Making Instruments — A Teaching Tool?

What even prompted this blog entry? This is the way technology progresses.

With University of Illinois chemistry professor Alexander Scheeline releasing plans and software to allow students to turn their cellphones into spectrometers, the argument is that by making the instrument themselves, students will learn more about the fundamentals of spectrometry. Do you think that's true?

Of course it's true. Hands-on is a time-proven way to teach. I applaud Professor Scheeline.

As a counter-example, coffee-filter chromatography has long been a staple in high-school chemistry classes, but it's so far removed from the chromatographs used today that the connection may not be clear to students.

Not it the instructor is a true teacher.

If instrument-making is a good teaching tool, what other instruments could be made in high-school or college science courses?

Aside from the ones that they already have (balances, spectrometers, spectrophotometers, pH meters, voltmeters, ohmmeters, ammeters, etc.), what more would be of benefit?

Great idea. For anyone interested, here is a link:

http://www.asdlib.org/onlineArticles/elabware/Scheeline_Kelly_Spectrophotometer/Cell%20Phone%20Spectrometer%20Paper.pdf

Reminds me of the good old days when Scientific American had the Amateur Scientist column.

Thanks for the link!

I wish I could have tried that back when I was teaching HS Physics! If I had more time, I'd try it myself just for the learning experience. If someone comes up with an app for iPhone, I will try it, first as shown, and then with a more structurally sound mounting and enclosure.

I too greatly applaud Professor Sheeline!

I remember many years ago trying with students to build a CO2 laser from the Scientific American Amateur Scientist series. I don't believe we ever actually got it to work, but during the construction the students learned a lot, and the teacher (yours truly) learned a few things too. There is no experience like building stuff!