Active learning in optics and photonics: experiences in Africa

Alarcon, Minella C.; Arthurs, Eugene G.; Lakhdar, Z. Ben; Culaba, Ivan B.; Lakshminarayanan, Vasudevan; Maquiling, Joel T.; Mazzolini, Alexander P.; Niemela, Joseph; Sokoloff, David R.

doi:10.1117/12.2207699

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…However, there has been a pronounced and widespread lack of adoption and implementation of technology for sustainable economic growth in the developing world resulting in high levels of the persistent poverty currently besieging these communities. Several barriers have been identified as responsible for the lack of/slow adoption and implementation of technology by developing nations [2][3][4]. In a study conducted by Ross and Lewin [3], the lack of well-trained science workforce at all levels was singled out as the root impediment to the economic development of many resource-constrained economies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This, in turn, hampers their ability to both master and apply science and technology later on in their careers as a process of contributing to the economic development of their communities [3]. To try and address this severe lack of resources and equipment for teaching science in developing world schools, many organizations, particularly the International Society of Optical Engineers (SPIE) [5], Optical Society of America (OSA) [6], United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [4], the Goethe Institute [7], the Commonwealth Secretariat [8] and GTZ (Deutsche Gasellschatf fur Technische Zusammenarbeit) [9] have been actively working with developing world communities as early as the 1960s. Despite all these complimentary efforts, the situation remains critical for many developing world schools and the future is still bleak for many students in these communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Open source 3D printers: an appropriate technology for building low cost optics labs for the developing communities

Gwamuri

Pearce

2017

14th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics: ETOP 2017

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components for developing world communities through the ability to print less expensive and customized products. This paper presents an open-source low cost optical equipment library which enables relatively easily adapted customizable designs with the potential of changing the way optics is taught in resource constraint communities. The study shows that this method of scientific hardware development has a potential to enables a much broader audience to participate in optical experimentation both as research and teaching platforms. Conclusions on the technical viability of 3-D printing to assist in development and recommendations on how developing communities can fully exploit this technology to improve the learning of optics through hands-on methods have been outlined.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Open source 3D printers: an appropriate technology for building low cost optics labs for the developing communities

Gwamuri

Pearce

2017

14th Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics: ETOP 2017

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“…Workshops organized within the framework of the project ''Active Learning in Optics and Photonics" (ALOP) mainly funded by UNESCO, with the support of ICTP (Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics) and SPIE (Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers) aim to make simpler the introduction of this phenomenon and to accompany the classical mathematical approach [1][2][3][4][5]. This ALOP project consists in a series of workshops for educators, researchers and students and promotes an innovative method of teaching physics using simple, inexpensive material that can be fabricated locally.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Active learning in optics and photonics: Fraunhofer diffraction

Ghalila

Lakhdar

Lahmar

et al. 2014

12th Education and Training in Optics and Photonics Conference

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ABSTRACT''Active Learning in Optics and Photonics" (ALOP), funded by UNESCO within its Physics Program framework with the support of ICTP (Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics) and SPIE (Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers), aimed to helps and promotes a friendly and interactive method in teaching optics using simple and inexpensive equipment. Many workshops were organized since 2005 the year when Z. BenLakhdar, whom is part of the creators of ALOP, proposed this project to STO (Société Tunisienne d'Optique). These workshops address several issues in optics, covering geometrical optics, wave optics, optical communication and they are dedicated to both teachers and students. We focus this lecture on Fraunhofer diffraction emphasizing the facility to achieve this mechanism in classroom, using small laser and operating a slit in a sheet of paper. We accompany this demonstration using mobile phone and numerical modeling to assist in the analysis of the diffraction pattern figure.

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“…This is the reason why various organizations like International Society of Optical Engineers (SPIE) [2] , Optical Society of America (OSA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [3] encourages optics outreach activities in developing countries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Optics Kit for schools in developing countries: International School of Photonics model

et al. 2009

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In India, the pedagogy of science education is "believe what text book says". Providing schools with appropriate teaching materials to enhance teaching has always been a challenge in a developing country like India. Generally it is not possible for a normal school in India to afford the expensive teaching materials to teach through demonstrations and experiments. Thus students are forced to believe what text book says rather than learning concepts through experiments. The International School of Photonics SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering) student chapter came up with 'Optics kit' to supplement the teaching of optics in school level. 'Optics kit', developed with indigenously procured components, could be sold at an affordable prize for an average Indian School. The chapter is currently selling the kit for less than $20. The content of the kit is at par with many kits already available commercially in developed countries, and the price is just 10% compared to those kits.The kit is aimed to higher secondary level students in India, where students are taught Ray optics and basics of Wave Optics. The content of the kit is developed based on this syllabus. The Optics Kit contains simple optical elements like lens, grating, polarizer, mirror, diode laser etc. The kit can be used to demonstrate optics phenomena like interference, diffraction, polarization etc.The kit was developed based on the feedback gathered by the chapter through its outreach activities. The syllabus for the kit was developed through thorough discussion with educational experts in the field of Physics. The student community welcomed the optics kit with overwhelming enthusiasm and hence the project proved to be successful in giving an opportunity for students to "See and Believe" what they are learning.

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Active learning in optics and photonics: experiences in Africa

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Open source 3D printers: an appropriate technology for building low cost optics labs for the developing communities

Open source 3D printers: an appropriate technology for building low cost optics labs for the developing communities

Active learning in optics and photonics: Fraunhofer diffraction

Development of Optics Kit for schools in developing countries: International School of Photonics model

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