Science Lab Project

A Community Intervention Technique For Quality Enhancement Of The Schools In Mumbai

1. Introduction

Science lab project is one of the projects conceptualized and developed by MERIT (Mumbai, Education, Research, Innovation and Training) Society for the educational development of underprivileged societies. The objectives of this project are

After conceptualization and development of this project, it is executed in a school on an experimental basis. Details of the project and its analysis are included in this discussion.

2. Education of Underprivileged children in Mumbai

Mumbai is the economic capital of India having very large population of under privileged people. Most of them are living in slum areas or cheap rented flats at the outskirts or slums of Mumbai. Many people are either unemployed or under employed and their family income depends on daily wages or small businesses or services. Children of these societies are getting education either from state run municipal schools or low budget private schools. Primary education is available in different medium like Marathi, Hindi, Urdu and English. These schools are mostly having poor infrastructure and unskilled or under qualified teachers. Major disadvantages of these schools are listed below.

Low quality of education

Most of the schools are having very poor infrastructure and lacking qualified and skilled teachers. As the parents are mostly uneducated, they are not able to support their children's studies. Their low family income does not permit them to send their children to any after school classes. Moreover teaches in schools are not accountable for the quality of teachings. Implementation of Right To Education 2009 resulted in compulsory passing of all students up to eighth standard irrespective of the level of studies. All these conditions result into low quality of education and it is not unusual to have students in high schools who can't read and write their mother tongue properly and can't solve basic algebra.

High dropout rate at high school level

Students at the high school level are not able to cop up with the syllabus and not competent enough to pass exams due to poor quality of education in primary level. It creates confidence deficiency and enhances early dropouts. Some time, students are let to work for an extra income for the family by indulging in small sales or services. It opens a door for the students to discontinue education. These schools do not have any kind of efficient Drop Out Prevention Measures. It drives many students in darkness and makes them unemployable and uneducated youth.

Low enrolment rate in higher education

As the students are having low quality or education, they are not competent enough to pass public exams at high school and higher secondary level. This condition results in very low passing percentage of students in public exams and proportionally very low enrolment in higher education in universities. Low financial background of the students prevents them in joining private colleges where considerable amount of fees to be paid for higher education. Ignorance of importance of education and skill development discourage them pursuing higher education and for humble extra income for the family.

Concept of Science lab Project

Science lab project is a multi-level intervention technique to deal with the above mentioned complex situations which prevents the quality education of underprivileged children. Basic concept of the project is to attract the participation of educated and skilled adults in the education of public education of underprivileged students by volunteer mobilization in a systematic way. Volunteer mobilization in metropolitan cities is easy process comparing rural areas due to the availability of rich human resources having professional background. Basic concept of science at school level is demonstrated through simple activities and practical experiments to the students by the volunteers. Students having difficulty in reading and writing and lacking quality education get an opportunity to understand the subjects with minimum time and easy methods. It also provides an opportunity for the students to interact with many experts having different background. It may encourage the students to continue education. Step by step process of science lab project is illustrated below

a) Selection of Schools

A public or low budget private school where underprivileged are studied is selected for the science lab project. Easy access to volunteers to the school is also considered in the selection of schools. A pilot study of the feasibility of the project can be done in consultation with the teachers, management and students of the selected school.

b) Formation of a support group

After selecting a school at suitable location, a support group consisting teachers, management, educational activists and sponsors is formed to implement the project. Project team has to conduct various sensitization programs with stakeholders to convey the concept and detailed procedure of the program and expected impact on proper implementation. Development of basic infrastructure like laboratory and procurement of laboratory items, management of events and fund rising required for the science lab project are done by the support group.

c) Setting up Science lab

Next step is to set up a science lab if it is not available at the school. Procurement of required laboratory materials and its safe storage is to be done at the initial stage. If the support group is not in a position to raise the fund for the setting up of laboratory, gradual improvement in infrastructure can be done. Cheaper lab items can be purchased at the initial level and as the project progresses, more improvement in infrastructure can be brought gradually.

