integral part of the IB requirements as it provides us with the interesting opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in class to real life by collaborating with people of other disciplines. This year we decided to apply this project to produce a real-life greenhouse in the school. The project allowed us to indulge in an interdisciplinary project wherein we got the chance to work with teams who specialized in the subjects of Computer Science, Business/Economics, ESAS, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. I was a part of the Biology group and we were majorly looking to investigate what plants to grow, how to improve soil quality etc.

We began by conversing with the gardener to fully comprehend the problems he faces in the current greenhouse which include not receiving enough compost, soil quality, types of plants grown. To address these problems, we divided our work into three parts- an experiment wherein we compared different fertilizers with each other, an experiment wherein we compared compost soil with fertilizer soil and a control of plain soil and finally an experiment to understand the stomatal density of each plant identified to understand how much oxygen they produce. My friend and I realized the imperativeness of starting the compost pit which exists, however, does not function. We began by doing research regarding the amount of waste and the management of it to start off. We were appalled when the management informed us that over 200-350 kgs of biodegradable waste is produced every day in our school. We did further research and gained information on what kind of waste produced in school can be utilized for the same. The support received from the management and school staff was overwhelming. Compost is considered a soil conditioner and can improve almost any soil's quality. Through research, we found that commercial compost only provides the elements carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus however homemade compost also provides the nutrients of manganese, copper etc. The goals we planned to achieve through the compost pit are: Minimize and utilize waste from the kitchen, garden, DT lab, and horse riding area, use the waste to create compost with the final goal of having completely organic plants grow in the greenhouse and across the school, promote an environmentally conscious mindset in the student body and promote goals of GREEN PATHWAYS.

We are now in the process of creating a formal proposal and investigating other organizations and companies that have expertise in this. Hopefully, through this, we can promote an environmentally conscious mindset and sustainability. Personally, I found this project extremely intriguing as I got the opportunity to apply skills I will require in my real life when I start initiatives. Additionally, this helped me understand how to start initiatives and gave me a sneak-peak into entrepreneurship. I would like to get into research further in life hence this was a great opportunity to perform experiments relevant to real-life. It also helped me understand the importance of teamwork to produce some diverse and intriguing work. We were all working on very different tangents however managed to connect it all together with proper communication skills. The IB learner skills I improved through this project were:
Inquirers because we did intensive research putting our subject's knowledge into the project. Additionally we inquired about the problem that exists in the current greenhouse and tried to improve the same, knowledgeable as we gained extensive knowledge about our specific fields and knowledge of new skills, caring as the entire project was surrounded around the theme of environment and we hope to improve it, open-minded as we interacted with various subject groups, imbibing and altering our project to include their inputs, being a communicator was crucial given this was an interdisciplinary project, thinkers as we had limited resources from which we had to get relevant research from it, reflective as we failed a few experiments initially and understood how to improve the same and finally risk takers as we ventured into a project that results into a real life project. 

Group 4

Pranav Sethi

The Group 4 project is an extremely important part of the IB Diploma Program, which involves many departments working collaboratively to solve a scientific problem. For us, this problem involved building a Low-energy, and Cost-Efficient Greenhouse. The departments involved include Computer Science, Business/Economics, ESAS, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. The goal of this project is to develop our teamwork skills with other departments, no matter how different the subjects are.

For the Group 4 project, I worked in the Computer Science Department. We built numerous sensors including temperature, Carbon Dioxide, and Ultrasonic sensors that would be placed inside the greenhouse. We also created a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) model of the greenhouse itself, and created a program to conduct a analysis on the data collected, through the use of a data logger, within the greenhouse. Additionally, we used Raspberry Pi to connect all of the sensors we built, and to reduce the work involved in the Greenhouse.

We created the Ultrasonic sensor, along with the temperature and Carbon Dioxide sensors, by using Arduino coding, and circuit boards. The purpose of the ultrasonic sensor is to detect, and measure the water level within the greenhouse. The idea was to activate a flap placed on the greenhouse to allow/prevent water from entering the structure depending on the water level.

The Temperature Sensor was built to fulfill the purpose of stabilizing the temperature within the greenhouse. Attached to the sensor was a sprinkler/fan, and a blind, which would either increase, or decrease the temperature within the greenhouse.

Furthermore, the Carbon Dioxide sensor was created to measure the carbon dioxide levels within the atmosphere, however unlike the temperature and ultrasonic sensors, the carbon dioxide sensor is supposed to be used to gather data, and assist the data logger.

