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Developing a Polymer Semiconductor Education Kit and Curriculum for High School Science Classrooms
Author(s) -
Enlow Jessica L.,
Marin Dawn M.,
Walter Michael G.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.201500079
Subject(s) - outreach , curriculum , materials science , semiconductor , engineering physics , nanotechnology , engineering , sociology , optoelectronics , pedagogy , political science , law
Summary The development of a new science outreach program is described that uses a polymer semiconductor kit geared towards high school science classrooms. The kit is focused around educating students about polymeric semiconductors and contains materials and curriculum for three educational modules: a conductive polyaniline nanofiber module, a light‐emitting diode module using poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) (MEH‐PPV), and a polymer solar cell using MEH‐PPV and TiO 2 . A previous educational outreach program called “Juice from Juice” whose curriculum and activities explore the science and application of nanomaterials and molecules for low‐cost solar cells inspired efforts to develop the polymer science outreach program. Key to the success of these programs is a methodology involving close collaboration between university research centers and high school science teachers both during development and implementation stages of the program.