A Systematic Design of Teaching and Teaching Aids of the Clepsydra

• Main Authors: Syu, Jhe Wei, 許哲維
• Other Authors: T.Y. Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 104
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/f7k7j9

碩士 === 南臺科技大學 === 機械工程系 === 103 === A clepsydra is one of major astronomical time keeping instruments in ancient China that the development of astronomy in ancient China enhances the research, development and advance of clepsydras. The major development is sequenced as outflow clepsydra, single-stage inflow clepsydra, inflow clepsydra with two compensating water tanks, inflow clepsydra with three compensating water tanks, steelyard clepsydra, inflow clepsydra with four compensating water tanks, overflow tank clepsydra, and combined type of inflow clepsydra. According to the research and analyses on time system and the development of clepsydra in ancient China, this study aims to recover the design and production to be the teaching aid for instructional clepsydra and the teaching design. Based on the design of Lu Tshai’s clepsydra and referring to the technological context of Chinese water clocks, an “instructional inflow clepsydra with multiple compensating water tanks” is produced as the teaching aid. It remains the appearance and structure of “Lu Tshai’s clepsydra” and is added the function of adjustable flow. In addition to demonstration and instruction, it could be the teaching aid for multi-function and multi-purpose timing through random downgrading arrangement. That is, it could present four, three, or two compensating water tanks and be proceeded experiments and demonstration to compare the difference in the timing accuracy. It allows students clearly observing the water level changes in quivers (receiver) and clepsydras (reservoir) in order to comprehend the timing principles and techniques. The timing accuracy of inflow clepsydra with four compensating water tanks achieves 12.09sec in the test, conforming to the requirements for contemporary astronomical observation. Finally, a conceptual design of standard clepsydra teaching aid with combined type of inflow clepsydra is proposed by including overflow, used through the ages, in the “instructional inflow clepsydra with multiple compensating water tanks”. The instruction is planned and designed according to Chinese clepsydra systems and techniques, in which graduated arrows and the graduation are primary teaching aids and materials for developing and learning “time system and timing system”.