Project NANO: Will Allowing High School Students To Use Research Grade Scanning Electron Microscopes Increase Their Interest in Science?

• Main Author: Smith, Leslie TenEyck
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 2014
• Subjects: High school students > Oregon > Case studies; Scanning electron microscopes > Study and teaching (Secondary) > Oregon > Case studies; Science > Study and teaching (Secondary) > Oregon > Case studies; Nanoscience > Study and teaching (Secondary) > Oregon > Case studies; Educational Methods; Nanoscience and Nanotechnology; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1549; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2548&context=open_access_etds

In this study, one AP Biology curriculum unit and one general Biology curriculum unit that included tabletop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) technology provided by Project NANO, a grant-funded, collaborative initiative designed to integrate cutting-edge nanotechnology into high school classrooms were implemented at a public high school in rural Oregon. Nine students participated in the AP unit and 52 students participated in the general Biology unit. Each student completed an opinion-based pre and post survey to determine if using the SEM as a part of the curriculum unit had an impact on his or her interest in science or in nanoscience. Interviews were conducted to add to the data. The results indicate that using the SEM can increase a student's interest in science. Recommendations for improving student experience were identified.