Abstract
Spectroscopy covers a wide range of analytical techniques, a small sub-set of which UK pre-university chemistry students are required to study. The expense of such equipment means that it is not available to the vast majority of schools whilst it is commonplace in university chemistry departments. This article discusses the evolution of the Bristol ChemLabS spectroscopy outreach activities. The advantages and disadvantages of this method of engagement for both the participants and the providers are discussed from 10 years of activity.
Highlights
Why engage schools in spectroscopy? For several successive changes in pre-university courses UK school students have needed to study various spectroscopic techniques
For pre-university courses, these include infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) and, depending on examination board for the courses undertaken, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Such instrumentation is out of the range of schools and it is against this background that some university chemistry departments provide opportunities that support secondary school teachers by allowing post 16 students access to this instrumentation
Over the years about one third of the academic staff have taken part in various aspects of the spectroscopy tours and this has been beneficial to them in two ways; they have interacted with students and teachers first hand and enjoyed several useful discussions, second, they have been able to build up a portfolio of interactions that they can put on grant applications illustrating a different type of impact
Summary
For over ten years the School of Chemistry at the University of Bristol has run spectroscopy tours and workshops for post 16 students who are studying either Advanced (A) level, the International. Baccalaureate (IB) Chemistry or whose vocational course have elements of spectroscopy embedded. School-university partnerships: Lessons learned from 10 years of spectroscopy for teachers and post 16 students
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
