How does one go about making physics/electronics hip for high school students at a time when there are so many other distractions? Better yet, how does one conquer the problem of inadequately equipped schools for the teaching of the subject?
The Electronics Unit, in collaboration with the Physics Department in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, has been examining ways to adequately address these questions. The approach has included the hosting of Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) physics workshops in the Physics Department since 2007. The Electronics Unit has additional undertaken the design of electronics gadgets to increase student interest in the sciences, especially physics in Jamaica, and by extension the Caribbean.
Quality equipment
Dr Paul Aiken demonstrating the use of the oscilloscope with the LPM to a class of students. - Contributed photos
A prime example is the Lab Pro Max (LPM), the first in a plethora of low-cost equipment that is currently being used in the performance of various experiments in physics, which made its way into a few high schools in Jamaica during the 2007 Christmas term courtesy of the unit.
The main feature of the LPM is that students are able to perform experiments that involve the design and measurement of digital and analogue circuits. Circuits containing up to six or seven integrated circuits (ICs) or what are otherwise referred to as chips can be easily accommodated.
"The LPM covers all the requirements for the electronics section of the physics syllabi for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and for CAPE. At the CAPE level, students are able to perform experiments with operational amplifiers that take different wave forms at different levels and amplify them and they would need to look at the output. This instrument is able to do the amplification part of the exercise," said Senior Engineer and Head of the unit, Dr Paul Aiken, who completed the LPM design in 2007.
"The lab experiments are designed to enhance the theoretical sections so once they start teaching analogue or digital electronics, students can go into the lab, do these experiments and put in the actual input signal and see what the output is based on theory and actually measure it. It will tremendously improve the understanding of the subject area and also foster a more analytical approach to the whole design and process," Dr Aiken further elaborated.
The development of LPM was pursued after research conducted by the unit revealed a deficiency in the practical training of high school students in physics, and to also enhance teaching methodology in the subject area. As such, equipment was specifically developed based on syllabus requirements and need.
Dr Aiken explained that the faculty had been studying student performance: "We noticed that some of the high schools do not have proper lab facilities and especially simple electronic equipment for them to carry out basic experiment required for CSEC physics which is done at the fifth form, and CAPE physics which is done at the sixth-form level."
Although the device is not entirely new technology, its uniqueness lies in how it is packaged as no similar testing instrument on the market has a built-in multimeter for electronic measuring.
Ideal exposure
Electrical engineer Fazil Bacchus, who had input in the labelling of the device as well as assisting with sourcing the components to build it, explained that the multimeter offers ideal exposure for students entering the field of electronics.
"You can measure voltages, currents, resistances, so it is a very good device to get exposed to at the secondary level and it is widely used when you go out into the working world," Bacchus said.
Apart from the stated benefits, building the device locally reduces the cost by nearly half.
"Anything that has so many features like our LPM will cost US$400 or more. If some of the features are sold individually, they can cost as much as US$250. The whole package is more than two times as expensive than what this cost us," he said.
LPM consumers will receive manuals, experiment workbooks and accessories for less than J$19,000 (US$270). The unit is able to maintain cost effectiveness as fabrication is done locally, and the unit is able to reduce labour costs engaging undergraduate electronics students in the Physics Department on practicum.
"We utilise the interns from Level 2 and some of the final year students a lot. They come in and work for as much as the university can pay," Dr Aiken noted.
This is a win-win situation, as the opportunity provides students with immediate training so, by the time they graduate, they are more skilled in the profession as well as being financially compensated for their labour.
The input of the Physics Department's interns positively influenced the evolution of the Lab Max Pro, as the initial design had "a lot going on", according to Dr Aiken. When intern Raquel Moore performed the experiments outlined in the workbook, which she also wrote, she found that it required a lot of dexterity for most of the connections. She pointed out that if she was having problems with this, then the grade 10 and upper grade students were bound to experience a similar challenge. As a result, the LPM had to be modified.
Great ideas from teachers
Students from Clarendon College using the LPM kit for a lab.
In addition, feedback from teachers led to the creation of two versions of the equipment - one for CSEC students, which has less gadgetry and the other, for CAPE students. "CSEC students do not need at this stage all the features of the LPM and we did the budgeting and in terms of that, it was just a little more than half the cost of the main prototype (J$10,000)," he explained, adding that for effective use, one unit should be available for every two students.
Orders for the device have been trickling in, as promotions have been limited to one workshop that was held after the second semester with 20 teachers from various institutions. Clarendon College, Dr Aiken's alma mater, was the first to receive five LPM kits. The Toronto Chapter of its Alumni Society donated US$1,000 for these five kits, which were handed over during the prize-giving ceremony on November 15, 2007. Since then, 38 more units have been ordered by other high schools, including Wolmer's Girls, Campion College, St Andrew High, Herbert Morrison, MoBay Community College and The Queen's School.
The unit has reason to be optimistic about the chances of the equipment becoming more commonplace as its research indicated that some 10,000 students across the Caribbean sat the CSEC physics examinations this year. This, therefore, bodes well for the LPM, as a wide market exists regionally for the product.
Already, design upgrades are in progress. A necessary accessory for the CAPE operational amplifier experiments is the oscilloscope. This is an expensive piece of equipment and sells for at least US $450 for the most basic features. We are currently designing a prototype 'scope card' that will provide these basic features for a cost of less than US$100. We intend to incorporate the scope card feature into the LPM to make in a one-of- kind lab equipment in the world. Patents and international markets will then be sought.
"In Jamaica, approximately 3,400 students did CSEC physics last year, and the beauty with this is that the device can be used across both CAPE and CSEC," he stated.
Still, Dr Aiken is not leaving anything to chance, and the unit with the support of the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Ronald Young, has been seeking external funding from entities to ensure sustainabi-lity as well as to be able to market the product more effectively. In the interim, the unit, which earns fees from instrument maintenance, is using moneys from its Consultancy Fund to fabricate units to meet immediate orders.
The Physics Department at the UWI Mona wishes to contact all its graduates for a special physics homecoming event to be held later this year. For further details please email physicshomecoming@gmail.com or call the department at 927-2480.