d) Teaching basic concepts

Volunteers are to be divided in different group such as Physics group, Chemistry group, Mathematics group, Electronics group depending their interest and profession. For example, a chemical engineer can be allotted a topic in chemistry and a medical doctor can be allotted a topic in physics. A subject coordinator among volunteers can be assigned for each subject for the distribution of topics and activities. Volunteers have to develop the skill and methods to teach the topic assigned to them and they can continue same topic in every projects. Volunteers have to visit the school and take the class as per the scheduled prepared by the coordinator well in advance.

e) Documentation of experiments

Activities conducted in the schools by the volunteers and feed back from all stake holders involved in the projects are to be documented and analyzed by the educationalists. Documented list of activities conducted in the school will be helpful for the teachers to continue the program in future. Assessment tests in the form of viva voce or demonstration can be conducted at the regular interval to ensure the quality of the project.

f) Conducting a science exhibition

A public science exhibition can be conducted by the students at the end. It facilitates an opportunity to revise the concepts and enhances student's confidence level and presentation skills. It also provides an exposure to non participating students and public. All volunteers together can prepare the students for demo exhibition and public exhibition. Event management and fund raising can be done by the support team. After completion of public exhibition, project can be either repeated for another term or can be handed over to the teachers of the school. Relationship between teachers and volunteers can be maintained for future support.

4. Science lab project: a multi level intervention measures

Education of underprivileged children involves multiple issues and all issues are complex in nature. Solving such issues need special interventions involving many stakeholders. Science lab project is an optimized solution to address these issues with minimum resources. This project is designed to address the issues of the following stakeholders.

a) Teachers in underprivileged schools

Many of the teachers in underprivileged schools are either under qualified or not having sufficient teaching skills. It reduces the quality of education at the school level. These teachers are not accountable for the quality of education provided by them. As the science lab project is conducted by the volunteers having sensitivity on social issues, their interaction with education institutions can stimulate better performance. Also teachers may get an opportunity to interact with the professional working id different sectors.

b) Parents of underprivileged children

Parents of these students are from very low economic back ground and they are either unemployed or under employed. Most of them depend on daily wages. Most of the parents are uneducated and unaware of the importance of education and skill development. So they can't involve in the studies of their children. Their family income does not permit them to provide extra classes for their children. Many parents do not visits schools even for parents meeting due to their dependence on daily wages. Interaction with many professionals facilitates greater awareness and motivation among the students about various career options. Inclusion of career guidance programs specially designed for underprivileged can help students for setting new goals for them. Economically cheap and best courses for higher education can be introduced so that students can continue studies along with supporting their families.

c) Managements/ Parents Teachers Association

Management and Parents Teachers Association of underprivileged schools may not be actively involving in the development of education of the children. They may be lacking clear vision and good projects for the quality enhancement of the schools. Involvement of volunteers in the education can provide motivation and good vision. It can be infrastructure development, skill development or quality enhancement of education.

d) Students

Most of the students find difficulty in understanding the syllabus at high school level due to very low quality of education in primary level. It is not unusual to find many children who cannot read read/write their mother tongue properly and do not solve basic mathematics. Such students may lose their confidence in learning and passing public exams especially in science and mathematics. Science lab project facilitate easy understanding of the basic concepts of science through various activities and experiments within short period. It enhances their knowledge and interest and motivates them to pursue higher education and skill development. It is expected that science lab project reduces dropout rate at high school level and increases enrolment rate in higher education.

5. Importance of choosing science as a subject

Many students find difficulty in learning science and mathematics at high school level especially when students are very poor in basics and languages. Providing extra classes for all subjects and for all students is not practically feasible. But the basic concepts of science subjects can be demonstrated within short span of time through attractive methods. Understanding basic concepts will enhance the confidence and simplify their studies. It also increases the curiosity of the students and makes them rational. Conducting events like science exhibition can promote science to the underprivileged societies. Democratization of science can be achieved through this project at lower level.

