Demonstration pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Using First-Person Perspective Filming Techniques for a Chemistry Laboratory Demonstration To Facilitate a Flipped Pre-Lab Fun Man Fung* Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore, Singapore 117543 ABSTRACT: The current model of flipped classroom ensures that learning is not being restricted to the brick and mortar setting. Lessons can be conducted anywhere, anytime, as long as there is a good internet connection. Most of the flipped classroom and e-lectures are videos recording PowerPoint slides with a human voice as the audio instruction. In laboratory teaching, flipped pre-lab is not typical. The closest it gets is the filming of laboratory demonstration using a handheld camcorder. How can we captivate the audience in a manner that will make it an even more realistic demonstration? The application of a small device, GoPro camera, empowers the demonstrator to teach his students with a new perspective. KEYWORDS: High School/Introductory Chemistry, First-Year Undergraduate/General, Second-Year Undergraduate, Organic Chemistry, Laboratory Instruction, Safety/Hazards, NMR Spectroscopy, Internet/Web-Based Learning, Synthesis, Demonstrations
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would deprive them of experiential learning opportunities. Arguably, there have been recordings which film the procedures performed by the demonstrator at a distance. They are filmed well but may seem old-fashioned. To keep the student interested during the e-lectures, instructors could explore including more effects to create a more realistic online environment which simulates an actual laboratory.
o date, there are numerous pedagogical methods concerning chemical laboratory teaching at the high school and college levels. As we enter the 21st century where the use of technology is omnipresent, education at the college level should not do away with tools that enhance learning. High-school students who enter the college chemistry laboratory for the very first time may be apprehensive toward handling apparatus and chemical equipment. The fear of operating laboratory equipment creates a potential danger that might impede student learning; watching a video from a first person perspective may ameliorate that fear. In my laboratory teaching, the flipped classroom method utilizing the GoPro camera was used to educate students on the background information on the experiments using a first-person (FP) technique. This unique FP mode allows one who is unfamiliar with the parameters of the laboratory to have a virtual pre-lab experience before they embark on the actual experiment. This mode of teaching has been implemented for an advanced organic synthesis laboratory.
Methodology: Applying the First-Person Shooter (FPS) Technique for Laboratory Demonstrations Using a GoPro Device
A common technique used to record e-lectures of laboratory demonstrations involves utilizing a camera to capture the process from the second-or third-person point of view. While the videos are of the highest resolution, the audience may not feel as empowered when compared to viewing the actual experiment from the first-person. Research has shown the benefits of this “reel vs real” experience, which is evident in first-person shooter (FPS) video games, whose players have shown improvements in brain functions such as cognitive abilities and learning skills.5−8 In a 2006 study conducted by Green and Bavelier, nine nongamers played Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for 1 h per day for 10 days, while eight nongamers played Tetris for the same span. By training with the military shooter for less than 2 weeks, the nongamers were able to improve their scores on three tests of visual attention, a skill that is vital for activities such as reading and driving.9 Applying the same logic, a trial video shot using the GoPro camera was
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INTRODUCTION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING The idea of flipped classrooms has been introduced at several well-known universities over the past two years, with a majority of the modules centered on theoretical learning. Although the success rate varies between the modules, most students welcome this new technology-enhanced learning approach with open arms.1−4 Even so, laboratory modules have not adopted the flipped classroom model due to various reasons. In particular, there is the concern that having students view a video rather than perform the actual scientific experiment © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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DOI: 10.1021/ed5009624 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
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done for the module CM2191 Experiments in Chemistry 2: Experiments in Organic and Inorganic Syntheses. GoPro devices were first sold on the market in early 2010. This tiny device, measuring 60 mm × 40 mm × 20 mm and weighing only 76 g (Figure 1), feels nothing like the heavy
Figure 1. A GoPro HERO3 Camera.
brick-like camcorders we normally use while filming a video. Initially, it was mainly adventurists and sports enthusiasts who used GoPro devices due to the robustness and sturdiness of their cameras.10,11 There are many sample videos on GoPro’s Web site, but none specifically for chemistry laboratory education. In the video shoot (Figures 2 and 3), the demonstrator, myself, wore two GoPro cameras each mounted on elastic
Figure 3. (A) FPS screenshot of GoPro Capture at the head level; (B) FPS screenshot of GoPro Capture at the chest level.
