Kyle Long and Jennifer Nielson, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Introduction

For the past five years, Dr. Jennifer Nielson has conducted research in Kampala, Uganda, located in south-central Africa. I have been able to join her for two of the five years, including this past year for nearly three weeks in August. Our research focuses on teaching basic chemistry principle that are difficult to comprehend by using experiments that demonstrate the general concept of atomic structures and functions.

Science education – chemistry in particular – is often conducted by rote memorization. This is not beneficial for a few reasons: (a) the students fail to retain the key information, (b) the students are unable solve real life problems, and (c) the students are simply going through the motions and may not be motivated to truly learn the concepts. Research has shown that better science education is based on an inquisitive framework with practicing scientific reasoning as a necessary skill. Our findings were that Uganda’s schools almost entirely teach and learn through rote memorization. We found that the majority of the schools had no books, few resources, no paper and pencils, no lab equipment, no chemicals, and no waste management. We organized a workshop to teach helpful experiments to teach and motivate students and measured the effectiveness of the concept understanding and retention by a post-workshop questionnaire/quiz.

Methodology

During our stay, we conducted two 2-day workshops where we taught up to four (4) concepts per day and had a corresponding experiment to demonstrate each concepts. We presented each participant with a notebook, pen, and safety goggles so they could use multiple senses to learn as well as practice good lab safety. To start, we would sit in a lecture hall and use power-point, chalk and chalkboard, and handouts that worked in unison to teach the fundamentals of each concept. Questions were always encouraged and discussions were often brought about between participants. After teaching a concept, we asked everyone to use their notebooks to write what they had learned.

Following the discussion phase, we would enter the lab and conduct the experiments that correlated with the discussion. We would demonstrate the experiment and then encouraged all of the participants to try it as well. We brought sufficient supplies so that each participant had the needed materials to perform each experiments. After they had a chance to do the experiment, we asked them to think of a way to alter this experiment and to write in their notebooks what they would do differently. We repeated these steps until each of the experiments had been conducted and our workshops were completed.

Results

Since our return from Uganda, we have not been able to fully review our notes nor follow up with our participant by email because the BYU school semester started only days after our return. We will evaluate said materials at the close of this semester when both the professor and I are able.

Discussion

Before conducting our workshops, we assured that the materials needed for our experiments were easily accessible and that all of our demonstrations were water-based so that the waste products could be safely and easily washed down the drain. This was done to prevent toxic and hazardous waste that would need specialized removal that is often expensive and may not be available in Uganda. With these ideas in mind, we organized everything so that it would be inexpensive, non-toxic, and available.

During the workshops, we found that many of the participants were thinking of new ways to conduct the experiments that presented various results. Though we have not reviewed all of our research yet, we could see a great conceptual understanding simply by the new methods and experiments thought up by the participants. Excellent questions regarding deeper concepts were being asked and it was evident that these experiments excited the minds of each participant creating an atmosphere of learning.

Conclusion

Following the workshop, many of the participants expressed their gratitude for our workshops and verbally committed to being a better teacher and a life-long student. Our workshops taught the value of conceptual understanding instead of rote memorization that increases both comprehension of the material and motivation to learn more. When we would ask the participants to think of a way to modify the experiment, we found that some said they did not have access to some of the materials we provided but were able to think of another similar material they could use and committed to testing it out at a later date. The participants showed comprehension, motivation, and appreciation for the science concepts we taught.