Innovation at Dalat #4 Independent Study

Last time in this “Innovation newsletter” I talked about our e-learning program that offers online classes from teachers and schools around the world. It gives HS students opportunities to take classes that otherwise are not offered here at Dalat. But even with that option, sometimes students have a different idea for a course of study that they may want to pursue.

A good example is the students who approached me two years ago with the desire to learn how to 3-D print. The school owned a 3-D printer, but we didn’t have a course that taught students how to use it.  The students wrote a proposal of study using our “Independent Study” guidelines. They received approval to print a 3-D model of the Dalat campus development. At the time Dalat had only finished the Castle building. The Lighthouse and Harbor building were just a dream but the independent study students gave us the first vision of what the campus would look like when the development was completed. 

The printing project was full of challenges and difficulties that forced students to come up with creative solutions. One of these challenges was that when the school printer print did not have the fine resolution needed to complete the model, the students solved this by printing and fabricating, from the first printer,  a second printer that was then used to print the campus model. The completed campus model, printed with the second printer, now sits in the entryway to the library.

The independent study program gave these students the opportunity to engage with learning in a way that satisfied their curiosity. Their work earned them school credit towards graduation and gave them something very interesting to share on their college applications.

Students, what area of study would you like to propose? If you have a project that you would like to pursue, take a look at the “Independent Study” guidelines or talk with Mr. Dobson in the guidance office for more details. This is the time to get serious about submitting a proposal as we will soon be enrolling for next year’s courses and finalizing your schedules.