The low tech way to the China High Tech Fair
at 12:52am on Thursday, 13th October 2005
As Atlas of ideas was launching in London, I was making my way to Shenzhen for the China High Tech Fair to start our southern China scoping work. I had only moments in the Shanghai airport with it's soaring terminal ceiling before I raced onto my connecting flight to Shenzhen. I was very happy to see Nigel Birch, the science and technology officer for the FCO, his wife Rosa, and Adee, who has been organising all the meetings and logistics.
We didn't waste any time. Our first stop was one of 1,000 experimental schools in China, the Bao'an Middle School, where we were welcomed with fruit and 4,400+ interested students. On a tour of the school, after crossing the 'bridge of science and technology' from the art to the science building, we observed classes where Einstein (painted on the wall) watches over students as they conduct chemistry and physics experiments in well-equipped labs. The only drawback seems to be that each class has 60 students. But the overall impression -- as the kids bow and greet their teacher in unison for the start of class and then happily start chattering away with their lab partners to figure out their next experiment -- is one of orderly curiosity. This is definitely NOT learning by rote.
After an afternoon with teachers and students (I got a lot of new pen pals!), we were taken to dinner. The drive required more adventurous spirit than I'm used to (Is everything under construction?!?) as did the plates of food: chicken feet and pork dumplings were on the table when we arrived. As a vegetarian, i took the pork dumplings, of course. The shark-fin soup was also delicious.
I'm off for a glimpse of the high tech fair today, so stay tuned...
As Atlas of ideas was launching in London, I was making my way to Shenzhen for the China High Tech Fair to start our southern China scoping work. I had only moments in the Shanghai airport with it's soaring terminal ceiling before I raced onto my connecting flight to Shenzhen. I was very happy to see Nigel Birch, the science and technology officer for the FCO, his wife Rosa, and Adee, who has been organising all the meetings and logistics.
We didn't waste any time. Our first stop was one of 1,000 experimental schools in China, the Bao'an Middle School, where we were welcomed with fruit and 4,400+ interested students. On a tour of the school, after crossing the 'bridge of science and technology' from the art to the science building, we observed classes where Einstein (painted on the wall) watches over students as they conduct chemistry and physics experiments in well-equipped labs. The only drawback seems to be that each class has 60 students. But the overall impression -- as the kids bow and greet their teacher in unison for the start of class and then happily start chattering away with their lab partners to figure out their next experiment -- is one of orderly curiosity. This is definitely NOT learning by rote.
After an afternoon with teachers and students (I got a lot of new pen pals!), we were taken to dinner. The drive required more adventurous spirit than I'm used to (Is everything under construction?!?) as did the plates of food: chicken feet and pork dumplings were on the table when we arrived. As a vegetarian, i took the pork dumplings, of course. The shark-fin soup was also delicious.
I'm off for a glimpse of the high tech fair today, so stay tuned...
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