Summary
In this episode of the Tech Explorations podcast, Dr. Peter Dalmaris talks with Jacob Strickling, a mechanical engineer and science educator who founded Make Science Fun and Tiny Science Lab. These organizations offer hands-on, practical experiences and accessible science equipment to students of all ages. During the pandemic, Jacob’s online chemistry labs made science fun and inspirational for students.
Jacob started Make Science Fun and Tiny Science Lab to provide accessible science equipment and practical learning experiences to students. He believes that the first step to learning science is to get students engaged, and he achieves this through his YouTube channel and Tiny Science Lab. His approach to teaching science is to engage students first through hands-on exploration and play, followed by brief descriptions of experiments and concepts. This approach inspires students to learn and do well in science.
Peter and Jacob discuss the impact of maker education on science learning and how it engages students in a whole-body activity that engages the brain, hands, and eyes, making it more effective than traditional academic learning. This approach takes longer than traditional book and whiteboard learning, but the impact is greater because it opens the appetite to learn.
Jacob’s classes teach the scientific method of developing a fair experiment to test a problem or question. He emphasizes the importance of asking multiple questions and being open to surprises in science education.
Jacob also discusses his experiments with kids and how they react when the results of an experiment don’t meet their common-sense expectations. He also talks about the importance of making decisions and taking risks when developing new products, and the value of learning from every experiment.
Jacob Strickling’s work in science education can be found on Channel 10, a popular show related to businesses and pitching. His Tiny Science Lab can be found at tinysciencelab.com.au.
Resources
- makesciencefun.com.au
- facebook.com/TinyScienceLab/
- linkedin.com/in/jacob-strickling-b185ba95/
- twitter.com/JacobScientist
Watch
- [00:00] Introduction
- [01:24] Who is Jacob Strickling and what is his story?
- [04:18] Starting Tiny Labs: Jacob’s journey to teaching kids science
- [10:40] Jacob’s approach to teaching science: What sets it apart and how effective is it for students’ learning?
- [14:23] The impact of maker education on science learning
- [16:50] What can we learn from Jacob’s classes and methods, particularly in regards to the scientific method, to train the next generation to sort out the information presented to them in their everyday lives?
- [19:35] Exploring how discrepancies between common sense expectations and experiment results can teach kids about real life
- [25:18] The value of a teacher in demonstrating ad hoc experiments to students compared to online teaching
- [28:11] Other Tiny Science Labs besides electronics kits in Jacob Strickling’s work
- [32:06] What can you create with a laser cutter using the Tiny Science Lab kit?
- [37:53] Jacob’s plans for the next three to four years
- [39:35] Where to look for Jacob Strickling’s work in science education
- [41:02] How to find more information about Jacob Strickling and Make Science Fun
Transcription
[spp-transcript]
This is Tech Explorations Podcast episode 17.
The Tech Explorations Podcast is a podcast produced by Tech Explorations, a leading provider of educational resources for Makers, STEM students, and teachers. Go to techexplorations.com to see a complete list of our books and courses covering the Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and electronics.