In addition to creating sensors by using Arduino coding, we also created a 3D CAD model of the greenhouse structure, which was used to help the DT department to visualize the design of the greenhouse, and to help us think about where the sensors, which we created, would be placed. In order to create this model, we used Google Sketchup.

Fifthly, we also created a program to conduct a Statistical Analysis on the Temperature of the water, atmosphere, pH levels of the water, and the carbon dioxide levels of the atmosphere within the greenhouse. The program was created on Visual Studio, and was used to create graphs based on data retrieved by the data logger placed within the greenhouse. We also used this tool to analyze experiments conducted by other departments. For instance, the physics department conducted an experiment on the thickness of a PVC sheet, and its effect(s) on ultraviolet radiation. The data logger, and the program was also created to keep a record of the data taken from the measurements from temperature, etc. after the greenhouse is built.

Ultimately, after more research, we realized that we needed to connect the sensors to one computer, which is when we decided to use Raspberry Pi. Raspberry Pi is a small compact computer which is frequently used in many Greenhouses around the world. Through the use of this computer, we were able to build a, "connected-circuit" in which all of the sensors we built were interacting with each other. Raspberry Pi mainly reduces the amount of work involved in maintaining structures like the Greenhouse.

After completing the Group 4 project, I learned new concepts such as Arduino coding, building sensors, etc. and learned how we can use these concepts in the real world. The project also involved solving problems by critically thinking about the solutions to those problems. For instance, in order to create the ultrasonic sensor, we had to fix many bugs/glitches involved in the coding of the sensor, which consumed a lot of our time. One such problem, was the motor, and the LED were continuously triggering because of no apparent reason. However, with a team effort, over time we fixed this problem, and now the ultrasonic sensor is a vital component in the Greenhouse.

Group 4 Project

By Vikramaditya Arora

The group 4 project is an interactive project, where students from departments of science and other subjects such as Business Management/Economics and Computer Science work together. The objective of the project is that students from the different groups 4 subjects analyse a common topic or problem. The process is a collaborative experience, where the goal is to work on a scientific or technological topic, so concepts and ideas from the different subjects can be explored by combining them together, in order to develop a greater understanding between sciences and their influence on other areas of knowledge. The project allows students to explore the environmental, social and ethical problems related to science and technology.

For our project, the goal was to create a sustainable greenhouse, which can support the growth of plants and flowers which cannot grow and bloom in the environmental conditions of Delhi NCR. In the project, I was a part of the Environmental Science group. The role of our group was to find a plant, which is ecologically beneficial and economically sufficient for growing in the greenhouse, supporting these conditions is mandatory, as we are making the  idea of a greenhouse for our school, and need to make sure the conditions can be supported. In our rigorous process of research we found 3 plants, which we would want to grow in our greenhouse- the following plants are: Tropical Water Lily, Hydrilla, and Water Cabbage. We chose these plants, as they support the conditions of a greenhouse, where we can have the adequate Ph value for the plants with the water and soil. Therefore we can get the environmental advantage of these plants, clearing the Earth’s soil and the purity of the water, to enable cleansing of the environment and growth of further plants. In the beginning, we were thinking of creating a self-sustaining ecosystem in the greenhouse, however the idea was dropped, as it would be too costly and very unpredictable, to let organisms live and plants grow in the same ecosystem. Researching about the plants, and finding the perfect plants to grow in the ecosystem was a difficulty faced by our group, as it was challenging to match the various factors associated with the growth of different plants in the same ecosystem.

I felt that the task was very beneficial for my growth and development as an IB learner, as the project taught me, how knowledge and concepts from other subjects can be combined together. As a result, I learnt about strategies and thought process, which should be inhabited by a student in order to combine concepts and theory from other subjects, leading to developing a deeper and better understanding of real life situations outside the classroom and the school curriculum. I developed various skills through the process of the project, where I improved my individual research skills, and collaborative skills with my peers and subject teacher. The research process was tough and required a lot of patience, as finding the right plants was difficult, where all the groups needed our input and information, as the project is solely based on plants.  Nevertheless our group came through and were able to demonstrate our work effectiveness as a team. I improved my creativity and board making skills, where I learnt how to make a visually aesthetic board, which the parents would like, in order to read and understand the text in more detail, while the presentation is taking place. I improved my creativity and board making skills, where I learnt how to make a visually aesthetic board, which the parents would like, in order to read and understand the text in more detail, while the presentation is taking place. I look forward to doing a similar project, based on the same guidelines, In order to become a more passionate learner and develop my skills further.