 |
Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 12, Issue 2, Article 12 (Dec., 2011) |
Senior high school teachers used to introduce nanotechnology phenomenon which we meet in daily life to students first, they explain which science lesson is related to it and sum up the nanotechnology product’s science concept or principle in the end. Senior high school teachers think that letting students see the function of what nanotechnology products can do is the way to provoke their interests, and that desire of learning. Extending curriculum from senior high school science can not only can review their old experiences, but also build the scaffold to guide their learning, which students can attain the inventive principles of nanotechnology products, and be able to promote the application.
We find that analyzing the nanotechnology problem situation questionnaire answers that only 17.89~27.59% of senior high school students can just answer simple nano-science principle, the other 43.26% to 53.99% of students have alternative conceptions. And some of the concepts are difficult to change. Students might explain the natural nano-tech phenomenon with their own opinion; for example, when asking the relationship between the organisms that can identify directions and the magnetic particles in their body, students immediately think of the organisms have geomagnetic fields in their body, and have that ability to point out the direct of north and south just like the compass. Nanotechnology curriculum is an informal curriculum, senior high school teachers need to spend extra time and prepare extra equipments for the students. The students learn the nanotechnology course in the camp activities, they may hear some nanotechnology terms from TV or magazines, but they don’t have enough time to inquire principle of nanotechnology or some alternative conceptions.
If senior high school students want to have more complete concepts of nanotechnology and nanotechnology cognitions, Educators must aware the importance of combining education with nanotechnology, and apply nanotechnology in the official curriculum and teaching activities. The official curriculum and science fair can activate students’ interests, and then achieve the nanotechnology concept learning goal. For example, directing students to work on making nano-dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in their science project can let them understand that dye-sensitized impregnated in nano-TiO2 gel films, and become stepping-stone after illuminated. The excited electron jump from valence band to the conduction band, then the electric conduct in the graphite layer and formed into coupling cell. Because finishing a science project includes an oral presentation which makes them figure out the basic principle of this project and the science meaning of each step, and also makes senior high school students integrated learning.
Collecting all kinds of senior high school students’ answers from nanotechnology problem situation questionnaire, we can analyze their alternative conceptions to compile senior high school nanotechnology conception diagnostic tests, which can do a comprehensive test and use it as designing nano-science curriculum reference documents, and help them to learn more information about nanotechnology.
We give many thanks to those who made the completion of this study possible, including the National Science Council Taiwan, R.O.C. (NSC98-2120-S-002-003-NM, NSC99-2120-S-002- 003-NM, NSC100-2120-S-002-002-NM) who funded and supported the entire research team and the teachers who participated in and observed the process. Appreciation to the 10-12 grade students for assisted this research in Northern Taiwan.
