During the pandemic many fantastic online learning resources became available to both kids and schools who had difficulty accessing information. Some kids were not fortunate enough to be able to access any, or a stable internet connection which put them at a learning disadvantage. One such science based educational resource was the brainchild of Nulty with their “Learn To Light” programme.
Director of Nulty, Spencer Baxter, said that Learn to Light was initially conceived in response to the first Covid-19 lockdown. It was primarily designed to offer families offline educational activities utilising readily available rudimentary household items while staying relevant to the lighting design community that Nulty is a part of.
‘Learn to Light’ is the result and was developed to teach children about light through fun activities. There are six, two-page worksheets that cover the following topics: colour, light and dark, light waves, rainbows, shadows and vision. The worksheets can be easily printed for distribution, allowing grownups to carry out practical and enjoyable tasks with children using simple inexpensive items. In recent years, schools and parents have been looking to online solutions to help educate children. Although there have been huge developments globally with the use of online technologies and learning, in rural parts of Thailand, many households aren’t equipped with
the internet. We have ensured that the Learn to Light worksheets can be downloaded in both English and Thai for free and can be manually completed without the need for an online resource. We wanted to really encourage children to use their imagination, test their creativity an
above all, learn about the science behind lighting. That includes parents too. The pandemic has created an intense schooling from home environment for many. We wanted to provide some light relief and create a way for everyone in a household to come together and learn something new in a relaxed and inspiring way.
“Learn to Light came around through a brainstorming session across London, Dubai, Miami, and Bangkok, it was a collaborative idea and was pushed forward by our team in London,” Baxter said. “We originally issued it in English but saw a greater use for it in Thailand because of the complexities of online learning here.
“I visited Thailand 21 years ago and have been a regular visitor since. I have spent a lot of time in rural Thailand, and so have a good idea of how society deems rural education. For me, it was very important that we utilise this content in Thailand because it probably has more benefits to Thai society than elsewhere due to the fact that there is a greater lack of online expertise in education here.”
Learn to Light worksheets include play-based learning tasks that introduce young people to key scientific terms such as refraction, reflection, dispersion, and shadow play. Led by Nulty’s inquisitive owl, each worksheet encourages children to explore their surroundings and question the role that light plays in their day-to-day experiences. Kids are able to download sheet and experiments, which are available in both English and Thai, for free, and with no hassle.
To access the Learn to Light worksheets, click here
