The mobile science laboratory (MSL): a systematic review

Experiments and hands-on activities encourage students to be active in knowledge construction. As students carried out experiments and activities, they explored science concepts and retain the knowledge. Currently, a low number of experiments are carried out because some schools are not equipped with updated experimental apparatus, while some schools’ laboratories are broken and they do not have enough experimental apparatus. Therefore, a systematic review was made to study the use of mobile science laboratory in previous studies and its need in Malaysia context. The findings show that teachers had developed their pedagogical skills and confidence in laboratory teaching instruction. The students gained conceptual understanding, retained science learning, increased interest in subject and experiment, and interest to choose career in STEM

CityLab at Boston University – thirty years of innovation and partnerships

Boston University’s (BU) CityLab program was created in 1991 as a partnership between faculty membersof BU’s School of Medicine and School of Education in response to the first call for proposals under the Science Education Partnership Awards initiative of the National Institutes of Health. CityLab’s founders recognized the need for CityLab, a centrally-located facility for pre-college teachers and students to explore the burgeoning world of biotechnology. The mis-sion has always been to share the excitement of science with students and teachers by engaging them in hands-on laboratory experiences, thereby fostering the development of a robust pool of scientists and physicians and a scientifically-literate popu-lace. In order to reach more schools, particularly those that could not come to CityLab’s facility in Boston, the CityLab team pioneered the mobile science laboratory concept with the launch of its MobileLab in 1998. Both CityLab and MobileLab have been replicated in the U.S. and abroad. CityLab has sustained itself because it has benefited from stable leadership, built and disseminated models for hands-on STEM education, embraced innovation by creating new programs to serve additional populations, and developed diverse funding streams. The CityLab program has been remarkable in its outreach, success, and longevity.https://www.jstemoutreach.org/article/14514-citylab-at-boston-university-thirty-years-of-innovation-and-partnershipshttps://www.jstemoutreach.org/article/14514-citylab-at-boston-university-thirty-years-of-innovation-and-partnershipsPublished versio

The impact of mobile computer-based physics laboratory in learning forces and motion

Forces and Motion is a topic in Physics that requires students to relate to real life applications, but most students have difficulties in connecting a physical concept to its corresponding representation and connecting the representation to the real world, contributing to poor conceptual understanding. Conventional teaching approaches whereby teachers use lectures more than experiments also create low interest in studying Physics. Some school laboratories are also not equipped sufficiently and some of the apparatus are outdated, malfunctioning or absent. Meanwhile, international assessments such as TIMSS and PISA have ranked Malaysia below the international average score, indicating low thinking skills among school students. Therefore, a mobile science laboratory (MSL) is used in the research to provide a well functioning laboratory and the use of a microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) to provide up-to-date apparatus in data acquisition and real time data. This research investigates the impact of the Mobile Computer-based Physics Laboratory (MCPL) which is a combination of the use of MSL and MBL, in teaching and learning Forces and Motion. This research is important in increasing students’ interest in Physics, giving insight and experience in doing computer-based experiments, and immersing the students in a university-level laboratory experience. In the study, teachers explored computer-based experiments and used experiments in developing Physics concepts during teaching and learning. The theory underpinning this research was Experiential Learning Theory in which the students learn MCPL through the experiential learning cycle. This research used a sequential explanatory mixed method design with one group pre-test and post-test in six weeks of intervention. 94 Form 4 students were involved in this research, and 13 interviews were carried out. The variables investigated included students’ interest, physics achievement at higher order thinking skills (HOTS), students’ and teachers’ perception and learning using MCPL. A significant and positive impact on students’ achievement in the topic was found (M = 15.564, SD = 3.336) and Z = -2.357, p = 0.018. Achievement at HOTS has significantly improved (M = 7.011, SD = 1.909). Impact on students’ interest was also significant with med = 62, Z = -5.629, p = .000. Students’ and teachers’ perceptions were positive towards MCPL experiments in the module. The qualitative findings were used to develop a framework that helps teachers to implement MCPL teaching and learning of Forces and Motion. The framework can be used effectively in integrating experience and computer based experiments which saves time, allows meaningful science exploration, development of conceptual understanding as well as nurturing students’ HOTS