Background
Laboratory experience is critical for effective science education, but it is unfortunately not a possibility for many students in developing countries with more limited resources. Remote laboratories, which offer real equipment that can be accessed and manipulated via the internet, are feasible lower-cost alternatives to traditional in-person laboratories. With the ever-expanding presence of mobile networks in even the most remote areas of developing countries, there is an opportunity to provide laboratory experiences to those students who would otherwise not have them.
Overview
ROSE (Remotely Operated Science Experiment) is a remote science experiment aimed at younger school children, which is physically located in a lab at Stanford University. Live streaming video allows students to view a plant growing in a terrarium in real time. Students are able to remotely switch on and off the “sun” (a heat lamp), the “rain” (a mist machine), and the “wind” (an electric fan) and instantly see the effect that each action has on humidity, light, and temperature, which are continuously monitored by sensors within the terrarium (see screenshot below). Through the process of manipulating these instruments and immediately receiving feedback, students will come to understand the relationships between the analogous variables in the earth’s atmosphere.
Big Goals of ROSE
The purpose of this project is to bring meaningful science experimentation to the most remote areas of developing countries where this type of experience and the learning that accompanies it would otherwise be impossible. Students will be able to generate and test legitimate hypotheses with real equipment and, in so doing, participate in the authentic scientific method. This project is taking a step towards changing the face of science education in developing countries using modern technology.
Study
ROSE Research in India
In collaboration with local teachers in India, ROSE was implemented in three elementary school classrooms in February of 2011 with a total of 53 students. One school was private with higher income students, while the other two were under-resourced schools operated by the Teach for India organization with lower socioeconomic status (SES) students. The procedure for the each of these sessions is explained below:
| 1.Students were told that there is a planet called “Planet ROSE” with only one plant remaining on its surface and that the students’ help was required in order to save it. 2. Students were taught a lesson on desertification by a local teacher, which included information about climate change, humidity, heat, and moisture. |
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| 3. Students were given a
pre-test to be completed collaboratively in groups of three, which
probed their understanding of the relationships between the climatic
variables.
4. Groups discussed the potential outcomes of manipulating certain variables in the ROSE environment. |
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| 5. Groups presented their hypotheses and respective rationales in front of the class. 6. The ROSE interface was then opened and displayed in front of the class on an overhead projector and students were shown how the “sun”, the “rain”, and the “wind” could be turned on and off. 7. Students’ hypotheses were tested using ROSE and the group with the most accurate predictions was announced the winner. 8. Students were given a post-test to be completed individually
and completed a survey
to provide feedback on the activity. |
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There were several notable and consistent observations that were made in all
of the classrooms. Students were extremely excited when they found out that
this was a real plant and that they were able to interact with it; they sincerely
believed that Planet ROSE existed and that they were doing research in efforts
to save it. As the internet connection was slower than ideal, there was a
ten-second delay between the time that an action was initiated and the time
that it was displayed on the screen, so the students would all together count
to ten in anticipation (see video here).
The students were highly engaged and excited to be able to participate (see
images below).
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Indian students in rural schools near Nellore (Top) and Pune (left) are controlling the Stanford lab in real-time and the Planet ROSE with a mobile phone in real-time (Middle and Right)
Future Plan
• Implement ROSE in different contexts to verify cross-cultural appeal
• Implement ROSE within the context of other science workshops (e.g. climate change, global warming, deforestation, the water cycle, etc.)
• Implement ROSE in the most rural and undeveloped areas for 21st Century School on Wheel project
• Conduct qualitative analyses relating to group collaboration, scientific argument, and higher order thinking within the context of ROSE
• Conduct comparative research on student engagement and learning outcomes using remote labs vs. in-person labs
• Design and develop additional remote laboratory experiments for biological, chemical, and physical sciences
• Develop content around remote labs that can be easily integrated into existing school science curricula
• Create a mobile interface to control ROSE and test the activity with mobile phones and tablets
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| Faculty | Student | Student | Staff | Staff |  Dr. Paul, Kim |
 Aaron Alexander Sharp |
 Kevin Bing-Yung Wong |
 Arafeh Karimi |
 Kamakshi Duvvuru |
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"Remotely Operated Science Experiment (ROSE)" is the subproject of POMI in Education.