6. Volunteer mobilization

Selection of Volunteers

Volunteers can be invited through personal relations or using the help of local media. Professionals like engineers, scientists, academicians, teachers, doctors etc having science and technology background can be invited for this project. As Mumbai is rich in professionals, it is easy to mobilize them for a social cause. Volunteers can be given a subject of their choice matching with his profession. An orientation program can be conducted to convey the aim and objectives of the project. Apart from a project coordinator, Separate coordinators can be for assigned for all subjects Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, IT and Electronics. Subject coordinators can prepare curriculum objectives and distribute activities for each volunteers in his/her subject. Additional subjects like career guidance, geography, history and language can be added as per the availability of volunteers and requirement. Volunteers can specialize in assigned topic for all science lab projects. It will reduce his/her time for preparation considerably.

Frequency of classes

Once the curriculum objectives are prepared, activities can be distributed to the volunteers. Frequency of the class can be optimized depending on the situation. As there are many volunteers involving in this project, a volunteer can teach the students only one or two times in three months. Project coordinator has to prepare a descriptive schedule of the project in consultation with volunteers and teachers.

Orientation program for Volunteers

Separate meeting of volunteers can be called for providing orientation and training. Support of academicians can be invited for training the volunteers. Study materials and other teaching g assistance can be provided to volunteers when and if required. Effective communication must be developed and maintained within all stake holders for the smooth functioning of the project.

7. Coordination

There are three different groups of stakeholders in science lab projects. They are

Effective communication is the back born of the project. Online platform like WhatsApp can be used for the communication between members. Daily activities can be updated to all participants using group messages. Communication flow of science lab project is illustrated below.

8. Fund rising

It is the duty of support group to raise sufficient fun for setting up science lab and conducting events. Fund can be mobilized either by attracting donations or sponsorships. If the support group is not capable to mobilize the fund, science lab project can be implemented with the little means available to them. Cheap or free materials can be gathered with collective effort to start the project. Gradual improvement can be brought as per the availability of recourses.

9. Review of first science lab project

First science lab project was conducted at Quwwathul Islam Arabic College, Dongri, Mumbai. It is an informal educational run by Muslim society to provide religious education. Destitute students from slum area are provided free food, accommodation and education. Bothe religious and modern educations are provided here. But modern education is provided by unqualified and unskilled teachers. Infrastructure was not very poor and either laboratory or any lab items was not available at the institute. Two sensitization meetings were conducted at this institute with management and teachers. Details of the programs conducted are tabulated below.

Science Exhibition

Science exhibition was conducted by students at the school hall. Models were chosen to illustrate basic science exhibition. About 14 items where presented in different subjects consisting Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer science and Electronics. It was observed that students participated enthusiastically. A demo exhibition was conducted before public exhibition to enhance their confidence and presentation skills. Parents, managements and publics participated in the project. Publics and non-participating students got an exposure of basic science through this exhibition.

10. Review of Feedback report

Feedback were collected from the participants at the end of the Event and is reviewed for betterments

11. Analysis of objectively verifiable indicators

Impact of the science lab project is multi-dimensional reflecting all stakeholders of the education system. They are briefed below.

a) Support group for School management

Management got support group consisting different professionals and academicians and they shared new ideas to develop the institute.

b) Development of School Infrastructure

School got a science laboratory containing all equipments required for school level.

c) New exposure for Teachers

Teachers get new exposure

d) Students Level

Students get clear concept of basic science and motivation for continuing education.

e) Volunteers Level

Volunteers got opportunity to unite different professionals and participate in a social cause. Also their association with different professionals can be used for their career development and social development with mutual interactions.

12. Conclusion

Community intervention technique developed by MERIT is fond successful and getting support from different stake holders. It is planned to do more projects in different parts of Mumbai