Science Excursion On Chromatography And Spectroscopy

Planning

Describe about the Science Excursion On Chromatography And Spectroscopy.

Introduction

Learning is a process in which students are guided in respect to schools curriculums. During learning, the guider (teacher) directs the leaner in a classroom setting through a concept to enable him acquire knowledge and skills that can help in deriving solutions in a real life situation.  Learning process can also be experienced outside the class in fieldwork activities to enhance the curriculum by making lively (BUNTING 2006). Like any other learning process, science education takes place at all aspects of life. To this effect, I am assigned a duty of coming up with an excursion plan for students aged 12. The excursion is aimed at various aspects in relation to chromatography and spectroscopy.

Planning

Planning for the excursion entailed logistic planning mechanism which started two months earlier in which I together with two teachers took a pre visit to Melbourne University. During the revisit, various workshops were found suitable hence, considered relevant for the intended field study. After the sites a letter was written to Melbourne University workshop department seeking for a permission to conduct a field study on chromatography and spectroscopy. While giving a full description of the activity, we indicated the number of students to be 43. We also chose 5^th and 12^th of August as our preferred dates. After two weeks, the varsity contacted our school’s academic department through the director of studies giving a permit regarding the trip, indicating that they have set 12^th august 2016 as our day. They also indicated that each student must be provided with a complete workshop attire including protective boots for safety purposes and lab coat. Safety boots are vital as they enhance safety in a workshop by minimizing injuries that may occur (HEWITT2014). In addition, the department indicated that entry fee for each students is 2 dollars. Indeed this was a good news that spearheaded excursion planning. We went further to seek permission to parents who were also at ease and issued a go ahead permit. 

Budgeting

Budgeting for the excursion considered two medium buses to be used for transportation purposes. Here, the school’s financial department was issued with a letter stating a financial request of 1502 dollars that would be used to repair and fuel the buses. A second letter was issued to the department stating fund allocation of 10520 dollars for purchasing of meals, first aid equipment, pens, notebooks, protective boots and lab court for the forty three students. Portion of the money was also aimed at catering for entry charges. Fortunately, the response from the finance department was not only positive but also timely.  With the permission from the principle, student number inspection began; strictly forty three students were cleared to proceed for the excursion. At around 24^th August, closely two and a half weeks to the trip, all preparation were done. The 43 children were then instructed to read widely on the concept on chromatography and spectroscopy. Each one of them was then issued with a list of what they were required to do during the excursion. In the requirement list, they were expected to exercise high level of discipline, pay attention and ask as many questions as possible regarding chromatography and spectroscopy. To ensure maximum security outside the school compound, we also pledged with the security department which in turn offered two security men to take care of insecurity issues that may arise.

Budgeting

Literature Review

The Educational screen (1992) states that excursion is a field trip in which learners are taken somewhere outside a school set-up to conduct a study on a given concept. During this process learning is majorly based on observation and experienced, which are then synthesized and absorbed as knowledge or skills. Therefore, science excursion is academic learning activity where learners are moved to a place to study a scientific concept. In these case, 43 students from a Victorian Secondary school are set to be transported to University of Melbourne Main Campus to take a real life study on chromatography and spectroscopy. University of Melbourne is an Australian pubic university established in 1853 to help the society in nurturing engagement, learning, teaching and research (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEM 1900). Melbourne’s main campus is located in Parkville found in north on the Melbourne central business district. Its website is https://chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/engage/chemistry-outreach-program. The excursion was set to take place on 14^th Sep 2016 in which about 43 students were transported by bus to the varsity alongside several teachers.  The students had an opportunity of having a direct look on how compounds are identified, quantified and separated, and also how matter interacts with electromagnetic regions (SCOTT 1986).

 In mutual satisfaction, students were hopeful in having more visits of the same caliber to expose them further. On reaching the university compound, the team was given a wall reception which was then followed by several tours around the institution, moving from one workshop to the next. According to OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, & AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (1930), academic trips including science excursions have several advantages and constraints to learners as far as education is concerned hence, core reasons as to why the topic creates room for an excursion before the introduction to the next area of study.

Benefits and Constraints

To begin with, it provides an exciting way of learning hence much enjoyable; a condition in which enables learners to concentrate highly and acquire maximum experience. Secondly, excursions promotes relationships between teachers and children and among the learners (Greene et al. 2014). Field trips also take children outside the normal routine, giving them an extra opportunity for more meaningful education experiences (CARROLL 2007). It brings more references that the students can rely on to abduct more ideas on the same field of study (STORKSDIECK 2011). In addition, it enables the students to realize the relevance and the appropriateness of that they are thought in classroom (Greene 2014). Specifically, the intended excursion will also help the learners to break boredom of normal classroom set up; motivating them further. Other significance is that science excursions provide students with additional opportunities for hands-on learning (HUDSPETH & HUDSPETH 1949).  For instance, apart from just reading on chromatography and spectroscopy, a student who visits a factory dealing with various process of separating compound.  Excursions also creates a sense of expert insight where students are taught by more teachers who also have more and interesting skills than their normal teacher. It is also clear that academic field trips creates exposure that helps in all aspects of life. Learning is not all about getting academic experience that can enable one to cope with challenges of life (CAMPEAU 2016). Knowing how to relate better with others is equally important. At the same time, getting familiarized with various parts of the world helps in knowing places that best fits various vacuities. Besides, it created social awareness which enables students to learn in all aspects of life (FRANCIS 2014). Therefore, excursions enables learners to have a live approach experience.

