Extending the use of Spectroscopy in a Suitcase

Dr Gan Shermer and Ms Emily MacCready

Department of Chemistry

Background

Part of RSC Chemistry for our Future project• £4.9 million pilot, funded by HEFCE from

September 2006 to July 2009

• “The project aimed to help ensure that there is a sustainable chemical science base within higher education which will attract able students from all backgrounds and provide chemical science courses appropriate for students and employers in the 21st Century.”

Background

SIAS initially in 4 regions:• North East (Durham), East Midlands (Leicester),

South East (Surrey), London (UCL)

One of the successful projects from the pilot phase now carried forward to National HE STEM  

• £21 million from HEFCE/HEFCW over 3 years focusing on:

1. Demand-raising and Widening Participation2. Higher-level skills & employer engagement.     

Aims of SIAS

“Spectroscopy in a Suitcase aims to provide hands-on experiences of spectroscopy for students and teachers, and to contextualise the use and relevance of spectroscopy in the real world, for example in forensics and product quality control.”

Evaluation of “Spectroscopy in a Suitcase”: Final Report, National Foundation for Educational Research, June 2009

http://www.rsc.org/images/SIASfinalreport_tcm18-159342.pdf

What is it?

• UV-Vis and FTIR• Activities delivered in schools by ambassadors• Loaned to trained teachers

• Resource pack of example activities

• Spectra-school website• Modern Instrumental

Techniques for Schools DVD

An example session

What works well and room for improvement?

• Directly relevant to the curriculum

• Breaks down some of the barriers of engaging with outreach (for WP)

• See what scientists do• Limited range of

examples

Our project

• Develop new resources• Establish a Teacher Advisory Board• Train Chemistry ambassadors

Progress so far

• Contacts with schools used to set up TAB

• Feedback from teachers and students on some themes which may appeal

• Recruitment and training of over 20 Chemistry ambassadors

Resources

• Drugs in sport (IR and UV Vis)• Caffeine determination (UV Vis)• Reaction monitoring (IR)

Feedback

Teachers: “The level of interest and engagement was great to see, especially since it covered some of the essential elements of the forthcoming January exam!”

Ambassadors: “The new context was much easier to run and the students seemed to think it was more interesting”

Students: “It was more interesting because the theory was put into context”

Future plans

• Trial and evaluation of revised resources • Trial and evaluation by other institutions using

SIAS• Publication of resources• Dissemination event