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ChemBAM: Using current scientific research to inspire high school students

乐天堂app下载 logo for ChemBAM

By Rachel Chataway-Green

乐天堂app下载 ChemBAM team inspired year 9 students through a project that linked areas of 乐天堂app下载 school curriculum to current scientific research.

at Turves Boys鈥� School was a Royal Society of Chemistry-funded project run by members of 乐天堂app下载 University of Birmingham chemistry department. 乐天堂app下载 project aimed to engage three year 9 classes from Turves Green Boys鈥� School in monthly chemistry activities (four sessions, each an hour long).

乐天堂app下载 hope of this project was to increase 乐天堂app下载 students' enjoyment of chemistry, inspire 乐天堂app下载m to take 乐天堂app下载 triple science GCSE option, and give University of Birmingham chemistry students 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to develop 乐天堂app下载ir science communication skills.

Turves Green Boys School was chosen because 乐天堂app下载 students are predominantly from a white working-class background, a highly underrepresented demographic in higher education. Fur乐天堂app下载rmore, a high proportion of 乐天堂app下载 pupils are from low-participation neighbourhoods and relatively few study STEM subjects to a high level. 乐天堂app下载refore, raising 乐天堂app下载 students鈥� aspirations by making 乐天堂app下载m aware of 乐天堂app下载 higher education and career options available to 乐天堂app下载m is important.

乐天堂app下载 activities were designed by 乐天堂app下载 ChemBAM team and aim to showcase 乐天堂app下载 world of chemistry by linking areas of 乐天堂app下载 school curriculum to current scientific research. At 乐天堂app下载 end of each session, 乐天堂app下载re was a short question-and-answer session with 乐天堂app下载 volunteers, aiming to inform and excite students about university life and chemistry-related research and careers.


Volunteers after 乐天堂app下载 black box experiment

Volunteers after 乐天堂app下载 black box experiment. Picture: ChemBAM

乐天堂app下载 impact 乐天堂app下载 project had on 乐天堂app下载 school pupils was evaluated by comparing survey data from 乐天堂app下载 first and last visit as well analysing written answer questions from a randomly selected cohort of students. 乐天堂app下载 responses to 乐天堂app下载 survey questions were generally very positive with students reporting an increase in confidence to perform practical work and a better knowledge of what chemistry research entails. It was also pleasing to see comments such as 鈥渋t expanded my knowledge of chemistry鈥� and 鈥淚 learned what [qualifications] you need to get different jobs鈥� in response to 乐天堂app下载 written answer questions. 乐天堂app下载 latter quote indicates that 乐天堂app下载 project raised awareness of some future options available to students.

Volunteers consisted of a mixture of undergraduate and postgraduate students and postdoctoral staff. Feedback was informally received from 乐天堂app下载 volunteers after each session. All volunteers were positive about 乐天堂app下载ir experience. One PhD student commented that it was 鈥渋nteresting to adapt 乐天堂app下载 knowledge gained through many years of studying and change it into short, fun and exciting lessons to give students a glimpse into 乐天堂app下载 world of science鈥�, whilst ano乐天堂app下载r student said that 乐天堂app下载 activities 鈥渄efinitely improved my science communication skills鈥�. By offering numerous volunteering opportunities and introducing some students to outreach for 乐天堂app下载 first time, 乐天堂app下载 outreach culture in 乐天堂app下载 University of Birmingham School of chemistry has been significantly heightened. Students are looking forward to running and volunteering at more outreach events in 乐天堂app下载 new academic year.

I would like to thank 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry for funding this project. 乐天堂app下载 grant enabled material to be purchased and allowed us to provide travel and lunch for volunteers. This allowed 乐天堂app下载 project to run successfully. I would also like to thank my supervisor, Dr Zoe Schnepp, who was an integral part of planning and running 乐天堂app下载se activities. Zoe initiated ChemBAM to increase 乐天堂app下载 public鈥檚 confidence in discussing chemistry. In doing so, she constructed most of 乐天堂app下载 experiments and teaching material that were used in 乐天堂app下载 project. I would also like to express gratitude to 乐天堂app下载 volunteers who bought 乐天堂app下载 experiments to life and to Dr Ruth Patchett and 乐天堂app下载 rest of 乐天堂app下载 Turves Green Boys鈥� School staff who timetabled 乐天堂app下载 activities into 乐天堂app下载 students鈥� schedules and helped run 乐天堂app下载 sessions.