and sequences of fitting parts of apparatus are all recorded, including audio. Moreover, the concurrent notion of what the students are expected to do and what the lecturer articulates while doing them give students a better insight of the actual experiment. Students would potentially remember the procedure more clearly, as they would be viewing the process as if they were actually doing it. Such an awareness before the real laboratory session gives them the knowledge and, more importantly, the confidence to perform new synthesis of chemicals with more conviction which will also mitigate any potential hiccups and incidents. Guide To Using the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Machine
Besides using GoPro devices to capture FPS videos of experiments in the laboratory, there are also other findings concerning another promising use of these devices in education.12−15 While recording a guide to teach students on the use of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) machine, a three-pronged simultaneous view was adopted at some stage of the video (see Figure 4).16 The conventional third-person camera angle was used to film the procedures at a distance from the demonstrator and the machine, and at the same time, the demonstrator was also strapped with G1 (camera strapped to the forehead) and G2 (camera strapped to the chest). This is a breakthrough in making instructional videos. Most modern scientific machines tend to be expensive, very fragile and allow space for only one person to load the sample at any one time. As such, when it comes to filming this procedure, it is imperative that the cameraman does not stand beside the demonstrator while the latter is working on loading the sample. If proper care is not taken and the machine is damaged, the defective parts could cost a lot of money to repair. By having G1 and G2, the person was able to know first-hand what he was expected to observe and pay extra attention to the procedure, thereby minimizing faults and any potential malfunctioning of the equipment.
Figure 2. Demonstrator, wearing the two GoPro Cameras, one attached onto the forehead, the other, strapped onto the chest.
straps. The first camera was strapped to my forehead, with the camera positioned at my forehead, just above my eye level (Figure 3A). The second camera was worn on my body (Figure 3B), with the camera located at chest level. In the next two sections, the application of the GoPro devices to specific laboratory demonstrations will be discussed. CM2191 Experiments in Chemistry 2: Experiments in Organic and Inorganic Syntheses
To facilitate learning during chemistry practicals and minimize students’ apprehension when they enter a new laboratory with new facilities, the FPS videos were used to provide a very thorough orientation on what they should do during the reaction setup. The positioning of a specific glassware, the steps B
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Figure 5. G1 misses the target of the shoot. My eyes were on the stopcock with my right-hand adjusting it. My intention was to let them watch out for the level of the eluent level of the flask column, so as to not let it dry up.
In addition, as the demonstrator would be performing the experiment as normal, (i.e., as if he did not have the extra devices on his person), he may not be aware of stray images the camera may capture. For instance, when the demonstrator transferred solutions in a fume hood while bending down, G2 would end up filming the feet and shoes together with the lower cabinet of the fume hood (Figure 6). None of the
Figure 6. G2 misses the target of the shoot. As I bent down to add the concentrated sulfuric acid, the camera angle was distorted and could not capture the desired footage.
Figure 4. (A) Third person view capture during the video shoot; (B) GoPro FPS on the forehead, G1; (C) GoPro FPS at the chest level, G2.
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pertinent steps from the procedure would have been captured by G2 during these moments. Also, videos recorded on G1 could end up looking blurry if we turn our heads too quickly at times, a normal occurrence when we move naturally. To capture clearer video images using G1, one must consciously slow down and minimize the movement of one’s head.
CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED For the first time both cameras were strapped on to my body while an experiment on the synthesis of a fragrance was performed. It was a unique experience and required practice to refrain from shaking or moving too quickly. For instance, one had to be physically aware that there was something above one’s eyes even though the device itself is very light. As for the camera which was strapped to the chest, it feels like there was a compact and snug safety jacket on my body. Other than that, one’s physical movements were not restricted by the devices at all. At the end of the experiment, the files were inspected and two issues were observed in relation to the image capture. First, standing at 6 feet tall, the camera on my forehead (G1) only captured the upper part of the experimental setup (Figure 5). In another words, the anticipation to capture the image of the person’s entire head resulted in the image from her nose and above. Second, the camera on my chest (G2) only managed to capture the part of the experimental setup when I was seated on the lab stool. The second problem could be rectified if I were to stand in front of the fume hood and work on my setup. As for the first issue, the camera could be adjusted to a better angle.
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CONCLUSION In conclusion, the employment of a GoPro camera with the FPS technique in teaching laboratory modules is a new tool in the flipped classroom approach. This new element where a student can observe a scientific experiment through the demonstrators’ eyes is both interesting and captivating. Instructors and students who have participated in the GoPro FPS learning activity found this new technique to be a useful tool in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of scientific experiments. By incorporating all three camera modes (first-person, second-person, and third-person), combining the FPS technique with GoPro devices allows the instructors to break out of the routine and narrow scope which is characteristic of a single recording and, in the process, make the learning process in the laboratory more invigorating. More research needs to be done to find out the extent to which FPS C
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can improve student learning in laboratory demonstration more than the conventional third-person camera angle. An extensive library of these technique videos can be viewed as pre-lab assignments. Limited lab time can be more effectively utilized.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail: chmff
[email protected]. Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the Dean’s Office at the Faculty of Science, and the Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore (NUS) for the financial support.
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REFERENCES
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