Literature Review

Upon reaching the excursion site, Melbourne University, grouping of learners into tens was found appropriate to enhance their control and bringing order hence, making learning more systematic.  While maintaining the calmness of the site, the fast group is intended to move to the first workshop while the remaining three groups remain outside. They are also expected to raise as many questions as possible, which will be responded to by teachers and respective officials within the workshops. When the fast group is complete with the fast station, it moves to the next as the second lot moves in gently. This trend is observed until all groups go through the same process after which they will be assemble for a general discussion where all that had been learnt will be summed up. Thereafter, a thank you not will be given to the varsity by one student followed by a word of pray before departing.

Generally, the excursion aimed at exposing the learners to a real life situation where they can relate what they have learnt in class into practice. Being that all the workshops we visited dealt with energy transformation, the excursion exercise fits within the curriculum as it showed how heat and energy relate. For example, the first site visited involved production of hydro-electrical power, which starts by heating fire hood to produce heat energy (Philpott et al.2016).

Post Excursion Activities

To facilitate student learning and increase the value of field trip experience, room is also created for follow-up activities. According to Bekker et al. (2016), excursion should be allocated with time specifically for post trip activities, allowing the student to share experience and general observations during the process. Classroom billeting board is also created to display all nature of materials that were collected of developed in the trip (Pitts et al. 2014). Development of a classroom museum to enable student display their various artwork regarding the excursion is equally important. Before creating a short field trip report, various areas of the curriculum is linked to various areas within the curriculum. Finally, the register attendance is taken to ensure that all learners who go to the trip are present. Their conditions are also noted for appropriate measures.

Challenges

Being a learning exercise in a completely new environment, both the advantages and disadvantages are expected. These challenges may range from budget where restraints are experienced, to controlling the students on the site (DAVIM et al. 2016). Other challenges include shortage of chaperons and controlling the anxiety of the learners. Enforcing rules and structure, and time shortage are also some of the common challenge being that this condition is not only new to children but also teacher hence the regular terms main fail to apply. However, as a teacher with child care experience some of these challenges can be controlled. One of the key solution to the problem of anxiety and children control is subdivision of the learners into smaller groups that can easily be handled. Budgeting is also done within the schools financial capability to ensure that all the necessary requirements are obtained in advance. Furthermore, drafting a clear program can help in minimizing the time shortage challenge.

Benefits and Constraints

Conclusion

This project has given a detailed planning for an excursion for students aged 12 from a Victorian Secondary school. The execution planning process started by seeking permission from various parties; the University of Melbourne, the school principle and parents. With the three permissions, planning went further by assembling materials such as notebooks, safety boots and lab coat for each student. Two buses were also booked for the trip whose main rational was to benefit student greatly by creating a worldly experience on chromatography and spectroscopy which entails separation and interactions between compounds (ARDREY 2003).

References

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ARDREY, R. E. (2003). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: an introduction. Chichester, West Sussex, England, J. Wiley.

Bekker, A, Krapež, B, Müller, S, & Karhu, J 2016, ‘A short-term, post-Lomagundi positive C isotope excursion at c. 2.03 Ga recorded by the Wooly Dolomite, Western Australia’, Journal Of The Geological Society, 173, 4, pp. 689-700, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 September 2016.

BUNTING, C. J. (2006). Interdisciplinary teaching through outdoor education. Champaign, Human Kinetics.

CARLTON, R. R., & ADLER, A. M. (2013). Principles of radiographic imaging: an art and a science. Clifton Park, NY, Delmar/Cengage Learning.

CAMPEAU, F. (2016). Limited radiography. [Place of publication not identified], Delmar.

DAVIM, J. P., & LEAL FILHO, W. (2016). Challenges in higher education for sustainability. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1089177.

FRANCIS, IRVIN LLOYD. (2014). Facing the Challenges of Life. Authorhouse

Greene J.P., Kisida, B., & Bowen D. H. 2014. ‘The educational value of field trips.’ EducationalNext. Vol. 14 no. 1.

HUDSPETH, J. C., & HUDSPETH, F. H. (1949). Handbook for teachers of elementary science. Austin, Tex, Steck.

LEE, D. (2010). Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Australian internationalist. London, Continuum.

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, & AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. (1930). The Journal of higher education. [Columbus], Ohio State University Press.

Philpot, A, Ferris, M, & Wets, R 2016, ‘Equilibrium, uncertainty and risk in hydro-thermal electricity systems’, Mathematical Programming, 157, 2, pp. 483-513, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 September 2016.

Pitts, M, Venville, G, Blair, D, & Zadnik, M 2014, ‘An Exploratory Study to Investigate the Impact of an Enrichment Program on Aspects of Einsteinian Physics on Year 6 Students’, Research In Science Education, 44, 3, pp. 363-388, ERIC, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 September 2016

SCOTT, R. P. W. (1986). Liquid chromatography detectors. Amsterdam, Elsevier. https://site.ebrary.com/id/10259278.

STORKSDIECK, M. (2011). Field Trips in Environmental Education. BWV Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. https://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=735221.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (SYSTEM). (1900). ANR report. Oakland, CA, The Division.